Carnifex

Genre	deathcore, death metal, brutal deathcore, grindcore, metalcore

Carnifex is an American deathcore band from San Diego, California, formed in 2005. Carnifex formed in 2005 in Sheridan, Wyoming with a starting lineup of Scott Lewis and Shawn Cameron, as well as former members Rick James (guitar) Kevin Vargas (bass) as a four piece. After releasing a self pressed, self titled 5 song EP which included the tracks 1. Death Awaits 2. My Heart In Atrophy 3. Redemption and Regret 4. An Event Of The Fallen 5. Tragedy In Remission. The Ep was released through local label Enclave Records in 2005. Two demos in early & mid 2006 followed. The first demo, referred to as the Hope Dies demo was a online release and was also only for sale at the bands live performance. It included 3 tracks. 1. It Was Only Love The First Time 2. Dead Against The Gates 3. Hope Dies With Decadent. In Sept of 2006 Rick James and Kevin Vargas amicably parted ways with Carnifex on the cusp of there touring career. Shortly after Steve McMahon joined as the bands bassist and Travis Whiting on guitar. The second demo, referred to as the Love Lies in Ashes demo was also only available online and at live performances. It included four tracks. 1. Collaborating Like Killers. 2. Slit Wrist Savior 3. Hope Dies With The Decadent(revised version) 4. Love Lies In Ashes. Carnifex was signed to underground label This City Is Burning Records in Dec 2006 and recorded their debut full length Dead in my Arms with yet another member change still a four piece but with current guitarist Cory Arford in March of 2007. The recording line-up was Scott Lewis, Kenyon Miller, Cory Arford & Steve McMahon. Dead in my Arms was released on July 12, 2007. Carnifex began toring full time with the release of this record. Touring gutarist Jake Anderson was recruited as a second guitarist from July 2007 - Nov. 2007. During this time Carnifex toured with bands such as Emmure, Whitechapel, MyChildren MyBride, Legacy of Pain, With Blood Comes Cleansing & many others. The reasonable success of Dead in my Arms, and the prevalence of the deathcore genre as a whole, attracted the attention of Victory Records. In Nov 2007, after the departure of Steve McMahon and Jake Anderson, Carnifex signed a deal with Victory Records with now current members Fred Calderon and Ryan Gudmunds. Dec 2007 - Jan 2008 was spent writing the bands Victory debut before starting their headlining run in February.

The Diseased and The Poisoned Was released on June 24th, 2008, which reached #19 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart. Since the release of The Diseased And The Poisoned Carnifex has toured over 22 countries with such bands as The Black Dahlia Murder, Obituary, Unleashed, Killwhitneydead, Finntroll, Warbringer, Parkway Drive, Unearth, Despised Icon, Architects, Whitechapel, Protest the Hero, Bleeding Though, Darkest Hour, Beneath The Massacre, The Faceless and countless others.

On November 28th, 2009, Carnifex finished recording their third full length album 'Hell Chose Me', scheduled for a release on February 16th, 2010.

Band members

Current members

* Scott Lewis: vocals
* Shawn Cameron: drums
* Ryan Gudmunds: guitar
* Cory Arford: guitar
* Fred Calderon: bass

Former members

* Rick James: Guitar
* Kevin Vargas: Bass
* Steve McMahon: bass
* Travis Whiting: Guitar
* Jake Anderson: guitar

Discography:

Self Titled EP (Enclave Records, 2005)
Hope Dies Demo (self released, 2006)
Love Lies in Ashes (self released, 2006)

* Dead in My Arms (Album, This City is Burning, 2007)
* The Diseased and The Poisoned (Album, Victory, 2008)
* Hell Chose Me (Album, Victory, 2010)

Source