Noothgrush

/Noothgrush

Band

Noothgrush

Details

Genre
Doom/Drone/Stoner
Year Formed
1994
Town/City
San Jose, CA
Country
USA

About

In the summer of 1994, drummer Chiyo Nukaga, bassist and vocalist Gary Niederhoff, and former Asbestosdeath guitarist Tom Choi decided to start a band that played slow, heavy, riff-based music. To ensure a severe low-end attack, they brought in second bassist Luis Davila, who also provided electronics on the only demo recorded by this lineup. After a few shows, Tom and Luis both left to pursue other projects, and Russ Kent was brought in to fulfill guitar duties.

This core three piece thrived throughout the '90s, joined for a few months by Exhumed guitarist Matt Harvey, who performed with them at Slapaham's Fiesta Grande #4 in early 1996, and by Al Ruel for a few months in 1997. The band released their debut 7" on Slapaham and churned out dozens of songs for various compilations and split releases with bands like Corrupted, Gasp, Agents Of Satan, Deadbodieseverywhere, Black Army Jacket, Wellington, and Carol Ann. They also recorded a full length LP which would not be released for nearly 14 years.

The decade ended with a two month tour of the U.S. and Canada, and as a new millennium dawned, creativity was waning and it appeared that local interest in the band was as well. The band decided to call it quits in April of 2001.

A decade later, the looming vinyl releases of archival live material on Southern Lord, their first demo on Fuck Yoga, and their long dormant Erode The Person LP on Parasitic led the band to reunite for performances at Southern Lord's Power Of The Riff Festivals in San Francisco and Seattle in August of 2011. After these shows, it was clear that Gary's voice was no longer able to meet the demand of the band's music, and in January of 2012 former Dystopia and Asunder vocalist Dino Sommese took over on vocals.

In the past few years, Noothgrush has toured Europe and Japan, played at Roadburn, Maryland Deathfest, Heavy Days in Doomtown, Deadfest, 305 Fest, Power of the Riff Fest, Rrroooaaarrr Fest, and headlined numerous shows from New York to San Francisco. The revived four piece line up recorded new material at Earhammer studios in Oakland for a split LP with Japan's Coffins on Southern Lord, and an EP on Fuck Yoga.