Artist: XENTRIX
Album: SHATTERED EXISTENCE RE-RELEASE (CD)

Year: 1989/ 2006
Media type: CD

In the beginning, Chris Astley, the founder of Xentrix, turned to music to fill his time, forming a Heavy Metal band called Sweet Vengeance in 1986, in Leyland, Lancashire, North West England. Joining him at this stage were local friends Dave Moss (guitar), Pete Miller (bass), Duncan Morgan (drums) and Dacaw Hough (vocals). Making no significant headway for a longer period of time after the formation of the band, Astley decided to break up the current line-up and set about finding fresh musicians.

The new line-up consisted of Kristian Havard (guitar), Dennis Gasser (drums), and Steve Hodgson (bass). It was now that Sweet Vengeance’s musical style began to change, with all the band gradually being influenced by the continuing emergence of U.S. Speed Metal acts, such as Metallica and Testament. With this line-up, the quartet found limited success around their home country, and early in 1988 the band got the chance to record their first demo. The four tracks laid down at Amazon Studios in Liverpool were “Blackmail”, “Hunger For Death”, “Nobody’s Perfect” and “Grand As A Frog”.

This demo and a subsequent appearance of “Blackmail” on an Ebony Records compilation LP resulted in a management deal with Preston-based B.A.D. Steve Hodgson, who just was not fitting in with the band’s new sound, was given a sack. Dennis Gasser’s brother Mel helped out until they acquired the services of Cumbrian-born Paul McKenzie. At the debut gig with this line-up, nearby Warrington, Sweet Vengeance stole the thunder from the headliners. Luckily, Kerrang contributor David Galbraith was in attendance, and his rave review of the band was the start of some long overdue press exposure. Favourable demo reviews followed in both Metal Hammer and Metal Forces.

By November 1988 the band had aroused the interest of Roadrunner Records and were brought down to London to record a three-song demo at Martix Studios. Of course the band were duly signed the following month, but not before a change of name was agreed. The new monicker Xentrix heralded a new burst of enthusiasm and creativity, and the band set about writing and rehearsing new material for their debut album.

During the first four months of 1989, Xentrix played a few shows around the North West of England. The most remarkable of these was their last before they entered the studios. Performing third on the bill to Onslaught and Acid Reign, (two of the U.K.’s premiere thrash acts) the band put on a fantastic performance, and according to many oberservers “blew away” both acts.

By May Xentrix had amassed nine pristine new tracks. The album, “Shattered Existence”, was recorded and mixed in nippy 14 days with the producer John Cuniberti bringing the best out of both the band and their material. Of the newer tracks, the likes of “Position of Security”, “Crimes” and “Balance Of Power” proved that Xentrix could stand up against anything else the U.K. thrash scene had to offer. While “No Compromise”, “Dark Enemy” and “Back In The Real World” show that you can play fast and in a controlled manner at the same time. Yeah, sit back and listen to “Shattered Existence”. I bet you’ll feel “grand As A Frog” afterwards.

TRACKLIST:

01 No Compromise
02 Balance Of Power
03 Crimes
04 Back In The Real World
05 Dark Enemy
06 Bad Blood
07 Reasons For Destruction
08 Position Of Security
09 Heaven Cent

Bonus tracks:
10 Ghostbusters
11 Nobody's Perfect
12 Interrogate