EIGHTH CHAKRA

Born in a Kalamazoo basement in 2000, Eighth Chakra has been determined to create a niche within the local metal community. In 2001, guitarist Benjamin Boggs, drummer Ben Zeeuw, and vocalist Austin Hardy added second guitarist Mark Cunningham to their ranks. From this point, their sound evolved into a heavy, groove based straight-up metal project while their peers were playing with the exhausted nu-metal genre. Equal parts thrash, groove and occasional melodic breakdowns separated Eighth Chakra from the breed of homogeneous radio-friendly mall metal. John Parr was recruited as the bass player for the project and held down the low end duties until his departure in 2003. The band found a replacement bassist D.J. Wert, who was the quirky, creative and melodic artist that the band never knew that they needed. The lineup played shows across the state and unparalleled in their own special brand of metal. In the summer of 2004, Austin Hardy's screams of mental insanity were replaced by new vocalist Myxlplxyk, an industrial enthusiast whose screams were as haunting as they were melodic. With Austin returning to the fold after his western vacation, the band returns to their hard-edged roots, leaving the unitiated speechless, While crushing the doubts of their naysayers. Mark left the fold to concentrate on family, and the band moved forward as a four piece. With the line-up in full force again, Eighth Chakra returns as an eight legged party machine that is separate from its contemporaries as it proudly waves the metal flag.