Throwdown is an American Straight Edge metal/hardcore band from Orange County, California, formed in 1997. They have toured as part of Ozzfest, Sounds of the Underground and Warped Tour, as well as with bands like In Flames, Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Korn, and Cavalera Conspiracy. The songs "Forever" and "Burn" have been staples on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball and Revolver Magazine called them part of "The Future of Metal" after hearing the album Vendetta . Their most recent album Venom and Tears has taken even more of a metal direction, with critics likening the bands current sound to that of Pantera, Sepultura, early Metallica and Crowbar.

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History

Early years (1997–2002)

Throwdown was formed in 1997 by vocalist Keith Barney, who would also be an active member of both Adamantium and Death by Stereo, guitarists Tommy Love and Javier Van Huss, bassist Dom Macaluso, and drummer Marc Jackson. The group took on the title Throwdown as a "wry irony on their collective stature," at the time no band member being more than . The band released their debut, self-titled 7-inch single that same year through Prime Directive Records. Van Huss left the band, and was replaced by Brandan Schieppati. After sign a recording contract with Indecision Records, the band released their first studio album Beyond Repair the following year. In 1999, Barney also relinquished his role in Death by Stereo to prioritise Throwdown. Schieppati left the band to concentrate full-time on his other band Bleeding Through, being replaced by Dave Peters. The following year, the new line-up released the Drive Me Dead EP. ^[1]

In 2001, Throwdown released their second studio album, You Don't Have to Be Blood to Be Family . They also recorded a tongue-in-cheek metalcore version of Sir Mix-a-Lot's hit single "Baby Got Back" for Radical Records' Too Legit for the Pit: Hardcore Takes the Rap compilation, which also featured Candiria, Stretch Arm Strong, and The Movielife. Allmusic reviewer Rick Anderson gave the album four and a half out of five stars, stating that Throwdown's version for the song was "absolutely hilarious". ^[2] The idea of cover a hip hop song, was a collaboration between Macaluso and Love. Originally they wanted to cover House of Pain's "Jump Around". Then the band decided there was too much in the song, as they felt that hip hop songs are hard to cover. Peters said, "Sir Mix-a-Lot was easy and funny, and that's what we're all about, playing easy stuff and trying to be funny." ^[3]

The following year, Barney expressed a desire to switch to guitar (which he played in Eighteen Visions already) because he would often lose his voice on tour. Peters took over on vocals. Fill-in guitarist Matt Mentley would fill in whenever Barney had shows with Eighteen Visions. Lacking a permanent drummer after the departure of Jackson, 18V drummer Ken Floyd regularly filled in around this time as well. After that in 2002 Throwdown made their next cd Face the Mirror EP with no changes except for Ken Floyd on drums.

Haymaker (2003–2004)

Throwdown recorded Haymaker , their breakthrough album featuring straight-edge anthem "Forever," for the Trustkill label. The lineup was Peters on vocals, Macaluso on bass, Love & Barney on guitars and a friend named Jarred Alexander who was hired as session drummer. A tour with Hatebreed followed in support of the album's release. Peters started a side-projected called Medic while Macaluso and Love started the band The Lost, who released an EP with Indecision very reminiscent of the group HIM. Neither project stayed active for very long. Barney began to focus his attention on 18V much more.

Throwdown began 2004 newly energized and regrouped. Barney was asked to step-down to make Mentley his official replacement. Peters, Macaluso and Mentley renewed their commitment to recording and touring while Love would commit to that summer's Ozzfest only. They hit Japan with a fill-in drummer and a short tour of Europe served as drummer Ben Dussault's introduction to the band (former drummer Marc Jackson filled in for Love on guitar for that tour) before Peters, Dussault, Mentley, Macaluso and Love hit the Ozzfest second stage all summer long. Also playing the festival that year were; Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Slayer, Dimmu Borgir, Superjoint Ritual, Black Label Society, Slipknot, Hatebreed, Lamb of God, Atreyu, Bleeding Through, Lacuna Coil, Every Time I Die, Unearth, God Forbid, Otep, Devildriver and Magna-Fi. The band included a cover of the Sepultura classic "Roots Bloody Roots" in their Ozzfest set. The group filmed their first music video ("Forever") with director Christopher Sims. That fall, they toured with Norma Jean before closing the year with a successful tour with Lamb Of God, Fear Factory and Children Of Bodom. Love officially left the band, on good terms, at the end of the year.

