Spineshank

Emerging from the dissolution of Basic Enigma in February 1996, the Los Angeles heavies Spineshank coalesced around former members Johnny Santos on vocals, Mike Sarkisyan on guitars, and Tom Decker on drums. The earlier group had dissolved after encountering Demanufacture, the 1996 Fear Factory album, only to regroup under a fresh name and sound while adding bassist Robert Garcia. Guitarist Dino Cazares of Fear Factory soon formed a friendship with the newcomers; after receiving their demo he arranged an opening slot for them alongside his band at the Whiskey A-Go-Go in Los Angeles. Those performances quickly generated further support appearances with Coal Chamber, Snot, Soulfly, Sepultura, and Danzig, among others, which in turn attracted label attention and culminated in a deal with Roadrunner. Strictly Diesel, the band’s debut, arrived in September 1998 and included a guest vocal from Fear Factory’s Burton C. Bell on the track “Stain.” Height of Callousness appeared two years afterward.