Narcosis

Narcosis, like every band, began inconspicuously enough when four amateur musicians got together with the shared goal of either shocking or pissing people off; yet they succeeded better than most in the pursuit of this mission, thanks to their particularly bruising and noxious brand of grindcore. Starting in 1995, in the North Country town of Wigan, Narcosis recorded several demos while solidifying their lineup around vocalist Peet Dandy, guitarists Chris Caterall and John White, bassist Paul Priest, and drummer Simon "Brody" Brotherton. In 2002, they paired up with fellow grinders Morose for the first of many split EPs, and the next year saw the release of Narcosis' debut album, Heart Slows Down, along with additional split EPs with Melt Banana, Archer and Midget Parade — all of which were supported by constant touring, both in the U.K. and Europe. By 2006, Narcosis was once again ready to record a full-length release, but after considering several name producers for the job, and even recording it abroad, they wound up cutting the misleadingly named Romance in their own hometown of Wigan. Sadly, longtime vocalist Peet announced his departure soon after, and although they carried on for a while with his replacement, Jamie Webster, Narcosis had begun losing steam, eventually deciding to break up in late 2007. Posthumously, most of their career output was compiled by Earache Records and released in 2008 as the aptly named Best Served Cold collection.