Total Devastation

Total Devastation formed in Los Angeles in the late 1990s, with Chris Robinson on vocals, Mike Shaw on guitar, Javier Navarro on bass, and Tony Garcia on drums. They started out playing hardcore shows around the city, working through the usual early struggles of a new band trying to get heard.

In 2002, they put out their first album, 'Bleeding Time,' which gave them a solid foothold in the melodic hardcore scene. That record included tracks like 'Converted Illusion' and 'Divine,' and its title cut became a staple for fans who liked their mix of aggressive guitars and more tuneful vocal lines.

Later albums like 'The New American Nightmare' and 'Desolation' kept them going through the 2000s, though some in the hardcore community felt they leaned too far into melody. Their songs, such as 'Disguise' and 'Fleshing,' often balanced that tension between raw energy and something more anthemic.