Enemy Soil (band)
Enemy Soil was an American grindcore band from Sterling, Virginia, first formed in 1991. The band played a style of grindcore that was influenced heavily by hardcore punk, and featured many line-up changes throughout its run, with frontman Richard Johnson acting as its core. Because the group initially was unable to find a suitable drummer, earlier Enemy Soil recordings featured a drum machine. The group's music was also politically-motivated early in their career, however later recordings instead featured introspective topics for lyrics.
Enemy Soil | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Sterling, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | Grindcore, hardcore punk |
| Years active | 1991–1999 2001, 2017–present (reunions) |
| Labels | Selfmadegod, Bones Brigade, Relapse, Clean Plate, Profane Existence Far East, Insolito, Slap-a-Ham |
| Members | Richard Johnson J.R. Hayes Adam Perry Russ Mason |
| Past members | Cory Stevenson Jeff Kane Brian Harvey Omid Yamini T.L. Smoot Doshu Tokeshi Shane Privette Criag Lenc Tim Caicedo |
| Website | enemysoil |
The group eventually broke up in the spring of 1999 after releasing numerous splits and records. Members went on to form or join many bands, including Pig Destroyer, Pg. 99, and Agoraphobic Nosebleed, among others. French label Bones Brigade Records issued the two-disc compilation Smashes the State! in 2001, containing most of the band's discography, excluding the Casualties of Progress extended play. The group reformed in 2001 for a special one-off reunion show at CBGB in New York City. Footage from this show, as well as shows dating between 1996 and 1998, was released on the 2009 Selfmadegod live DVD Smashes the State Live.
In June 2017, the band announced via the official Enemy Soil website that the group has reformed for a few reunion shows, including an appearance at Maryland Deathfest 2018.