Municipal Waste

From choosing a name that makes them sound like some sort of urban public works department, to their music itself, Richmond, VA's Municipal Waste openly bow down to the memory of '80s thrash metal and crossover — twenty years after, and a few hundred miles away from the original movement's heyday in New York City. Led by picturesquely named vocalist Tony "Guardrail" Foresta, Municipal Waste played their first show on New Year's Eve 2001, then spent the next few years working on demos, recording the odd EP and split release, and juggling musicians until solidifying its membership around Guardrail, guitarist Ryan Waste and bassist Land Phil. Veteran drummer Dave Witte (ex-Human Remains, Burnt by the Sun, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, etc.) joined their ranks shortly after the band signed with Earache Records and recorded 2004's Waste Em All with producer Corey Smoot (aka Flattus Maximus of GWAR). The album was instantly embraced by discerning metal fans for its retro-tastic revival, received overwhelmingly positive reviews, and landed Municipal Waste supporting slots on tours with Converge and the Red Chord. Late 2005 saw the unveiling of the band's equally impressive sophomore effort, Hazardous Mutation, which helped them break big across Europe, and resulted in even more touring opportunities. Two years later, the group once again returned to the studio with producer Zeuss (Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, etc.), and emerged with their third irreverent opus, The Art of Partying.