Thumb

Formed in 1993, the German quintet Thumb emerged with its foundation in hardcore punk. Claus Grabke handled vocals in the original lineup, joined by Jan Hendrik Meyer on bass, Axel Hilgenstoehler on guitar, and Steffen Wilmking on drums. Jens Goessling was later added on turntables specifically to introduce sampling techniques without sliding into a metal/hip-hop cliché. The band self-released its debut album in 1995, after which the follow-up full-length Exposure appeared in 1996 with distribution restricted to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Victory Records reissued the album for the States the next year.