mordred

During the closing years of the 1980s, San Francisco outfit Mordred emerged among the earliest acts tied to the short-lived media frenzy surrounding funk metal. Despite this association, the group failed to stand out from the crowded field of thrash acts active at the time and, like the trend itself, soon slipped into obscurity. Formed amid the vibrant Bay Area thrash metal scene, the lineup featured vocalist Scott Holderby, guitarists Danny White and J. Taffer, bassist Art Liboon, and drummer Gannon Hall. Their riffing approach aligned closely with the power metal style prevalent among local peers such as Testament and Forbidden, yet the band set itself apart through Liboon’s prominently featured bass lines and an initial dabble in funk elements. The 1989 debut album Fools Game underscored this direction by including a version of Rick James’ “Superfreak,” augmented by turntable scratches from DJ Aaron (Pause) Vaughn. After Taffer departed in favor of guitarist James Sanguinetti and Vaughn joined as a permanent member, the musicians leaned further into funk on their 1991 follow-up In This Life. Although that record produced the modestly successful metal track “Falling Away,” internal friction mounted, critical reactions to their concerts proved uneven, and the 1992 Visions EP signaled an impending close. Holderby was dismissed and replaced by Paul Kimball, after which the reconfigured group issued one final release, 1994’s The Next Room, that reverted toward conventional metal before the band dissolved.