The Acacia Strain Explained

The Acacia Strain
Landscape:	yes
Origin:	Chicopee, Massachusetts, U.S.
Years Active:	2001–present
Current Members:	Vincent Bennett Devin Shidaker Griffin Landa Mike Mulholland Matt Guglielmo
Past Members:	Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz Christopher Daniele Daniel "Outhouse" Daponde Karrie Whitfield Jeanne Sagan Seth Coleman Ben Abert Kevin Boutot Jack Strong Richard Gomez Tom Smith Kevin Smith

The Acacia Strain is an American deathcore band that was founded in 2001 and originally based in Chicopee, Massachusetts, but now based in Albany, New York. The group is currently signed to Rise Records^[1] and initially consisted of high school friends Vincent Bennett, Christopher Daniele, and Ben Abert, Karrie Whitfield, Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz, and Daniel Daponde joining shortly after. They recorded and released their debut album ...And Life Is Very Long in 2002 via Devil's Head records. Since then, the band has released eleven more full-length albums.

Artistry

Musical style

The Acacia Strain's music has been primarily described as deathcore^{[2] [3]} and metalcore,^[4] and has been noted to include heavy influences from sludge, doom metal^{[5] [6]} and death metal^[7] along with some punk rock-style aesthetic and sensibilities.^[8]

AllMusic characterizes the band's musical style as "utiliz[ing] a bone-crushing rhythm section, apocalyptic samples, and a unique triple-guitar assault to deliver their signature blend of hardcore punk, noise, death metal and doom metal."^[9] The site's review of Wormwood elaborates on the band's sound as "an inelegant and unstoppable juggernaut fueled by memories of the unchecked aggression unleashed on the world by the likes of Sepultura and Pantera."^[10]

Vocalist Vincent Bennett and drummer Kevin Boutot have both denied that The Acacia Strain is of the "deathcore genre", going as far as expressing dislike for the label,^[11] though Bennett was later more ambivalent towards it, stating "sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't."^[12]

The Acacia Strain's influences include Candiria, Integrity, Dismember, Deftones, Rush, Iron Maiden, Crowbar, Meshuggah, Hatebreed, Slayer, Arch Enemy, and Overcast.^{[13] [14] [15]}

Lyrics

Written by lead vocalist Vincent Bennett, the band's lyrics generally center around misanthropy^[16] and nihilism.^[17] Bennett employs misogynistic and sexually deviant imagery in his lyrics, but usually only as metaphors to help get his points across while keeping the songs' overall meanings open for interpretation.^[18]

Members

Current

• Vincent Bennett – lead vocals (2001–present)
• Devin Shidaker – lead guitar, backing vocals (2013–present)
• Griffin Landa – bass (2015–present)
• Mike Mulholland – rhythm guitar (2022–present)
• Matt Guglielmo – drums (2023–present)

Former

• Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz – lead guitar, programming (2001–2013); rhythm guitar (2007–2013)
• Daniel Daponde – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2001–2006)
• Christopher Daniele – third guitar (2001–2005)
• Ben Abert – drums (2001–2004)
• Karrie Whitfield – bass (2001–2003)
• Jeanne Sagan – bass (2003)
• Seth Coleman – bass (2004–2006)
• Kevin Boutot – drums (2005–2023)
• Jack Strong – bass (2006–2015)
• Richard Gomez – rhythm guitar (2013–2016)
• Tom Smith – rhythm guitar (2016–2022)

Touring musicians

• Mark Castillo – drums (2004)
• John Preston – bass (2003)
• David Sroka – rhythm guitar (2009)
• Mike Casavant – rhythm guitar (2009–2010)
• Tim Cavallari – lead guitar (2010–2012)
• Tony Diaz – rhythm guitar (2010–2012)
• Matt Guglielmo – drums (2018)
• Terrance Pettitt - drums (2023)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"

Album details	Peak chart positions
US ^[19]	US Heat. ^[20]	US Indie. ^[21]	US Rock ^[22]	US Hard Rock ^[23]
...And Life Is Very Long	Released: Label: Devil's Head Formats: CD, digital download	—	—	—	—	—
3750	Released: Label: Devil's Head, Prosthetic Formats: CD, digital download	—	—	—	—	—
The Dead Walk	Released: Label: Prosthetic Formats: CD, digital download	—	40	47	—	—
Continent	Released: Label: Prosthetic Formats: CD, digital download	107	2	13	—	18
Wormwood	Released: Label: Prosthetic Formats: CD, digital download	67	—	6	21	8
Death Is the Only Mortal	Released: Label: Rise Formats: CD, digital download	51	—	10	21	5
Coma Witch	Released: Label: Rise Formats: CD, digital download	31	—	4	8	1
Gravebloom	Released: Label: Rise Formats: CD, digital download	146	—	4	29	8
It Comes in Waves	Released: ^[24] Label: Closed Casket Activities Formats: CD, digital download	—	—	—	—	—
Slow Decay	Released: ^[25] Label: Rise Formats: CD, digital download	87	—	1	1	1
Step Into the Light	Released: ^[26] Label: Rise Formats: CD, digital download, vinyl	—	—	—	—	—
Failure Will Follow	Released: ^[27] Label: Rise Formats: CD, digital download, vinyl	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Live albums

• The Most Known Unknown (2010)

EPs

• When Angels Shed Their Wings Volume 3 with Loyal to the Grave (2003)
• Money for Nothing (2013)
• The Depression Sessions with Thy Art Is Murder and Fit for an Autopsy (2016)

