Bloodjinn

North Carolina metallic hardcore act Bloodjinn (pronounced "blood-gin") were formed in 1999 by siblings Joel (vocals) and Justin Collins (drums), with guitarists Carter Pennington and B.J. Stevens and bassist Justin Keatts soon completing the lineup that would record the band's debut EP, To Bleed the Demon, for the independent label Flatline Records. This in turn led to an album deal with Tribunal Records (onetime home to Atreyu, Scarlet, etc.) and the release of 2000's full-length Murder Eternal: Seven Short Stories for the Slightly Psychotic. Bloodjinn had moved on to Goodfellow Records by the time of 2003's Leave This World Breathing album, and experienced several personnel shakeups that left only vocalist Joel Collins from their original formation by the time 2007's This Machine Runs on Empty was released through Pluto Records. This Machine Runs on Empty revealed a large inspirational debt to Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall, and also featured guitarists Kyle Rakes and McKenzie Bell (ex-He Is Legend), bassist Justin Carter, and drummer Brian Lewis.