Vendetta (2005–2006)

Throwdown spent the early part of the year writing and recording Vendetta , made at Planet Z Studios with producer Zeus. Shortly before the album was recorded, Mark Choiniere joined the band, although he does not appear in the video for "Burn" (which features the band as a four-piece with Mentley the only guitar player). Peters, Dussault, Choiniere, Mentley & Macaluso hit the inaugural Sounds Of The Underground tour with Lamb Of God, Clutch, Poison the Well, Opeth, From Autumn To Ashes, Unearth, Chimaira, Norma Jean, Every Time I Die, GWAR, Strapping Young Lad, High on Fire, All That Remains, Madball, DevilDriver, Terror, A Life Once Lost, Fear Before the March of Flames, The Red Chord, Nora and The Black Dahlia Murder. In the fall, they headlined a US tour sponsored by To Die For Clothing with Sinai Beach as support. That tour was Macaluso's last with the group. Mentley switched to bass, with Mark Choiniere covering all guitar duties in the live setting. Throwdown has remained a four-piece ever since.

Throwdown toured with As I Lay Dying, In Flames and Soulfly at various points, co-headlined with Black Dahlia Murder and went to South America, Australia and on a US headliner with Zao, Evergreen Terrace and Maylene and the Sons of Disaster as support. They also played a handful of West Coast Vans Warped Tour dates and the UK's Download Festival in 2006, alongside Metallica and Guns N' Roses. And they recorded covers of songs by Misfits and Crowbar with producer Mudrock in 2006. They also played the Los Angeles date of the "Strhess Tour" with Shadows Fall, Poison The Well and It Dies Today.

Venom & Tears (2007–present)

Throwdown recorded Venom & Tears with producer Mudrock in Los Angeles. A cover of Sepultura's "Propaganda" was recorded during the same session. The album has received criticism from older fans who dislike their new taken musical direction. They spent the summer headlining the Ernie Ball stage on the Vans Warped Tour. After Warped Tour, they filmed a video for "Holy Roller" with director Andy Reale. In the fall, they supported Machine Head on a US tour. Mentley left the band afterward. His replacement, Mark Mitchell, made his live debut with the band in South America in December. Peters recorded a guest appearance on the next Soulfly album as well.

In February, the band commenced headlining the Scum Of The Earth tour in support of Venom And Tears with Soilwork, Through the Eyes of the Dead and War of Ages in tow. They also appeared on tour with Korn in Australia in April, but had logistical problems with the Auckland, New Zealand show and thus did not appear. This was followed by a trek supporting Killswitch Engage in Canada and a return to the UK Download Festival, as well as several other European festivals and shows. They next toured in the US with Cavalera Conspiracy. Dave Peters appeared live with Cavalera Conspiracy at Download and appears on the new Soulfly album and in the band's new video.

In March 2008 they announced that they have fulfilled their contract obligations and are no longer signed to Trustkill Records. In December 2008, the band signed to Koch Records. The band will begin work on their first release for their new label in 2009. The album will be titled Deathless . ^[4] In the same announcement, it was stated that Jarrod Alexander, who worked with the band on Haymaker, would be returning on drums for the new album.

The band began recording with Mudrock in late April, according to their MySpace and Twitter pages.

Members

;Current

• Dave Peters – guitars (2000–2002), lead vocals (2002–present)
• Mark Choiniere – guitars (2005–present)
• Mark Mitchell – bass (2007–present)

;Former

• Javier Van Huss – bass (1997–1998)
• Brandan Schieppati – guitars (1998–2000)
• Marc Jackson – drums, percussion (1997–2002)
• Keith Barney – lead vocals (1997–2002), guitars (2002–2004)
• Tommy Love – guitars (1997–2004)
• Dom Macaluso – guitars (1997–1998), bass (1998–2005)
• Matt Mentley – guitars (2004–2005), bass (2005–2007)
• Ben Dussault – drums, percussion (2004–2008)

;Session

• Ken Floyd – drums, percussion (2002) (Also toured with the band)
• Jarrod Alexander – drums, percussion (2003, 2008–present)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Beyond Repair (1999)
• You Don't Have to Be Blood to Be Family (2001)
• Haymaker (2003)
• Vendetta (2005)
• Venom and Tears (2007)
• Deathless (2009)

Extended plays

• Throwdown (1997)
• Drive Me Dead (2000)
• Throwdown / Good Clean Fun (2000)
• Face the Mirror (2002)
• Americana / Planets Collide (2007)
• Covered in Venom and Tears (2007)

Videos

• Together. Forever. United. (2004)

Music videos

• "Forever" (2004), directed by Chris Sims
• "Burn" (2005), directed by Chris Sims ^[5]
• "Holy Roller" (2007), directed by Andy Reale ^[6]

References

1. New Wave of American Heavy Metal
2. Review of ''Too Legit for the Pit: Hardcore Takes the Rap''
3. Throwdown interview
4. Throwdown signs with Koch Records
5. Throwdown > Music Videos > Burn
6. Throwdown > Music Videos > Holy Roller