Singles

• "Jonestown" (2010)
• "Servant in the Place of Truth" (2012)
• "Above" / "Below" (2013)
• "Bitter Pill" (2017)
• "Big Sleep" (2017)
• "D" (2020)
• "E" (2020)
• "C" (2020)
• "A" (2020)
• "Y" (2020)
• "Untended Graves" (2022)
• "Fresh Bones" (2023)
• "Chain" (feat. Jacob Lilly) (2022)

Demos

• Demo 2001 (2001)
• Demo 2002 (2002)

DVDs

• The Most Known Unknown (2010)

Music videos

• "Smoke Ya Later" (2004)
• "3750" (2005)
• "Angry Mob Justice" (2006)
• "Skynet" (2009)
• "The Hills Have Eyes" (2010)
• "The Impaler" (2011)
• "Cauterizer" (2014)
• "Send Help" (2015)
• "One Thousand Painful Stings" (2020)

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Acacia Strain . . April 22, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120711141535/http://www.musicmight.com/artist/united+states/massachusetts/chicopee/the+acacia+strain1 . July 11, 2012 .
2. Web site: Hear the Acacia Strain's brutal new song "Bitter Pill" . . March 27, 2017 . August 28, 2018.
3. Web site: Death Is the Only Mortal by The Acacia Strain on Apple Music . October 9, 2012 . . August 28, 2018.
4. Web site: The Acacia Strain and guitarist DL Laskiewicz part ways . Guitar Player . June 11, 2013 . August 28, 2018.
5. Web site: The Acacia Strain Are Unafraid of Reinvention on 'Slow Decay'. Mark Tremblay. Exclaim!. July 22, 2020. May 21, 2023.
6. Web site: Review: The Acacia Strain Mines the Depths of Doom with Failure Will Follow. Max Heilman. www.metalsucks.net. May 4, 2023. May 21, 2023.
7. https://www.metalsucks.net/2019/07/23/lets-talk-about-knocked-loose/ Lets Talk About Knocked Loose
8. Web site: THE ACACIA STRAIN IS MY FAVORITE BAND [W/ INTERVIEW]]. February 28, 2011. MetalSucks.
9. Web site: Monger . James Christopher . The Acacia Strain . . August 7, 2011.
10. Web site: Heaney . Gregory . Wormwood – The Acacia Strain . . August 7, 2011.
11. Web site: Exclusive Interview with The Acacia Strain's Vincent Bennett. Bee Roth. David. December 30, 2008. MetalSucks. August 7, 2011.
12. Web site: Bellino . Vince . 2019-12-26 . Interview: Acacia Strain Vocalist Vincent Bennett Discusses New Album 'It Comes in Waves' . 2022-09-07 . Decibel Magazine . en-US.
13. Web site: Acacia Strain: 'We Keep Stuff Like That Really Tasteful' . . Rosen . Steven . March 7, 2009 . August 28, 2018.
14. Web site: Interview With Kevin Boutot of The Acacia Strain – Summer 2011 . Sick Drummer . Smart . Noel . July 21, 2011 . August 28, 2018.
15. Web site: The Acacia Strain . Hardcore Times . Doyle . Alan . December 30, 2003 . August 28, 2018.
16. Web site: The Acacia Strain – 2009 Interview with Vincent Bennett . hardtimes.ca . March 28, 2009 . August 7, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110817171934/http://hardtimes.ca/acacia_written . August 17, 2011 .
17. Web site: Interview with Vincent Bennett of The Acacia Strain . Sick Drummer Magazine . May 15, 2009 . August 7, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110725183640/http://www.sickdrummermagazine.com/index.php/features/off-beat-interviews/1400-interview-with-vincent-bennett-of-the-acacia-strain.html . July 25, 2011 .
18. Web site: The Acacia Strain Interview . Driven Far Off . May 26, 2006 . August 7, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110919065046/http://www.drivenfaroff.com/2006/05/26/the-acacia-strain-interview/ . September 19, 2011 .
19. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the acacia strain|chart=Billboard 200}} The Acacia Strain – Chart History: Billboard 200 ]. . December 29, 2013.
20. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the acacia strain|chart=Heatseekers Albums}} The Acacia Strain – Chart History: Heatseekers Albums ]. . December 29, 2013.
21. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the acacia strain|chart=Independent Albums}} The Acacia Strain – Chart History: Independent Albums ]. . December 29, 2013.
22. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the acacia strain|chart=Rock Albums}} The Acacia Strain – Chart History: Top Rock Albums ]. . December 29, 2013.
23. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=the acacia strain|chart=Hard Rock Albums}} The Acacia Strain – Chart History: Hard Rock Albums ]. . December 29, 2013.
24. Web site: NEWS: The Acacia Strain to drop ninth album, It Comes In Waves!. Dead Press!. December 21, 2019.
25. Web site: DiVita . Joe . The Acacia Strain Debut Two New Songs, Detail 'Slow Decay' Album . Loudwire . July 21, 2020 . en.
26. Web site: Andrew Sacher. The Acacia Strain announce new LP 'Step Into the Light' (new song & exclusive swirl vinyl). BrooklynVegan. February 14, 2023. February 14, 2023.
27. Web site: Sam Taylor. The Acacia Strain have announced a second new album for May. Upset. March 15, 2023. March 15, 2023.