formed in 1989. Singer
played the New York underground scene with several different drummers. They perfected their angst-filled hardcore/heavy metal hybrid along the way, obtaining a devoted audience in the process. On the eve of signing with Roadrunner Records, the band enlisted former
as a permanent member. The resulting album,
, was similar to their stage show at the time -- straight-up energy and aggression in a hardcore/thrash format, with shards of heavy metal cutting through at times, and the group toured extensively upon its release.
Once the tour was completed, LOA went directly back into the studio to work on their next album, 1995's
Ugly, which signaled a complete overhauling of the band's signature heavy-duty sound. The album resembled the sounds of the alternative stars of the day, especially
Stone Temple Pilots, and it wasn't greeted favorably by the record-buying public. LOA were still able to retain their audience, and the resulting tour was a success, as they opened for the likes of
Ozzy Osbourne,
Korn,
Type O Negative, and
Anthrax. Drummer
Abruscato exited the band after the tour, and was replaced by ex-
Pro Pain/
Crumbsuckers drummer
Dan Richardson. Their next release, 1997's
Soul Searching Sun, followed essentially the same formula as its predecessor, and was again met by a varied response.
Keith Caputo left the group before the tour, letting the members know that his heart was no longer in the music. The other bandmembers were crushed, but because of their commitments they needed to fill the spot immediately. At an
Anthrax show a few years before, former
Ugly Kid Joe vocalist
Whitfield Crane had told Joey Z. about his desire to play heavier music, so LOA's manager spoke to
Crane and he jumped at the chance. The new lineup had only a week to rehearse, and the bandmembers barely knew
Crane when they let him join. Once the tour ended, they went back to the studio to record, only to realize that they no longer wanted to continue as
Life of Agony without
Caputo. They flirted with the idea of
Robert singing with
Stuck Mojo bassist
Corey Lowery filling his spot, but the lineup was doomed from the start and the band officially disbanded in April of 1999.
That was the final word on
Life of Agony until 2003, when the original lineup reunited for two shows. The reunion led to a live album (
River Runs Again) as well as the studio effort
Broken Valley, issued through Epic Records in June 2005. In 2009,
Life Of Agony performed their debut album,
River Runs Red, in its entirety as well as other material in front of a sold out house in Brussels, Belgium. They recorded and filmed (via a ten camera shoot) the proceeding. In 2010, I Scream Records released the CD/DVD package, 20 Years Strong: River Runs Red, Live in Brussels.
–
Greg Prato, Rovi