Asphyx

Biography :

Asphyx is a Dutch death/doom band that formed in Overijssel in 1987.


History :

The band was formed in 1987 by Bob Bagchus and Tonny Brookhuis. Eric Daniels was found as a second guitarist and Chuck Colli joined on vocals and bass; this combo released the Enter the Domain demo. In March 1989 Colli was replaced by Theo Loomans and they recorded the Crush the Cenotaph demo. Brookhuis then left the band; the remaining three recorded Embrace the Death, an album which was never released due to label problems.

After Martin van Drunen left Pestilence in the early 1990s, he joined Asphyx and the band signed to Century Media Records. After the release of their debut album, The Rack, they went on a European tour with Entombed, followed by a tour with Bolt Thrower and Benediction in 1992. Shortly after the recording of the second album, Last One on Earth, Van Drunen left the band, to be replaced by Ron van der Pol. Eventually Baghus left the band as well and was replaced by Sander van Hoof.

In 1994, the band released their third, self-titled album, but broke up shortly afterward. In 1995 Loomans and Baghus reformed Asphyx and recorded God Cries. Around the same time also the Embrace the Death album, recorded in 1990, was released. Nevertheless the band split up again after the release. In 1998, Theo Loomans died in a car accident. Some time later Soulburn was founded by Baghus and Daniels, and together with Pentacle singer and bassist Wannes Gubbels they recorded Feeding on Angels. In 1999 they renamed the project Asphyx and recorded the On the Wings of Inferno album with the same lineup. However, Asphyx disbanded again in 2000.

In January 2007, the band re-united with Van Drunen, Gubbels, Paul Baayens and Baghus. They did not intend to record a new album, but focused only on live performances. Still, in January 2008, they recorded a cover of a Celtic Frost song and a new song called "Death... The Brutal Way." In July 2008, they stated that new material is in the works. Death...The Brutal Way was released in June 2009 by Century Media. It was released in North America by Ibex Moon Records on August 18, 2009, quickly becoming the distributor's bestseller.


Band Members :

Current Members :

* Martin van Drunen – Vocals
* Paul Baayens – Guitar
* Alwin Zuur – Bass
* Bob Bagchus – Drums

Former Members :

* Eric Daniels – Guitar (1989–1995, 1997–2000)
* Theo Loomans – Vocals, Bass (1989–1990, 1995–1996)
* Ron van der Pol – Vocals, Bass (1992–1994)
* Wannes Gubbels – Bass, Vocals (1997–2000, 2007–2010)
* Ronny van der Wey – Guitar (1996)
* Sander van Hoof – Drums (1994)
* Tonny Brookhuis – Guitar (1987–1989)
* Chuck Colli – Vocals, Bass (1988–1989)
* Heiko Hanke – Keyboards (1994)
* Roel Sanders – Drums


Discography :

* Asphyx - Carnage Remains (Demo, 1988)
* Asphyx - Enter the Domain (Demo, 1989)
* Asphyx - Crush the Cenotaph (Demo, 1990)
* Asphyx - Mutilating Process (Single, Gore Records/Nuclear Blast, 1989)
* Asphyx - The Rack (Album, Century Media, 1991)
* Asphyx - Crush the Cenotaph (EP, Century, 1992)
* Asphyx - Last One on Earth (Album, Century, 1992)
* Asphyx - Asphyx (Album, Century, 1994)
* Asphyx - Embrace the Death (Album, 1996, Century; recorded in 1990)
* Asphyx - God Cries (Album, Century, 1996)
* Asphyx - Feeding on Angels (Album, 1998, as Soulburn)
* Asphyx - On the Wings of Inferno (Album, Century, 2000)
* Asphyx - Death...The Brutal Way (Album, Century, June 2009)
* Asphyx - Live Death Doom (Double Live Album & DVD, Century, August 2010)


Associated Acts :

* Hail of Bullets