Jack "Lycanthropy" Hall & Oblige Yeah I'm that crazy fucker on crutches that runs the Ohio Chapter! If you see me at a show...Say Hi!
OBLIGE BIO:
The year is 2007. Currently, there is a trend in the United States where it's cool to be into "heavy," it's cool to be into "metal." In a time when bands are claiming to be heavy, acting like they are heavy, and are trying to play heavy music, Oblige has always been the definition of the word "heavy." Oblige doesn't play heavy music because it's cool, because it's "scene," because they want to "fit in." Oblige has been an unstoppable force playing heavy music for one main reason- they Love the music they play. Since Oblige's initial formation in the depths of the Inland Empire, California in 2002, they have been constantly striving and perfecting their brand of heavy. The first, early line-up for Oblige consisted of "Big" Greg Wilburn (Vocals), Eric Correa (Guitar), who are also the core and main song writers of the band, Greg Pewthers (Guitar), Nick Kramer (Bass), and Mike Folkerts (Drums). It is with this line-up Oblige created it's first four song demo and quickly began playing any, and all venues in their area. The band was fresh, the band was fierce, and the perfection of their heavy craft continued. In the live setting, Oblige shows became known for their intensity and aggression each and every time they took the stage. A short time later Nick and Mike exited the band and in came Mike Portales to fill the bass slot, and Marten Carrillo to handle the drumming duties.
The heavy continues. With this new line-up intact, Oblige honed and upped their skills and another four song demo was born. It is with this demo that Oblige started to gain fans by the legions. This new four track demo spawned fan favorites such as the opening track, "Operation Bloodshed." Oblige's fierceness grew into a raging inferno and showed signs of igniting into something even bigger. Their stage show was nothing but intense energy, headbanging carnage, and pit frenzy eruptions. The band was on to something and they knew it. Dissatisfied with "copy cat" bands, Oblige grew into a monstrous entity of it's own and continued touring and playing live shows whenever they received opportunities. During this time, Oblige parted ways with guitarist Greg Pewthers and continued on as a four-piece with only Eric C. on guitar while they searched for a new guitarist. The search for a new guitarist quickly ended when Caysen Russo (formerly of All Shall Perish) joined the fold, and once again Oblige's game was upped with his addition. This led the band to eventually sharing the stage with big name acts such as Suicide Silence, Animosity, and the colossal Hatebreed (the band was asked by Jamey Jasta himself to open for Hatebreed). Shortly after the band shared the stage with Hatereed the first time, Jamey Jasta asked the band to be part of his Stillborn Records label and the band happily accepted his offer.
After Oblige finished touring with American Headcharge in July 2007, Marten and Mike informed the band that they would be leaving due to personal reasons. Always being a band to push forward, persevere, and see opportunities rather than setbacks, Oblige enlisted the talents and strengths of Cheyne Smith (Bass), and Andrew Holzbaur (Drums, and formely of Hostility). With each new inception into the band, the band gained, and move forward with their craft, to only become tighter, and that much more solid with their music. Currently, Oblige has a full length album ready to be unleashed upon the world quite soon via Stillborn Records and is ready to rampage across Europe making new fans, and leaving a path of metallic destruction in it's wake.
-ROBLOVE