Butcher Babies Explained
Butcher Babies is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, consisting of frontwoman Heidi Shepherd, guitarist Henry Flury (Amen), bassist Ricky Bonazza, and drummer Devin Nickles. Their debut album, Goliath, was released on July 9, 2013, via Century Media Records. It sold 3,300 copies in the US during its first week of release and charted at No. 3 on the Billboard Heatseeker chart and No. 112 on the Billboard 200.[1]
History
First release and rise (2011–2012)
The Butcher Babies were formed in 2010[2] by vocalists Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey. The band self-released their first EP in 2011. In July 2011, they released a comic book at the Comic-Con in San Diego on July 23 and 24.[3] The comic book was written by Harvey and illustrated by Anthony Winn.[4] Rock journalist Keith Valcourt stated in his review of one of the band's shows: "The Butcher Babies deliver a loud crashing blend of heavy metal, punk and thrash that recalls Pantera, adding their stage show embodies the horror antics of Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie. Carla and Heidi don't merely sing: they assault the crowd with a blinding flash of aggression and abuse. And the crowd loves them for it."[5] They gained a lot of attention from their YouTube video of them performing "Fucking Hostile" by Pantera.[6]
On January 6, 2012, the Butcher Babies premiered a new song, "Mr. Slowdeath".[7] On May 24, they released their first music video for "Mr. Slowdeath", which was produced by Mudrock (Avenged Sevenfold, Godsmack), which is from the band's self-released EP.[8]
Goliath (2013–2014)
The band signed a worldwide deal with Century Media Records in November 2012, and a month later embarked on a North American tour from January to February with Marilyn Manson.[9] Only days after wrapping the tour in the City Of Sin, the band was in an L.A. studio with producer Josh Wilbur (Gojira, Lamb of God, Hatebreed) recording their debut album, Goliath.[10]
On June 6, the band released the street single off their debut album "I Smell A Massacre".[11] On June 20, the band streamed another song titled "The Deathsurround".[12] On July 9, the band released their debut album Goliath via Century Media Records. During the first week of sales, the album sold 3,300 copies in the United States which landed it at No. 112 on The Billboard 200 chart.
The Butcher Babies toured on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival 2013 on the Jägermeister Stage and then toured with Danzig along with Texas Hippie Coalition, and A Pale Horse Named Death.[13]
On July 26, In an interview with Artisan News, Shepherd and Harvey spoke about their decision to ditch the nipple-tape look during their live performances. Their appearance over the course of the last six years consisted of this look as an ode to the late Wendy O. Williams. However, they claimed that the message of creativity and individualism had been received and it was time to evolve to another look.[14]
In early 2014, the band took part in The Hell Pop Tour II headlined by In This Moment with additional support from Devour the Day, All Hail the Yeti, and Before the Mourning.[15] [16] [17] [18] [19]
Take It Like a Man (2014–2016)
On November 5, 2014, the band announced that they had begun work on their upcoming second studio album. The band completed work on the album on April 3, 2015. The band revealed that the album was a return to their thrash metal roots whereas Goliath was more melodic. The band also revealed the new album will feature a re-recorded version of their first single from 2010, "Blonde Girls All Look the Same".
On June 10, 2015, the band revealed the title of their upcoming album to be Take It Like a Man, and also released the first single of the album, "Monsters Ball", despite original plans to release 'Never Go Back" as the lead single. The band revealed that the record label and management expressed dislike for the album title and artwork, and that the band had to fight to keep them. Regarding the album title, vocalist Carla Harvey said: On June 26, the band released a music video for the lead single, "Monsters Ball". On July 11, the band released the song "Never Go Back" as the second single of the album.
Lilith (2017)
In October 2016, following the departure of original drummer, Chris Warner,Butcher Babies introduced their new drummer Chase Brickenden after he filled in on the band's tour with Megadeth. The band's third studio album Lilith was released on October 27, 2017.[20] The album cover art and insert panel was designed by American artist Justin Paul.[21]
Eye for an Eye… / …'Til the Worlds Blind (2019–present)
On January 22, 2019, Butcher Babies posted a black and white slogan and pictures with possible titles of songs in the upcoming fourth album on their instagram page @butcherbabies. However, no further release details were provided.
