Trephine

Trephine stepped onto the straight-edge hardcore scene in mid-1997 and called it a day by late 1999. By this time, only one member of the original group remained and the band sounded markedly different from the demos they had released when they first formed. Trephine's live shows around the Detroit area were what originally garnered them acclaim, their two-vocalist approach and mosh-friendly breaks creating an unmistakable energy. Their first vinyl document was released on +/- Records in 1998, a grimy, lo-fi 7" of straight-edge hardcore meets metal. Lineup changes were ongoing but the most significant occurred when guitarist John Skinner joined up shortly before the 7" was released, though he did not appear on that recording. Skinner brought a seasoned, technical sound to Trephine, pushing them further into metal territory. This is best documented on their only full-length CD, released posthumously by +/Records. The self-titled disc crosses an underground hardcore feel with accomplished metal guitar work, making for unique and explosive results. Soon after Trephine's demise, Skinner and bassist Annie Sullivan brought their talents to old school thrashers Bloodpact and, not surprisingly, Skinner and other Trephine members also went on to form death metal outfit the Plague.