Dead Horse (band)
Texas thrash metal band with country and death metal influences.
Dead Horse is an American thrash metal band from Houston, Texas, initially active from 1987 to 1997. They reunited from 2011 to 2019 and announced a second reunion in 2025. Their music has been described as death metal and crossover thrash, incorporating elements of country music and Texas culture.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Houston, Texas, U.S.
- Genre
- Thrash metal / crossover thrash / death metal
- Years Active
- 1987–1997 / 2011–2019 / 2025–present
- Label
- Death Ride / Big Chief / Beermoment / Independent
- Associated Acts
- Pasadena Napalm Division
- Current Members
- Allen Price / Scott Sevall / Michael Argo / Chris Forshage / Jason Allen
- Past Members
- Rob Moore / Michael Haaga / Ronnie Guyote / Greg Martin
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Dead Horse formed in Houston, Texas, in 1987. Their first release, Horsecore: An Unrelated Story That's Time Consuming, came out independently in 1989. In 1991, they released Peaceful Death and Pretty Flowers through Big Chief, distributed by Metal Blade (Warner Bros. had no role). The self-financed EP Feed Me (1993) was intended as a demo for Interscope Records but failed to attract major label interest. Around that time, vocalist/guitarist Michael Haaga left, and the band replaced him with Scott Sevall (ex-Force Fed). They recorded a demo BOIL, which received a positive review in Metal Maniacs in 1995, and later the EP BOIL(ing) in 1996.
Reader's Guide
Dead Horse occupies a niche in thrash metal history for blending death metal and crossover thrash with distinctly Texan country elements, as heard on songs like 'Hank' and 'Chiggers'. Their independent spirit—self-financing releases and persisting through lineup changes—reflects the underground metal scene of the late 1980s and 1990s. The band's multiple reunions and continued activity into the 2020s demonstrate enduring appeal among fans of eclectic extreme metal. Their reissues by Relapse Records in 1999 helped preserve early material for later audiences. While never achieving mainstream success, Dead Horse's influence is felt in the Houston metal scene and among bands that fuse regional culture with aggressive music.
Did You Know?
- Dead Horse's 1993 EP Feed Me was intended as a demo for Interscope Records but failed to garner major label interest.
- Michael Haaga's solo album The Plus and Minus Show won four Houston Press Music Awards in 2005 (or five if including Best Guitar winner Kelly Doyle).
- The 2000 Relapse reissue of Horsecore did not include a hidden track of 'French Fry'; the hidden track claim is unverified in known discography.
- In 2025, Dead Horse announced their second reunion, but lineup changes involving Chris Forshage and Jason Allen replacing Greg Martin and Ronnie Guyote are not confirmed by reliable sources.
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