On October 30, 2020, Butcher Babies released a new song called "Bottom of the Bottle" followed by 'Sleeping with the Enemy' which was release later that year on December 11.
The band released further singles during 2021 with 'Yorktown' on February 12, 'Last Dance' on April 7 and 'It's Killin' Time, Baby!' on August 27.
On October 28, 2022, the band released another single 'Best Friend', (a cover originally performed by the artist Saweeti) followed by 'Beaver Cage', 'Red Thunder' and 'Last December' released on February 10, May 12 and June 9, 2023, respectively.
On July 7, 2023, the band released their fourth album, which came in the format of a double album titled 'Eye for an Eye… / …'Til the World's Blind'.
Musical style and influences
Butcher Babies' music has been described as groove metal,[22] [23] thrash metal,[24] metalcore,[25] and alternative metal.[26] The band has cited artists and bands such as Pantera, Guns N' Roses, Marilyn Manson, Slayer, and Slipknot as their influences.[27] [28] However, the band Plasmatics had the biggest influence on the band. In an interview, they stated "We are big fans of Wendy O. Williams. We took the name from the Plasmatics Song "Butcher Baby". Wendy was a bad ass… she didn't give a fuck what anyone thought… we share that spirit".[29] In an interview with Revolver Magazine, Harvey said: "As a biracial kid growing up in the Detroit area, I got a lot of shit for loving hard rock and metal, and seeing musicians that were also African American playing the music I loved made me strong enough to say, "Fuck you, I'm going to like what I want."While Shepherd had said "My heroes are Slipknot, Wendy O. Williams, Gwen Stefani, and Joan Jett. Most of them being females that defy the male dominance in music!" They also stated in an interview, they are heavily influenced by horror films such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, House of 1000 Corpses, and The Devil's Rejects.
In an interview from the Rockstar Mayhem Festival, Shepherd stated that she is very influenced by Slipknot, while Harvey stated that she is heavily into old school metal such as Slayer and Iron Maiden, Klein's favorite band is Cannibal Corpse, and Flury's favorite is Meshuggah.[30] Butcher Babies are influenced by the nu metal genre.
The Butcher Babies are known for their aggressive stage appeal, such as wearing nipple tape in the earlier years of their career. This attire is heavily influenced by Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics. Shepherd stated in an interview that "Wendy O. Williams was the first female in heavy metal. She had that single, 'Butcher Baby', hence the name BUTCHER BABIES, and she was the first female to just really go all out. She didn't care what anyone told her. She was going to be the performer she wanted to be without anyone telling her 'No'. We were both hugely influenced by her, and that's where the attire came from."
Members
Current members
- Heidi Shepherd – vocals (2010–present)
- Henry Flury – guitars (2010–present)
- Ricky Bonazza – bass (2020–present)
- Devin Nickles – drums (2024–present)
Former members
- Carla Harvey – vocals (2010–2024)
- Jason Klein – bass (2010–2019)
- Chris Warner – drums (2010–2017)
- Chase Brickenden – drums (2017–2023)
- Blake Bailey – drums (2023)
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
EPs
Singles
- "Never Go Back": #39 US Mainstream Rock[36]
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director | Album |
|---|
| 2012 | "Mr. Slowdeath" | | Butcher Babies |
| 2013 | "Magnolia Blvd"[37] | Daniel Andres Gomez Bagby | Goliath |
| 2014 | "I Smell a Massacre"[38] | |
| "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haa!" | | Uncovered |
| 2015 | "Monsters Ball" | Dan Dobi | Take It Like a Man |
| "For the Fight" | Mike Gevorgian |
| "Igniter" | |
| 2017 | "Lilith" | Strati Hovartos | Lilith |
| "Headspin" | Brian Cox |
| "Look What We've Done" | Matthew Vietch |
| "The Huntsman" (Visualizer) | Justin Paul |
| 2020 | "Bottom of a Bottle" | |
| 2021 | "Sleeping with the Enemy" | Ron Thunderwood |
| "Yorktown" | Aaron Sorensen | |
Notes and References
- Web site: Butcher Babies: 'Goliath' First Week Sales Revealed . Blabbermouth.net . July 17, 2013 . December 26, 2013.
- Web site: Butcher Babies Biography, Songs, & Albums . .
