Ringworm

Ringworm emerged from Cleveland’s early-’90s underground punk milieu as a metallic hardcore unit whose sound also drew upon thrash, black, and death metal. Fronted by vocalist James “Human Furnace” Bulloch—the group’s lone unchanging member—its initial recordings channeled the visceral aggression of traditional hardcore, whereas later releases such as the 2005 album Justice Replaced by Revenge, the 2014 album Hammer of the Witch, and the 2023 album Seeing Through Fire shifted emphasis toward thrash while preserving a bedrock of austere, brutalist hardcore.

The band formed in 1989 and aligned itself with like-minded acts including Integrity, helping shape a regional scene that fused strict hardcore principles with metallic textures and ferocious stage performances. For four years the members maintained a relentless touring schedule throughout Ohio and West Virginia, cultivating a devoted following that championed their 1991 self-titled demo and spread their name across the continental thrash underground. Their first full-length effort, Promise, surfaced in 1993 on Incision Records, generating sufficient momentum for nationwide touring and a series of subsequent singles that reinforced their reputation for sonic hostility. Lineup fluctuations persisted through the decade, eventually prompting a hiatus; the group resurfaced in 2001 with Birth Is Pain on Victory Records, remaining with the label for the 2005 release Justice Replaced by Revenge.

Sustaining regular road work grew increasingly complicated once vocalist Human Furnace established the 252 Tattoo chain and guitarist Frank Novinec entered the ranks of Terror, leading to another extended pause. A reconstituted lineup reconvened for the 2011 album Scars. In 2013 Ringworm announced its signing to Relapse Records; after issuing an EP that year, the band delivered Hammer of the Witch in 2014, which peaked at number 14 on the US Heatseekers chart and marked the beginning of a heightened profile. Two years later the group returned with Snake Church and recommenced an arduous global itinerary that encompassed clubs, theaters, and festival stages. In spring 2019 they presented Death Becomes My Voice, their third album for Relapse, which was tracked by longtime associate Ben Schigel alongside Noah C. Buchanan. Prior to the arrival of Seeing Through Fire in 2023, Ringworm made a lateral shift to Nuclear Blast, issuing an uncompromising collection of metallic hardcore rooted in themes of discord and social conflict.