S.O.B. (band)

Biography

S.O.B. is a pioneer of thrashcore. The group debuted in 1986 with the record, Leave Me Alone. In 1990, S.O.B. found international recognition with their split 7" EP with British band Napalm Death, who are pioneers of grindcore, along with bands like Terrorizer and Repulsion. Members of Napalm Death have credited S.O.B. as influencing Napalm Death's sound.

In July 1989, S.O.B. met Napalm Death during a Japanese tour, and Napalm Death's members Shane Embury and Lee Dorrian played on the record Thrash Night, an EP released by Dorrian's label Rise Above. In the same year, the band held a session for John Peel's Radio program on BBC.

Their album "Gate Of Doom" is S.O.B's most death metal influenced album, something not seen on any other S.O.B. albums. Influences on that album draw from many death-related artists like Morbid Angel, Brutal Truth, Carcass and later Napalm Death. Their older albums, like "Don't Be Swindle", shows completely different influences ranging from most notably Siege, The Misfits, Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies and many other hardcore rock related bands.

In June 1995, after the release of Vicious World, Tottsuan, the band's lead vocalist, committed suicide by jumping onto railroad tracks as a train was moving. Soon after, Kevin Sharp of Brutal Truth took Tottsuan's place during live S.O.B. performances, but in 1996, the band announced that Tottsuan had been replaced by Naoto, bassist of Rise from the Dead.

S.O.B.'s only U.S. performance was in July 1995 at the Irving Plaza in New York City.

A compilation album "Poison Junky" released around 1995 on Sony Records forayed S.O.B. into the mainstream.

The 1999 album "Dub Grind" was the only full-length studio album to feature new singer Naoto. The album is also the first to present a much more experimental S.O.B., incorporating more sound effects than usual on an S.O.B. album as well as a more mainstream-friendly sound.

In 2003, S.O.B. made a comeback with the release of Still Grind Attitude and a series of re-recorded classics with their most current vocalist Itsushi. They still exist today but are only actively known in Japan.

Current lineup

Past members

Albums