Misery Index, based out of Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, DC, USA, features vocalist and bassist Jason Netherton, guitarist Sparky Voyles, drummer Adam Jarvis, and guitarist/vocalist Mark "Lo Sneek" Kloeppel.
The band was born in the spring of 2001, by Vocalist/bassist Jason Netherton along with Vocalist/guitarist Mike Harrison as a studio project, with drums performed by ex-Dying Fetus drummer Kevin Talley. “Overthrow,” their debut CD was unleashed in September of 2001 on the band’s own Anarchos Records, where it quickly drew praise and interest from underground circles with its five song blast-thrash attack that met all expectations, and then some. The CD was subsequently released in 2002 in Japan on Howling Bull/Ritual Records, and in Europe on Fadeless Records. A limited edition vinyl put out on Goodlife Recordings soon followed. The band was then shifted to a full time project with the addition of Sparky Voyles on guitar. Subsequently, the band’s second release was a split EP with Pittsburgh’s Commit Suicide on Willowtip records. This cd featured two new songs plus a cover of Disrupt, and came out in the summer of 2002.
Following the recording of their second EP in March of 2002, Mike Harrison and Kevin Talley left the band to pursue other projects, and with the addition of Matt Byers on drums (ex-Severed Head), Misery Index embarked on their first US tour in the summer of 2002. Following this, 2003 saw the release of a split ep with Arizona's Structure of Lies, and the recording of Misery Index's debut album for Nuclear Blast, entitled "Retaliate". With the addition of Bruce Greig on second guitar, Misery Index will be touring extensively to promote the new album, which was released on August 26, 2003.
Subsequently, in 2004 the band has embarked on several US and European tours to support the "Retaliate", along with recording a video for "The Great Depression" and releasing the bands first DVD, which features a full live set from Greece, on their own Anarchos Records label imprint.With the addition of Adam Jarvis on drums in August of 2004, the band performed sets at the Wacken, Brutal Assault, and Party San festivals, which followed the recording of the "Dissent" EP in the summer of 2004. "Dissent" represents a new birth for Misery Index, further refining the sounds of 'Retaliate'. Misery Index toured throughout the winter of 04 and the spring of 05 extensively to support the release, including runs with Napalm Death, Suffocation, Behemoth, Neuraxis, Rotten Sound, Magrudergrind, and Devil Inside. Additionally, joining the band on second guitar and vocals was Mark Kloeppal, AKA Lo Sneek, who rounded out the sound of the band in fine form when he joined in February on 2005.
The music of Misery Index combines the most intense elements of metal with a distinct grind approach, added with a touch of hardcore and extreme punk attitude and passion, thus pushing the limits of metal with an insane mix of regressive thrashing rhythms, corrupting breakdowns and energetic ferocity. Misery Index sets no limits in their goal of making metal and grind flow together in boundless punishing assaults designed to modernize the classic death and grind metal of the early 90’s, drawing influence from Brutal Truth, Disrupt, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Terrorizer, His Hero is Gone, Bolt Thrower, Assuck and Entombed.
The imagery and lyrical concepts are also very critical to the band, and one can expect that in the true nature of the genre, Misery Index will catapult their ideology and anger to the forefront, and shove the sickness and hypocrisy of this planet right back in the face of all who so quietly accept the status quo…and have fun at the same time.
