Chelsea Grin

Chelsea Grin

Chelsea Grin are a deathcore band from Salt Lake City, United States. They form in 2007 and remain active. Their sound is associated with deathcore, deathgrind and grindcore. The group name comes from the torture method also known as a Glasgow smile.

Formation and early line-up

The band begins as a Salt Lake City project involving vocalist Alex Koehler and guitarist Chris Kilbourn, following an earlier local band called Ahaziah. Koehler and Kilbourn are the original core of the group, and the line-up changes substantially as the band develops. Austin Marticorena and Michael Stafford join early on, and Marticorena brings Andrew Carlston into the band and helps reshape material for the first releases. Davis Pugh later moves from bass to guitar after David Flinn joins on bass. Jake Harmond also becomes a member after first filling in on guitar.

Recordings and releases

Chelsea Grin release two EPs and four full-length albums. Their first EP, Chelsea Grin, appears in 2008 and includes the songs “Crewcabanger” and “Lifeless” as singles. A second EP, Evolve, follows in 2012 and contains five tracks. Their first album, Desolation of Eden, is recorded at Lambesis Studios in San Marcos, California with Tim Lambesis producing. Songs from the EP, including “Cheyne Stokes” and “Recreant”, are re-recorded for the album.

Their second album, My Damnation, is released in 2011. A lead track from the record is issued as a single, and “All Hail the Fallen King” features Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel. The band later records Ashes to Ashes, which comes out in 2014 on Artery Recordings and Razor & Tie and is produced by the band with Diego Farias of Volumes. The record includes “Angels Shall Sin, Demons Shall Pray”, “Playing With Fire”, “Letters” and “Clockwork”. Their fourth full-length, Self Inflicted, follows in 2016.

Labels, line-up changes and touring

Chelsea Grin are signed to Rise Records. Earlier in their career they also work with Statik Factory Records and Artery Recordings. In 2009, Chris Kilbourn leaves to start Matchless Records. Michael Stafford departs in 2012 and Jason Richardson replaces him, first temporarily and then permanently. Richardson later leaves and Stephen Rutishauser takes over on guitar. Pablo Viveros joins on drums in late 2012. By the mid-2010s, the listed members include Tom Barber on lead vocals, Stephen Rutishauser on lead/rhythm guitar, David Flinn on bass and Pablo Viveros on drums and vocals.

The band tours widely in North America, Europe and Australia. They play with acts including The Agonist, A Plea for Purging, Arsonists Get All the Girls, Attila, Motionless in White, Emmure, The Black Dahlia Murder, Suicide Silence, Veil of Maya, Carnifex, The Word Alive, The Amity Affliction, Secrets, Cruel Hand and The Plot in You. They also appear at Warped Tour in 2012 and 2014, and at Soundwave Festival in Australia in 2013. In 2013 they release a cover of Korn’s “Right Now”, produced by Dan Jones.

Membership

The group’s members across its history include Austin Marticorena, Andrew Carlston, Chris Kilbourn, Michael Stafford, Alex Koehler, Davis Pugh, Kory Shilling, Dan Jones, Jake Harmond, David Flinn, Jason Richardson, Pablo Viveros Segura, Stephen Rutishauser and Tom Barber.