PSYCHRIST

Yuri Ward (guitar, vocals); Dan Marsden (bass); Nathan Youngberg (guitar); Roth (vocals); Glen Blazejak (drums)

Psychrist was a powerful, blasting black-tinged death metal maelstrom, blasting the winds of hate from out of Canberra since the early 1990s. The embryonic version was a three-piece featuring former Addictive drummer Matt Coffey, Ward and Marsden, and this line-up scored a support with Morbid Angel but broke up sometime later. With James Simper stepping in on drums and Eddie Telfor on second guitar Psychrist gigged with Pungent Stench. Telfor was shortly replaced by Matt Keele and the line-up which issued the first album was consolidated. The Abysmal Fiend was raw and coarse and blasting, but inspired. After that the vocal duties were taken on by Kel Dulihanty, with Ward taking up a backing vocal role. Since then the band's fortunes have see-sawed and Psychrist has suffered from a string of personnel changes. The follow-up to Embrace... was recorded as long ago as late 1996 but problems within the band over the highly graphic nature of the cover artwork followed by yet more personnel upheavals constantly delayed the CD's release. After 1997's Metal for the Brain appearance Keele, Dulihanty and Simper split from the band, while Yuri Ward joined Armoured Angel as guitarist and singer. He remained a member of Psychrist, however and by mid 1998 the line-up listed above had come together, although with Roger Stachow on drums. Stachow and Youngberg were drawn from fellow Canberra deathsters Dying Embers. Blazejak replaced Stachow in early 1999. Embrace Rapture in Disgust was finally released in February 2000 and the band did a national tour with Encabulos and Deluge. Psychrist were regulars at Metal for the Brain, appearing more times than any band except Alchemist. The band's Debauching the Minions was released in mid-2002 and the band supported Destruction a short time later. Blazejak left the band in late 2003 Psychrist has subsequently folded.

Discography:

Debauching the Minions (Dissident) 2002

Dan Marsden (bass)
Yuri Ward (guitar, vocals)
Wes Roth (vocals)
Glen Blazejak (drums)
Nathan Youngberg (guitar)
  1. Scourge
  2. Depraved Humanity
  3. Haven of Betrayal
  4. Debauching the Minions
  5. Godfucked
  6. Dead Emotion
  7. Severance
  8. Shroud of Profanity (MMI)
  9. Harbouring the Fire

Embrace Rapture in Disgust (Dissident) 2000

Dan Marsden (bass)
Yuri Ward (guitar, vocals)
Matt Keele (guitar)
James Simper (drums)
Kel Dulihanty (vocals)
  1. Abate the Chains of Rule
  2. Victual Eclyptic Hate
  3. The Abysmal Fiend
  4. Embrace Rapture in Disgust
  5. At the Shrine of Mortalities
  6. Temples of Flesh
  7. Beyond Waking Thought
  8. Paths to Damnation
  9. The Night's Children Bled
  10. Outro

The Abysmal Fiend (EP) (Warhead) 1994

Dan Marsden (bass)
Yuri Ward (vocals, guitar)
Matt Keele (guitar)
James Simper (drums)
  1. Inhumation
  2. The Shroud of Profanity
  3. My Bloodless Veins
  4. Copraphile
  5. Spiral
  6. Tears of the Deceased

Compilation track: Spiral -- Warhead Vol. 1 (Warhead) 1995

Compilation track: Abate -- SOD No. 10 (Warhead/SOD) (USA) 1998

Compilation track: The Abysmal Fiend -- Under the Southern Cross (Chatterbox) 1999

Related entries: Addictive, Armoured Angel,

This page is part of The Australian Metal Guide