Monstrosity (band)

Monstrosity is an American death metal band formed in 1990 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, out of the Florida death metal scene. The band's original lineup included George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, who found greater success in 1995 as frontman of Cannibal Corpse.

Monstrosity
Monstrosity performing in 2012
Background information
Origin	Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
Genres	Death metal
Years active	1990–present
Labels	Nuclear Blast Conquest
Members	Lee Harrison Matt Barnes Justin Walker Mark Van Erp Edwin Webb
Past members	Jon Rubin George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher Jason Morgan Kelly Conlon Jason Avery Tony Norman Mike Poggione Sam Molina Mark English Mike Hrubovcak
Website	monstrosity.us

History

Formation and Imperial Doom

Vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, drummer Lee Harrison and bassist Mark Van Erp founded Monstrosity in 1990. Harrison had just left New York death metal band Malevolent Creation and George Fisher left his band Corpsegrinder in his hometown of Baltimore and relocated to Florida in 1990. Jon Rubin, who had played guitar in Malevolent Creation also joined to form Monstrosity. Mark Van Erp played bass in the band Cynic and he left Cynic to join Monstrosity. The four members of Monstrosity signed with Nuclear Blast (Germany).

Monstrosity's played their first shows during Fall 1990, when the Florida death metal scene was already largely established.

Jason Gobel, who was a member of Cynic assisted Monstrosity in the recording of Imperial Doom, despite having never been an official member of Monstrosity. The album was released in 1992 by Nuclear Blast. To support the album, Monstrosity toured Europe as support for Pestilence.

Lineup changes and Millenium

After a number of problems with the label, Lee Harrison formed his own record label Conquest Music in 1996. The band released their sophomore album Millennium in 1996. Guitarist Jon Rubin was replaced by Jason Morgan and bassist Mark Van Erp, by Kelly Conlon. Following the recording sessions for the album, George Fisher left Monstrosity to replace Chris Barnes in Cannibal Corpse, and was subsequently replaced with Jason Avery on vocals in Monstrosity.

Later releases (1999-present)

In 1999, Monstrosity released their third studio album In Dark Purity. The album was produced by Monstrosity and recorded at Morrisound Studios, Tampa, Florida. Conquest Music licensed the album to Olympic/Slip Disc/Century Media for better distribution in the US and licensed the album to Metal Age and then Hammerheart Records in Europe. Jason Avery was the vocalist, Lee Harrison, the drummer, Tony Norman, the guitarist and Kelly Conlon, the bassist.

By 2004, Monstrosity recorded their fourth studio album Rise to Power at Audio Hammer Studio, Sanford, Florida.The album was produced by Lee Harrison and co-produced by Monstrosity, and engineered by Jason Suecof. Monstrosity toured the US in support of the album and they were invited by the Bogotá, Colombia government to headline a musical festival in Bogotá with 85,000 people were in attendance.

Avery was replaced in December 2005 by Brian Werner. Werner filled vocal duties on the band's 2006 European tour and subsequent U.S. shows. In December 2006, Werner was replaced by Mike Hrubovcak (Divine Rapture, Imperial Crystalline Entombment, Vile) and Mark English (guitar) joined the band.

The band released its fifth studio albumSpiritual Apocalypse in 2008, followed by its sixth studio album eleven years later with The Passage of Existence on September 7, 2018.

Band members

Current members

• Lee Harrison – drums (1990–present)
• Matt Barnes – rhythm guitar (2010–present)
• Justin Walker – lead guitar (2019–present)
• Mark van Erp – bass (1990–1995, 2021–present)
• Edwin Webb – vocals (2021–present)

Former members

• Jon Rubin – guitars (1990–1994)
• George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher – vocals (1990–1996)
• Jason "Tux" Morgan – guitars (1994–1999)
• Tony Norman – lead guitar (1999–2005)
• Kelly Conlon – bass (1995–2000)
• Jason Avery – vocals (1996–2001, 2003–2005)
• Mike Poggione – bass (2001–2021)
• Sam Molina – rhythm guitar (2003–2006), vocals (2001–2003)
• Mark English – lead guitar (2006–2019)
• Mike Hrubovcak – vocals (2006–2021)

Touring members

• Pat O'Brien – lead guitar (1996–1997)
• Jay Fernandez – guitars (1998–1999)
• Bobby Earl – vocals (2001)
• Patrick Hall – guitars (2002)
• Brian Werner – vocals (2006)
• J.J. Hrubovcak – guitars (2007)
• Ben Kuzay – bass (2008)
• Andrew Guthrie – bass (2012)
• Jamie Harris – guitars (1998)
• Jamie Osburne – guitars (1998)
• Matt Moore – guitars (2009)
• Steve Bailey – guitars (2000)
• Chuck Amos – guitars (1994)
• Adam Bollenbach – guitars (1993)
• Jason Gobel – guitars (1991)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Imperial Doom (1992)
• Millennium (1996)
• In Dark Purity (1999)
• Rise to Power (2003)
• Spiritual Apocalypse (2007)
• The Passage of Existence (2018)

EPs and singles

• Burden of Evil (1991)
• Darkest Dream (1992)

Compilations

• Enslaving the Masses (2001)

Live albums

• Live Extreme Brazilian – Tour 2002 (2003)
• 10 Years of Nuclear Blast (1997)
• Stages Of Decay (2001)

DVDs

• Live Apocalypse (2012)

Demo albums

• Horror Infinity (1990)
• Slaves and Masters (1994)

External links

• Official website
• Monstrosity on Facebook
• Monstrosity at AllMusic
• Monstrosity at Encyclopaedia Metallum
• Interview at Swampfoot Records