Allegiance (Australian band)
| Allegiance | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Genres | Thrash metal |
| Years active |
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| Labels | |
| Associated acts | Black Steel |
| Past members |
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Allegiance were an Australian thrash metal group. They formed in 1990 in Perth and disbanded in 1997. They released two studio albums, D.e.s.t.i.t.u.t.i.o.n (1994) and Skinman (1996). According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, they "gained international acclaim and interest from several key figures in the heavy metal world. [Their] tight sound mixed the heavy riffs and complexities of San Francisco Bay Area thrash bands like Metallica, Testament, Slayer and Exodus with a touch of Sepultura."
Allegiance were formed in Perth in 1990 as a thrash metal group by Tony Campo on guitar, Dave Harrison on bass guitar, Steve Hidden on guitar, Conrad Higson on drums and John Mihos on lead vocals. After a few months of performing Mihos left and Higson switched to lead vocals, Glenn Butcher replaced Dave Barry on drums and Jason Stone replaced Hidden on guitar.
In 1991 the group recorded a four-track extended play, Make the Pledge, as a music cassette, which was self-funded: with $250 from their live shows. It was released in October, its straight forward thrash metal sound helped it to sell 2000 copies. In the next month Allegiance won the Most Popular Band category at the West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMI Awards) for that year.
In February 1992 Allegiance played at the annual Bindoon Rock outdoor concert festival for the first time to a crowd of 10 000 people. In March they released their second EP, Torn Between Two Worlds, on a seven-track cassette. The recording featured improved production and song writing, which demonstrated the band's progress. The EP sold 3500 copies, won the 1992 local industry award for most popular WA cassette. It was praised as one of the most impressive tapes of 1992 by magazines, fanzines and radio shows in places like Japan, Argentina, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Germany, Canada, United States and the United Kingdom.
In July 1992 Allegiance won the state final of the Yamaha Rock competition and flew to Melbourne to represent their state in the national final, where they received the Juke Magazine-sponsored Encouragement Award. They competed against seven other unsigned acts; the final was broadcast nationally on MTV. The band headed to ABC studios in August 1992 to record five tracks live-in-the-studio: in one take with few overdubs. These were released as their third EP in October, Studio Live. It was limited to 500 copies, which sold out in one day and became a sought after collectors item.
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