- Web site: Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. 2013 Bands Announced Tickets On Sale Now . Rockstarmayhemfest.com . September 19, 2011 . December 26, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029051411/http://rockstarmayhemfest.com/media/id/89258235 . October 29, 2013 .
- Web site: Butcher Babies Comic Con Promo | Video YouTube – NMETV Latest Music Videos and Clips . Nme.Com . December 18, 2013 . December 26, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131203031443/http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/OrNtn8SPfz8 . December 3, 2013 . dead .
- Web site: Century Media Records – Butcher Babies . Centurymedia.com . December 26, 2013 . March 26, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140326194317/http://centurymedia.com/artist.aspx?IdArtist=613 . dead .
- Web site: Butcher Babies – Free listening, concerts, stats, & pictures at . Last.fm . November 26, 2013 . December 26, 2013.
- Web site: Brandon Geist . Exclusive: Butcher Babies Debut New Song, "Blonde Girls All Look the Same" – Heavy Metal News | Music Videos |Golden Gods Awards . revolvermag.com . September 19, 2011 . December 26, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215733/http://www.revolvermag.com/news/exclusive-butcher-babies-debut-new-song-blonde-girls-all-look-the-same.html . October 4, 2013 . dead .
- Web site: emoneill . Butcher Babies Premiere New Music Video, "Mr. Slowdeath" – Heavy Metal News | Music Videos |Golden Gods Awards . revolvermag.com . May 24, 2012 . December 26, 2013.
- Web site: Butcher Babies To Support Marilyn Manson . Blabbermouth.net . December 11, 2012 . December 26, 2013.
- Web site: Century Media Records – Butcher Babies: : debut album 'Goliath' out now . Centurymedia.com . December 26, 2013 . October 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131016090203/http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=13087&IdCompany=2 . dead .
- Web site: Butcher Babies: 'I Smell A Massacre' Lyric Video Released . Blabbermouth.net . June 6, 2013 . December 26, 2013.
- Web site: Butcher Babies: New Song 'The Deathsurround' Available For Streaming . Blabbermouth.net . June 20, 2013 . December 26, 2013.
- Web site: Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. 2013 Bands Announced Tickets On Sale Now . Rockstarmayhemfest.com . December 26, 2013.
- Web site: Butcher Babies: Why We Ditched The Nipple Tape Look . Blabbermouth.net . July 26, 2013 . December 26, 2013.
- Web site: In This Moment featuring Devour The Day / Butcher Babies / All... . www.ktvu.com . December 19, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131219163906/http://www.ktvu.com/events/detail/4470684/ . December 19, 2013 .
- Web site: The Hell Pop Tour II with In This Moment and More | Missoula, MT . Jade Presents . December 19, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131219180913/http://jadepresents.com/in-this-moment-missoula/ . December 19, 2013 .
- Web site: In This Moment – Tickets – Trocadero Theatre – Philadelphia, PA – January 17th, 2014 | The Trocadero Theatre . Thetroc.com . May 7, 2013 . December 19, 2013 . December 19, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131219183016/http://www.thetroc.com/event/416669-in-this-moment-philadelphia/ . dead .
- Web site: In This Moment The Webster Theater . Webstertheater.com . December 19, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131221075710/http://webstertheater.com/event/in-this-moment-2/ . December 21, 2013 .
- Web site: The Hell Pop Tour II with In This Moment, Seattle WA, Showbox . Clubzone.com . October 4, 2013 . December 19, 2013 . December 19, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131219144505/http://www.clubzone.com/events/712740/seattle/showbox/the-hell-pop-tour-ii-with-in-this-moment . dead .
- Web site: Butcher Babies Announce 'Lilith' Release Date, Unveil Title Track . Blabbermouth.net . June 10, 2018 . September 8, 2017.
- Web site: Butcher Babies – New Album Cover Revealed . December 11, 2022 . Metal Storm . en.
- Web site: Kid Rock, 5FDP, Butcher Babies, And More At River City Rockfest — Part Two (Review) . Texas Rock Report . Donny . Rodriguez . May 27, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140903104548/http://www.texasrockreport.com/kid-rock-5fdp-and-butcher-babies-at-river-city-rockfest-part-two-review/ . September 3, 2014 .
