SUHRIM
BANDMEMBERS 2001
Johan Antonissen (vocals, bass)
Bart Vergaert (guitar)
Timmy "Beuk" De Beukeleer (guitar)
Steven De Herdt (drums)
MEDIA
BIOGRAPHY
Originally formed in the closing months of 1989 by Johan Antonissen (bass) and Paul Brunson (drums) SUHRIM takes its listener back to the first era of Autopsy, Gorefest, Bolt Thrower, Illdisposed and Terrorizer. It would take the band several years and a slew of musicians later to come to its definite and most punishing form to date. Today SUHRIM gets recognized as Belgium’s oldest, most respected and longest running death metal institution.
Founded as far back as 1989 SUHRIM existed under a variety of incarnations and forms, releasing various demo tapes, promo recordings and EPs until 1998 with vocalist/bassist Johan Antonissen being the original member and driving force behind the band through out. In the mid to late 90s the band even was called ‘the Antwerp Mortician’ due to its two-piece line up and the vague similarities in musical styles. 1998-1999 saw the induction of two new members. This line-up would last long enough to record and tour for their limited debut full length “Unidentified Flying Bodyparts” through Hybreed Records, all 500 copies would soon be sold out, making it a local success and hard-to-find European death metal album. With the debut being a moderate success in the underground, the band travels all over the country opening up for high profile international headliners.
In 2004 SUHRIM returned with the less than subtly titled “The Cunt Collector”. However, the band encountered problems with their new album prior to manufacture as the pressing plant refused to handle the manufacture due to “obscene imagery and language”. The album, now being re-pressed is re-titled for a re-issue in digipack version and comes with new cover art by their new contractor Pulsar Light Records. With PLR collapsing, the record is later restored in its original glory, albeit remixed and re-mastered through Shiver Records. October touring in Southern Europe had the group partnering with Portuguese act SACRED SIN. In May 2005 the band aligns itself with legendary re-formed Polish death/grind formation DEAD INFECTION for a two-week trek all over the European continent. The package is playing shows in Spain, Italy, France and Germany on what is dubbed the Collective Corrosion Tour.
In 2007 – almost two decades after forming – SUHRIM are on the verge of showing their true potential and staying power with their latest offering “Happy Hour”. Boasting a high quality production courtesy of Hertz Studio in Poland, the band considerably ups the ante for the local underground. No longer content with the status-quo of their 2004 release Suhrim travelled to Poland and recorded their latest slab in 2007 with “Happy Hour”. The result is possibly the band’s crowning achievement of their illustrious 18 year career; flesh ripping guitar hooks, bowel-rendering grooves and guttural vocal firework make this a savage, contemporary death metal tornado that is as uncompromisingly groovy as it is undeniably intense.
In 2009 – Suhrim called it quits, however still played live on a few exclusive events. Who knows if this will happen ever again?