Out of sheer frustration over the lack of drummers in the local Massachusetts area, Scott Hull and friends formed Agoraphobic Nosebleed (ANb) with the help of a drum machine in 1994. Many artists, such as Godflesh and Ministry had utilized drum machines effectively in the slower-paced industrial realm, but relatively few bands have ever attempted the 100,000 bpm “hailstorm of drums” approach to programming that head honcho Scott Hull not only attempted, but achieved!
An Agoraphobic Nosebleed recording is like passing through a hailstorm of runaway steamhammers with only a puny cocktail umbrella for protection. Like flatulence in a wind tunnel, the listener must simply submit to being decimated.
In 1998, after releasing a number of split EP’s and seven inch LP’s with respected scene veterans, Agoraphobic Nosebleed unleashed their Relapse debut, “Honkey reduction”. Instantly, grindcore fans the world over were chewing the fat! In late 1999, they unleashed “PCP torpedo” (Hydra Head), then “The poacher diaries” surfaced, seeing ANb align themselves with Boston’s Converge. A split 7″ with Benumb surfaced later that year.
As writing commenced for the next Agoraphobic Nosebleed recording, the ANb sound took a massive step forwards and additional members were deemed necessary. The band doubled in size, adding Grindcore alums Richard Johnson (Enemy Soil) and Carl Schultz. In 2002, ANb unveiled their long-awaited second full-length, “Frozen corpse stuffed with dope”. While the fires left burning in “Frozen corpse”‘s wake were still smoldering, the band issued a split 7″ release with Halo. Immediately following, ANb set to work on a concept so bizarre, no one would believe it. The band wrote and recorded “Altered states of America”, a 100 song 3″ CD, in the fall of 2002.
Bones Brigade records offered Agoraphobic Nosebleed a new split release in 2007. As any of the genre redefining artists, ANb had to have a release on the label. Who else could have shared the plate of wax besides Total Fucking Destruction? Fellow US-grinders. Different extremes, same will for innovation, fury and listener-challenging composition. Released some months later, the untitled little bastard is a major part of Aographobic Nosebleed’s ever growing discography.
