Circle of Dead Children

Lore & Background

Circle of Dead Children formed after Joe Horvath and Jason Andrews' previous band .blackwel. broke up. They joined with John Kubacka, David Good and Jon Miciolek, who had been playing in punk bands. After their tenth practice, they recorded and self-financed a self-titled demo cassette, with 100 copies made, which sold out at their first two live shows. The demo contained four tracks with a total playing time of 5:45. Early live concerts featured vocalist Joe Horvath committing self-battery and bloodshed for shock value.

The band signed with Willowtip Records for their debut full-length album, The Genocide Machine (2000), which was recorded at Plus/Minus Studios in Pittsburgh with Todd Doehring and received positive reviews. A later compilation, Starving the Vultures (2003), gathered early demo material and additional tracks. Subsequent releases include Exotic Sense Decay (1999), Human Harvest (2003), Zero Comfort Margin (2005), and Psalm of the Grand Destroyer (recorded later). The band signed to numerous labels including S.O.A. Records, Robodog Records, Necropolis Records, Deathvomit Records, Martyr Music Group, Displeased Records, and Candlelight Records.

Reader's Guide

Circle of Dead Children's significance lies in their consistent output of deathgrind music over more than a decade, despite frequent lineup changes that left Joe Horvath as the sole original member. Their early demo and debut album established a unique extreme metal sound, and their live performances were noted for Horvath's self-battery. The band's relationship with Necropolis Records soured after the label failed to recoup recording costs, leading to a cease and desist on further pressings of The Genocide Machine, which had sold out its 3,500 pressing in one month and reached No. 9 on the College Music Journal hardrock charts. Their later releases, such as Human Harvest and Zero Comfort Margin, continued to receive positive press for their brutality. The band's legacy includes a series of limited-edition vinyl releases and a cover of 'Playdumb' by Hideous Mangleus, their only recorded cover song.

Did You Know?

• The band's debut demo cassette had only 100 copies made and sold out at their first two live shows.
• The Genocide Machine was the band's first full-length album, released in 2000 on Willowtip Records.
• Zero Comfort Margin was recorded in a notorious session that engineer Steve Austin barely recalled, according to Metal Maniacs Magazine.
• The band's only known recorded cover is 'The Exorcist' theme, which appeared on a split release.