Venomous Concept

Venomous Concept formed in 2004 with Kevin Sharp on vocals, Shane Embury on guitar, Danny Lilker on bass, and Tony Laureano on drums. Embury came from Napalm Death, Lilker from Nuclear Assault, which gave the project some immediate underground metal credibility. They put out three albums: 'Retroactive Abortion' in 2006, 'Kicked in the Teeth' in 2010, and 'The Good, the Bad, and the Mangled' in 2018.

Their sound is a fast, aggressive mix of grindcore and thrash, with songs like 'Half Full' and 'Anti-social' delivering the kind of blunt-force riffing you'd expect from that lineup. The lyrics tend to focus on political and social themes, sometimes drawing criticism for their graphic content. At one point, the U.S. Marine Corps used 'Half Full' in a promotional video without permission, which led to a legal dispute.

Beyond that, Venomous Concept has mostly stayed in the heavier corners of the metal scene, playing shows and putting out records when schedules allow. It's essentially a side project for musicians who have other main bands, but they've maintained a consistent sound across their releases.