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biografía : Usurper (USA)

1992: Diabolical Slaughter [Vocals] and Rick Scythe [Guitars] form USURPER as a side project.


1993: USURPER adds Apocalyptic Warlord [Drums] to the line-up and becomes a full time band.


1994: VISIONS FROM THE GODS demo is released. 1,300 copies are sent out in 6 months to various: fanzines/magazines, tape traders, radio stations and Metal fans Worldwide.


1995: Jon Necromancer [Bass] joins the band. USURPER signs to HEAD NOT FOUND [Norway]. Their debut album DIABOLOSIS is released on CD and Vinyl.


1996: USURPER signs to NECROPOLIS RECORDS [USA].


1997: NECROPOLIS releases the THRESHOLD OF THE USURPER MCD/Picture Disc.
USURPER does their first North American tour supporting DARK FUNERAL.


1998: Dave "Hellstorm" Chiarella [Drums, ex-FUNERAL NATION] joins the band. USURPER headlines the RAVE Stage at Milwaukee Metalfest XII, soon after they record their second full length album. Winter 1998 sees their first European tour with ENTHRONED and HECATE ENTHRONED.


1999: Second full length USURPER album is released, titled, USURPER II:SKELETAL SEASON. The album is released on CD and Vinyl. Headline 3 date mini-tour with Exhumed and Sadistic Intent in support as well as the First Annual New England Metal/Hardcore Fest. Summer 1999 USURPER supports CRADLE OF FILTH on their US/CANADIAN tour, which includes a performance at Milwaukee Metalfest XIII.


2000: NECROPOLIS RECORDS re-releases USURPER's 1994 VISIONS FROM THE GODS demo [with additional rare, live and unreleased tracks) on digi-pack CD and Vinyl. USURPER records 3rd full length album NECRONEMESIS at NOMAD STUDIOS [Texas] with Producer Kol Marshall (King Diamond/Absu/Mercyful Fate). NECRONEMESIS features backing vocals by KING DIAMOND on the title track as well as Proscriptor [ABSU] on another. In preparations for the live assault, USURPER enlisted former ETERNAL HATRED mainman Carcass Chris as Second Guitarist. Headlining the NECROPOLIS Stage of Milwaukee Metalfest XIV was Carcass' first performance with USURPER. October had USURPER performing at the legendary New York City club CBGB'S for the Deathtober Fest. November and December saw USURPER destroy Europe on a 24 date tour supporting CRADLE OF FILTH.


2001: After months of communication breakdowns with their label, USURPER part ways with Necropolis Records in July. While hard at work writing and rehearsing for album #4, in October the band sign a new deal with EARACHE RECORDS.


2002: 1999's: VISIONS FROM THE GODS CD and 2000's: NECRONEMESIS CD were re-issued by EARACHE Records in March; both with re-vamped layouts and bonus tracks. In April USURPER toured the East Coast (USA) directly supporting Manowar to promote these re-issues. During the month of May a fire ravaged the warehouse that USURPER practices in. Although USURPER's room suffered minimal damage, the building was a mess (soot, dirty water, damaged electrical system, dead rats, etc.). This postponed the band's rehersal scheduale, which in turn postponed their planned studio time [to record album #4] . October 2002, USURPER entered ENGINE MUSIC STUDIOS in Chicago, with Grammy Award winning producer Neil Kernon (NEVERMORE, QUEENSRYCHE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, HALL 'N OATES), to record their 4th album (and EARACHE debut) TWILIGHT DOMINION (projected release date: April 2003).


2003: In January USURPER had a listening party for their new album TWILIGHT DOMINION at a club called Delilah's in Chicago. Journalists, as well as fans got a chance to hear the entire album months before the release date. Later that month Dave "Hellstorm" Chiarella (drums) parted ways with the band. April 22, 2003 TWILIGHT DOMINION was released worldwide and received critical acclaim in such magazines as TERRORIZER, METAL MANIACS , ROCK SOUND and many others.

In July, USURPER (with a session drummer) flew out to Los Angeles to directly support DEICIDE at the GATHERING OF THE BESTIAL LEGIONS FEST. While in LA, USURPER filmed a video for the song METAL LUST. Later that month USURPER and ENSLAVED did a 10 date tour of the US which included a mainstage performance at the Milwaukee Metalfest.

The last date of the mini tour proved to be a special occasion, not only was the concert in the band's hometown of Chicago, but original USURPER drummer Apocalyptic Warlord played a cover of Mercyful Fate's "Black Funeral" with the band to end the show. The magic was there, so in October 2003 Joe "Apocalyptic" Warlord returned to USURPER as the permanent drummer. On November 8, 2003, USURPER did a live internet concert for the 3 ring radio show on radiofreesatan.com. This infamous show marked the first performance of USURPER with the entire original line-up since 1996, and also was the last performance with original vocalist/co-founder GENERAL DIABOLICAL SLAUGHTER. The General left the band later that month, only weeks before USURPER'S show at the Metro in Chicago, directly supporting MACABRE at the HOLIDAY OF HORRORS FESTIVAL.

USURPER wasted no time and enlisted new vocalist Dan Tyrantor. Tyrantor has been a long time metal brother of USURPER. He was in a band with Jon Necromancer in the early 90's, and grew up down the street from Apocalyptic Warlord. Tyrantor was the vocalist for the band Cumchrist as well as doomsters, Dead of Winter. On December 26th 2003 USURPER played for the first time with the new vocalist at the Holiday of Horror Festival in Chicago in front of nearly 800 people. The crowd response was phenomenal and the on-stage chemistry was there, so shortly after the show, TYRANTOR became the official new vocalist for USURPER.


2004: The year starts off slow but steady with Rick and Joe working on new material in Joe's basement. As the year progresses the rest of the line-up finally got together to see if things could really kick as much ass as past Usurper albums/line-up's... The band rehearses classic Usurper material and learns 3 new songs: "Bones of My Enemies", 'Supernatural Killing Spree" and the instrumental version of "Kill For Metal". The new material and new line-up seem better than ever, so Dan Tyrantor's first mission was to pen the lyrics to the metal anthem, "Kill For Metal".

It was now official, Usurper would carry on without vocalist General D. Slaughter, so the band obtained a new rehearsal studio in Chicago and decided to go for the jugular! As the year progressed, Rick continued to write and demo new songs in his home studio, while the band played some one-off's and mini tours to solidify the on-stage chemistry within the band. No place was too big or too small for Usurper. Performances at Minneapolis Mayhem Fest 1 as well as headlining a venue located in the basement of a bagel shop in Columbus Ohio were amongst some of the diverse events Usurper performed at.

Summer of 2004 - Usurper was under the gun to record a new album for Earache Records. Although Rick had most of the songs written, the band was busy playing live shows, so had no time to learn the material. The band was forced to cancel any summer touring plans and focus on recording an album by August 2004.
Once again Usurper enlisted Grammy Award winning producer Neil Kernon (Cannibal Corpse, Queensryche, Hall & Oates, Dokken, Ringo Star) to produce the new album. After being chloroformed, Neil agreed to do it. Neil came out to rehearsals over the summer and by July 2004 Neil and Rick started the pre-production.
August of 2004 - Usurper went into Chicago's Rax Trax studios to record their 5th full length album, "Cryptobeast".

In October 2004, Usurper had a small listening party at a local Chicago nightclub called Delilah's. It was here fans and journalists alike got a chance to drink free beer and hear the Cryptobeast album in its' entirety. The rest of the year was used for starting the media campaign, doing interviews for every publication possible, as well as planning out the 2005 assault.