Biography
Formed in Woking, U.K., in 2011, Employed to Serve originated as a grindcore bedroom project between vocalist Justine Jones and guitarist-vocalist Sammy Urwin. The following year the lineup expanded to include guitarist James Jackson, bassist Jamie Venning, and drummer Robbie Back, after which the group quickly earned notice for its ferocious live performances. That reputation drew the interest of Holy Roar Records, which issued the band’s debut album, Greyer Than You Remember, in 2015. The record fused punk and technical death-metal guitar work with melodic hooks, weighty grooves, and rhythmic swing, attracting a devoted circle of listeners who embraced its punishing riffs and socially aware lyrics exploring the links between private turmoil and wider social disconnection.
Remaining faithful to those foundations while sharpening their songwriting, Employed to Serve returned in 2017 with The Warmth of a Dying Sun and followed it in 2019 with Eternal Forward Motion, issued via Spinefarm Records. For the latter release the band leaned further into doom and sludge textures, writing most tracks in drop G tuning and prompting Jones to shift her vocals into a lower range. The resulting progression yielded material that grew increasingly hook-driven and structurally ambitious.
After extensive U.K. touring and appearances on the European festival circuit, the members withdrew during the pandemic before resurfacing in October 2021 with Conquering. That album-length statement wove together nu-metal, thrash, post-hardcore, death-metal, and progressive elements into anthemic declarations of endurance and release.
Remaining faithful to those foundations while sharpening their songwriting, Employed to Serve returned in 2017 with The Warmth of a Dying Sun and followed it in 2019 with Eternal Forward Motion, issued via Spinefarm Records. For the latter release the band leaned further into doom and sludge textures, writing most tracks in drop G tuning and prompting Jones to shift her vocals into a lower range. The resulting progression yielded material that grew increasingly hook-driven and structurally ambitious.
After extensive U.K. touring and appearances on the European festival circuit, the members withdrew during the pandemic before resurfacing in October 2021 with Conquering. That album-length statement wove together nu-metal, thrash, post-hardcore, death-metal, and progressive elements into anthemic declarations of endurance and release.
Albums
Singles
