Black Breath (band)

Lore & Background

Black Breath began in 2006, playing local bars and house shows in Bellingham. They released a few demos and toured the underground before recording their first EP, Razor to Oblivion, in 2008, which they released on Southern Lord Records. The EP gained attention in the local music underground, leading to a signing with Southern Lord Records in October 2009. Southern Lord took over distribution of the EP, and Black Breath toured across the country as a support act for Victims, Rise and Fall, and Trap Them.

The band recorded their debut album, Heavy Breathing, at GodCity Studios, owned by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, and released it on March 30, 2010, via Southern Lord. Their second album, Sentenced to Life, followed on March 27, 2012. In October 2014, it was announced that Black Breath would return to GodCity Studios to record their follow-up, Slaves Beyond Death, for an early 2015 release. Bassist Elijah Nelson was found dead on December 29, 2019.

Reader's Guide

Black Breath's significance lies in their fusion of crust punk and death metal, a style heavily reliant on the Boss HM-2 pedal sound that defined the Swedish death metal scene of the early 1990s. By channeling that tone through a crust punk lens, they helped revive and modernize a raw, aggressive aesthetic within extreme metal. Their signing to Southern Lord Records, a label known for metal and hardcore punk, placed them in a lineage of influential underground acts. The band's early EP, Razor to Oblivion, and subsequent albums—Heavy Breathing, Sentenced to Life, and Slaves Beyond Death—established them as a consistent force in the genre. Their legacy is also marked by the tragic death of bassist Elijah Nelson in 2019, which ended the band's active trajectory. Black Breath's work remains a touchstone for fans of HM-2-driven death metal and crust punk crossover.

Did You Know?

• Black Breath formed in Bellingham, Washington in 2006 and later moved to Seattle.
• Their sound is keyed by the Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal Pedal, popularized by Entombed, Dismember, and Edge of Sanity.
• Their debut album Heavy Breathing was recorded at GodCity Studios, owned by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou.

Origins & Sonic Identity

Black Breath emerged from Bellingham, Washington, in 2006, though their earliest performances date back to 2005, crafting a sonic identity that fuses the raw aggression of crust punk with the crushing weight of death metal. A defining element of their palette is the Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal Pedal, a piece of gear that became iconic in the early 1990s through the work of Swedish death metal pioneers such as Entombed, Dismember, and Edge of Sanity. By channeling that lo-fi, distorted character into their own compositions, Black Breath connected their Pacific Northwest roots to a broader lineage of extreme metal. The band later relocated to Seattle, but their identity remained firmly anchored in that raw, pedal-driven tone that sets them apart from more polished death metal acts of the era.

Underground Roots & Breaking Through

Before any major label attention, Black Breath spent their formative years grinding through local bars and house shows across Bellingham, Washington, releasing a handful of demos and touring the underground circuit to build a following. Their breakthrough moment arrived with the Razor to Oblivion EP in 2008, which they self-released on their own small imprint, Hot Mass Records. The record caught the ear of the local scene and spread beyond, ultimately leading to a signing with Southern Lord Records, a Los Angeles-based label well known for championing metal and hardcore punk, in October 2009. Southern Lord assumed distribution of the EP and reissued it under their banner. The band then hit the road as a support act for Victims, Rise and Fall, and Trap Them, building a national following through relentless touring before stepping into the studio to record their debut full-length album.

Studio Work & Album Progression

Black Breath recorded their debut album, Heavy Breathing, at GodCity Studios on the east coast, a facility owned by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou. The record dropped on March 30, 2010, through Southern Lord Records, marking the band's first full-length statement and a significant step up from the EP that first brought them attention. Two years later, on March 27, 2012, they followed with Sentenced To Life, again released on Southern Lord, continuing to refine their crust-inflected death metal approach. The band also produced a music video for the track 'Home of the Grave' that same year. In October 2014, it was announced they would return to GodCity Studios to record Slaves Beyond Death, which arrived in early 2015. This consistent cycle of writing, recording at a trusted facility, and releasing through a dedicated label gave the band a cohesive creative trajectory across their four studio releases.

Tragedy & Lasting Mark

The most devastating chapter in Black Breath's story came on December 29, 2019, when bassist Elijah Nelson was found dead. His passing cast a long shadow over a band that had built its identity on collective intensity and shared creative energy. Nelson had been a key member contributing to the raw, punishing sound that defined every release from Razor to Oblivion through Slaves Beyond Death. The band's legacy rests on a relatively compact but focused catalog—four studio releases spanning 2008 to 2015—each one a testament to their unwavering commitment to a specific, pedal-saturated vision of extreme metal. Their story, from house shows in a small Washington city to touring nationally with respected underground acts, illustrates how a dedicated local scene can produce a sound with lasting resonance in the broader metal world.