Biography
Pennsylvania "nu-core" quartet Tallah channel the raw energy of early-2000s nu-metal through their jagged guitar lines, snapping percussion, layered electronic elements, and anguished vocal delivery.
The group came together in September 2017 when drummer Max Portnoy—son of Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy—teamed with guitarist Derrick Schneider, who had previously shared a stage in Next to None, along with bassist Andrew Cooper. They soon brought in second guitarist Eric Novroski, who later stepped away to concentrate on his other project, Toothless. The band's name originated when a young fan scrawled it onto a suggestion sheet that Portnoy had posted at one of his shows. Drawing from both vintage nu-metal and modern hardcore, the musicians had already composed and tracked the instrumental material for their first EP prior to recruiting a singer. Portnoy specifically sought out Justin Bonitz after discovering him online; Bonitz had claimed victory in a contest hosted by Jared Dines and had amassed attention for a series of widely viewed cover recordings. Bonitz officially entered the lineup on New Year's Day 2018 and received only six days to craft lyrics ahead of the band's debut performance. He met the deadline by fashioning a bleak, narrative-driven set of words that formed the basis of their independently issued EP, No One Should Read This. Momentum built rapidly around the release and the group's intense, unpredictable concerts. During one of those shows, Bonitz instigated a confrontation with security personnel while still performing, resulting in his arrest; a paperwork mistake incorrectly listed him as having been freed, leaving him unaccounted for two days until he was located inside a local jail facility. In mid-2020 the band issued their first full-length album, Matriphagy, via Earache Records. The record explores the devastating fallout from a mother's sustained mistreatment of her child and includes the tracks "The Silo," "No One Should Read This," and "We, The Sad."
The group came together in September 2017 when drummer Max Portnoy—son of Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy—teamed with guitarist Derrick Schneider, who had previously shared a stage in Next to None, along with bassist Andrew Cooper. They soon brought in second guitarist Eric Novroski, who later stepped away to concentrate on his other project, Toothless. The band's name originated when a young fan scrawled it onto a suggestion sheet that Portnoy had posted at one of his shows. Drawing from both vintage nu-metal and modern hardcore, the musicians had already composed and tracked the instrumental material for their first EP prior to recruiting a singer. Portnoy specifically sought out Justin Bonitz after discovering him online; Bonitz had claimed victory in a contest hosted by Jared Dines and had amassed attention for a series of widely viewed cover recordings. Bonitz officially entered the lineup on New Year's Day 2018 and received only six days to craft lyrics ahead of the band's debut performance. He met the deadline by fashioning a bleak, narrative-driven set of words that formed the basis of their independently issued EP, No One Should Read This. Momentum built rapidly around the release and the group's intense, unpredictable concerts. During one of those shows, Bonitz instigated a confrontation with security personnel while still performing, resulting in his arrest; a paperwork mistake incorrectly listed him as having been freed, leaving him unaccounted for two days until he was located inside a local jail facility. In mid-2020 the band issued their first full-length album, Matriphagy, via Earache Records. The record explores the devastating fallout from a mother's sustained mistreatment of her child and includes the tracks "The Silo," "No One Should Read This," and "We, The Sad."
Albums
Singles
