Bloodhag

Though most novelty acts vanish quickly from commercial attention, Bloodhag has thrived for more than ten years by merging literary analysis with aggressive speed metal. Calling their approach “edu-core,” the project began in 1995 when Seattle collectibles-store owners and science-fiction enthusiasts Jake Stratton and Jeff McNulty joined forces. Observing that numerous metal and hardcore groups already drew lyrical inspiration from writers such as Michael Moorcock and J.G. Ballard, the pair chose to deliver concise, factually precise biographies of their own literary heroes at hardcore length and metal velocity.

Stratton handled vocals while McNulty played guitar, backed by a drum machine they named Philthy “Drum Machine” Taylor after Motörhead’s Philthy Taylor. The resulting four-song The Dewey Decibel System EP appeared in 1997. Bassist Zachary Orgel joined for the next EP, Hooked on Demonics, and live drummer Brent Carpenter arrived in time for the 2000 all-female-authors release Gorgeous Ladies of Writing. By then the band had become known for flinging pulp paperbacks into audiences and for adopting suitably ominous metal aliases—Deus Ex Libris the Plagiarazor (McNulty), Grimoire the Expectorator (Stratton), Logos the Rythmaticist (Orgel), and Codex 23 the Chronomaster (Carpenter). Their first full-length, Necrotic Bibliophilia, followed in 2001.

A long gap ensued, during which an album titled Appetite for Deconstruction was said to be finished; in the interim the group performed both for conventional metal crowds and at literary and academic events. Alternative Tentacles later issued the band’s second album, Hell Bent for Letters, in 2007.