Shai Hulud

Shai Hulud

Shai Hulud is an American metalcore band from Pompano Beach, Florida, active from 1995 to the present. The group later moves to Poughkeepsie, New York. Its sound is associated with melodic hardcore, metalcore and post-hardcore.

Formation and early line-up

Matt Fox and Dave Silber form Shai Hulud in 1995. The original line-up also includes Damien Moyal on vocals, Jason Lederman on drums and Oliver Chapoy on guitar. The band begins with an interest in hardcore rather than the rock styles the members are also playing elsewhere at the time. After the first line-up changes, Steve Kleisath meets Matt Fox in Tampa in 1994, before later becoming part of the band’s history as a drummer.

Early releases and label history

After recording a six-song demo, the band signs to Revelation Records through Rob Moran, who receives the demo via Jeanne Probart at the label’s mail-order department. Revelation asks the band to change its name, but the group keeps Shai Hulud. The first show takes place on Halloween 1996 at a warehouse in Florida, in front of a small audience. Damien Moyal leaves after the Revelation deal, and 14-year-old Chad Gilbert takes over vocals. Crisis Records, a Revelation subsidiary, releases the band’s three-song EP A Profound Hatred of Man in 1997.

The debut full-length, Hearts Once Nourished With Hope And Compassion, is recorded in 1997 and released later that year. The band tours the United States with acts including Strongarm, Bloodlet, Shadows Fall, Zao, Overcast, Cannibal Corpse and Disembodied. In 1998 it records three tracks for the split release The Fall of Every Man with New York band Indecision. That year Oliver Chapoy leaves and Matthew Fletcher replaces him.

Line-up changes and further recordings

Shai Hulud continues through frequent personnel changes. Chad Gilbert leaves in 1997 to concentrate on New Found Glory, while Steve Kleisath later departs for personal reasons. In 1999 the band records a cover of “Fearless Vampire Killers” for the Bad Brains tribute compilation Never Give In. During this period Andrew Gormley, Geert van der Velde, Jared Allen, Spikey Goldbach, Chris Cardinal, Matt Fletcher, Tony Tintari and others appear in the group’s rotating line-up. The band records A Whole New Level of Sickness, a split with Another Victim, and also contributes to the Metallica tribute split Crush ’Em All Vol. 1, where it covers “Damage Inc.”

In 2001 the band relocates to Poughkeepsie, New York. Its second full-length album, That Within Blood-Ill Tempered, is released in 2003. Tony Tintari joins during the recording sessions, and Geert van der Velde leaves after the album cycle. The band later issues A Comprehensive Retrospective: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Release Bad and Useless Recordings in 2005, a collection of rare demos and live tracks.

Later years, label change and side project

In 2006 the band records a three-song demo with Eric Dellon on lead vocals, Geert van der Velde on backing vocals and Brian Go on drums. It briefly uses the name The Warmth of Red Blood before returning to Shai Hulud. The group signs to Metal Blade Records in 2006 and releases Misanthropy Pure in 2008, with Matt Mazzali on vocals and Andrew Gormley on drums.

Shai Hulud also has a side project called Zombie Apocalypse, previously known as Boddicker. That project includes Matt Fox, Matthew Fletcher, Ronen Kaufman and Greg Thomas, and is described as a faster, more chaotic extension of the parent band’s style.

Members

The band’s members across its history include Jason Lederman, Damien Moyal, Oliver Chapoy, Steve Kleisath, Matt Fox, Chad Gilbert, Chris Hornbrook, Matt Mentley, Geert van der Velde, Mike Shaw, Greg Thomas, Matt Fletcher, Spikey Goldbach, Chad Kishick and Tony Tintari.

The band’s labels include At Dawn We Wage War, Trustkill Records and Undecided Records, alongside the labels connected with its earlier releases.