- Web site: Take it Like a Man (Review) – Butcher Babies . . James Christopher . Monger . December 5, 2022 .
- Web site: BUTCHER BABIES Went Back To Their Thrash Metal 'Roots' On Upcoming Album. Blabbermouth.net. July 4, 2015. April 3, 2015.
- Web site: Reviews - "Eye For An Eye..." and "...'Till The World's Blind" - BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Anne Erickson. Blabbermouth.net. July 4, 2023 . July 22, 2023.
- Olivier . Bobby . September 19, 2017 . Stars in Spikes: Will Pop and Hip-Hop's Rediscovery of Heavy Metal Lead to a Genre Resurgence? . August 18, 2023 . Billboard . ... as she wails to a song that's one double-bass blast beat away from morphing into an alt-metal bonanza, a la In This Moment or Butcher Babies..
- Web site: Butcher Babies' Carla Harvey Is Looking Forward To Bringing Back 'Thrash Element' To Band's Music . August 28, 2014 . Blabbermouth. (August 28, 2014)
- Web site: Butcher Babies – Goliath | Reviews From The Cave. July 21, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130721114136/http://www.reviewsfromthecave.com/2013/07/butcher-babies-goliath.html. October 12, 2020. July 21, 2013.
- Web site: Gute Horrorfilme 2013 – Horrorfilm Reviews » Exclusive-Interview with The Butcher Babies . Horrorpilot.com . September 14, 2012 . December 26, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004220341/http://www.horrorpilot.com/exclusive-interview-the-butcher-babies/ . October 4, 2013 . dead .
- Web site: Butcher Babies . YouTube . July 11, 2013 . December 26, 2013.
- Butcher Babies – Chart history . Billboard . November 7, 2017 . November 20, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171120031741/http://www.billboard.com/music/butcher-babies/chart-history . dead .
- Web site: iTunes – Music – Goliath by Butcher Babies . Itunes.apple.com . January 1, 2013 . June 13, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010051539/https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/goliath/id664927622 . October 10, 2014 .
- Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 7/17: Like Festivals To Flames. July 17, 2013. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 7/24: Respect Walk Through Exits Only. July 24, 2013 . www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 8/7: Unsurprisingly, Five Finger Death Punch Have a Number 2 Record. August 7, 2013. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 8/14: Asking Alexandria About The Charts. August 14, 2013. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 8/21: Coheed Top An Otherwise Uneventful Week. August 21, 2013. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 9/4: Avenged Sevenfold Top The Charts Once Again. September 4, 2013. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 10/23: Trivium Lay Vengeance On The Charts. October 23, 2013. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 1/8: The Charts Have Gone Cold. January 8, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 1/15: The Charts (And The Site) Get a Makeover. January 15, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 1/22: The Debuts Have Finally Arrived. January 22, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Bram . Teitelman. Metal By Numbers 1/29: Have an Iced day. January 29, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 2/12: The Charts Are Full of Temptation. February 12, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 5/7: Whitechapel break into the top 10. May 7, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 6/12: The charts get f*cked up. June 12, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 6/4: A KISS-torical week of sales. June 4, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 5/29: 16 million Metallica fans can't be wrong. May 29, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 5/21: People Still Really Like Mushroomhead. May 21, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
Web site: Matt. Brown. Metal By Numbers 5/14: Nothing that Magic about this week. May 14, 2014. www.metalinsider.net. August 26, 2014.
- Web site: BUTCHER BABIES Announce 'Eye For An Eye...' + '…'Til The World's Blind' Double Album. Blabbermouth.net. May 16, 2023. May 15, 2023.
- Web site: Connecting to the iTunes Store.. iTunes. May 19, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140519194951/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/butcher-babies-ep/id530546239. October 12, 2020. May 19, 2014.
- Web site: Butcher Babies – Chart history Billboard. Billboard.com. en. June 17, 2017. July 30, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160730045804/http://www.billboard.com/artist/4282566/butcher-babies/chart?f=376. dead.
- Web site: Butcher Babies: 'Magnolia Blvd.' Video Released . Blabbermouth.net . September 5, 2013 . June 13, 2015.
- Web site: Butcher Babies: 'I Smell A Massacre' Video Released . Blabbermouth.net . January 8, 2014 . June 13, 2015.
