Bonecrusher is a punk band from California, USA, with Kevin Grossman listed as a member. The group forms from the ashes of Wolfpack, an Orange County punk outfit, and starts out in 1992 under the name the Crush before becoming known as Bonecrusher.

Early history

In its early years, the band builds a following by playing in its own way rather than following label expectations, but it does not initially release any records. It remains largely unknown outside its hometown until it issues its debut album, A World of Pain, on Lethal Records.

The album gains attention in the Orange County punk scene and is placed at number 2 in Flipside’s 1995 list of the best Orange County records, behind the US Bombs and ahead of the Stitches’ 8 X 12.

Line-up changes and setbacks

After the debut, the original drummer Gino ends up in the Minnesota state prison system, while the original guitarist George later joins ADZ. The band goes through a period of drug problems and jail time and begins to fall apart.

Return and later recordings

In late 1996, Bonecrusher returns with Pat Hall from HFL and drummer Noah Lysek. The group records material that becomes the Animal EP and No Escape, both released on Hostage Records.

One of the band’s defining live moments comes at Malone’s Club in Anaheim during a battle-of-the-bands show. The performance leads to a riot, the club owners cut the power, and Raybo continues singing without a microphone until police shut the venue down. The incident helps secure the band’s place in Orange County punk history, even though it also leaves the group struggling to get booked for a time.

In 1997, Bonecrusher plays at the Clipper in Long Beach in a show promoted by Outsider. This leads to the recording of the Angry Youth single, which is released on Outsider’s own label. The band also becomes a regular presence at the venue, playing free monthly shows and supporting acts including the US Bombs, Mindrot and the Battalion of Saints.

Reception

By the end of the 1990s, the band is receiving strong reviews and interviews in publications including Maximum Rock and Roll, Flipside, Skratch and 3rd Generation Nation. Mid-1998 finds the group back in the studio working on a follow-up release, continuing its self-managed approach.