METALLIAN - Grip Inc.

The Power Of Inner Strength - 1995 - Metal Blade
Nemesis - 1996 - Metal Blade
Solidify - 1999 - Metal Blade
Incorporated - 2004 - Metal Blade

Members

Vocals

21 Guns, Sons Of Damnation>>GUS CHAMBERS>>Sons Of Damnation, Squealer A.D.

Guitar

G= Voodoo Cult, Despair, Therion>>WALDEMAR SORYCHTA>>Despair, Eyes Of Eden, Enemy Of The Sun, Therion, Overkill, Mandrah, Angel Dust, Exhorder

Bass

Heathen>>Jason Viebrooks>>Hate Squad, Heathen, The Allknowing, Lorenzo, Year Of The Tyrant. Exhorder - STUART CARRUTHERS>>Tenet, Stress Factor 9, Golers

Drum

Slayer, Philm, Testament, Arruga, Lombardo & Friends, Voodoo Cult, Diablik, Fantomas>>DAVE LOMBARDO>>Philm, Diablik, Fantomas, Testament, Lombardo & Friends, Kkleq Muzzil, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, Satanic Planet, Empire State Bastard

Keyboard

Voodoo Cult, Despair>>WALDEMAR SORYCHTA

History & Biography

When Slayer's drummer Dave Lombardo was forced to leave his long-time band Slayer in 1992, he began busying himself with an array of bands and projects. One of these was the Germany-based Voodoo Cult lead by one Philip Boa. Here he met guitarist and producer Waldemar Sorychta with him he struck a friendship and the idea to form Grip. For an extended period, Lombardo had associated professionally with former Overkill guitarist Bobby Gustafson in Grip. This liaison was cut short due to musical differences between the men however.

The line-up was solidified in early 1994 with the entrance of English singer Gus Chambers. In the meanwhile the act was forced to Incorporate itself after finding out another act was already called Grip. The band entered Germany's Woodhouse Studio where Sorychta often worked and recorded The Power Of Inner Strength with the guitarist naturally producing. Tours followed (with Motorhead and Kreator in Europe and Morbid Angel in North America, the band being managed by Morbid Angel's World Management) before the band re-entered the aforementioned studio to record Nemesis. Vie Brooks was first replaced by Eric Glass (who toured with the band in Japan) and ultimately by Stuart Carruthers. Devin Townsend recommended the latter man, a Canadian, to the band.

A tour in 1999 was postponed due to illness within the band. With the thrash metal band apparently performing below expectation and the act being subject to a couple of law suits, the band became a looser coalition and by the turn of the century seemed to be on permanent hiatus. Lombardo had also rejoined Slayer at this point. Despite that, the band reunited in mid-2003 to work on new material. Incorporated was released in the winter of 2004.

Enemy Of The Sun would play a set of Grip Inc. songs with Grip Inc. singer Gus Chambers on August 16th, 2008 at Zeche in Bochum, Germany. The former band featured Grip Inc.’s Waldemar Sorychta of course. Gus Chambers committed suicide on October 13th of 2008. He was 52. Everyone was paying tribute and remembering him fondly.

Producer Waldemar Sorychta of Grip Inc. and Despair fame was joining Therion for live work in the summer of 2010. Bassist Nalley Påhlsson was sitting out the band’s tour to baby-sit, study and not be exposed to alcohol as he lacked the discipline to know when enough is enough. Knife Fight Media issued an EP Hostage To Heaven in 2015. It featured three new tracks. Overkill recruited former Grip INC. guitarist Waldemar Sorychta on second guitar for its European headlining tour in late 2016. Waldemar was filling in for Dave Linsk who was unable to tour for undisclosed reasons.

Reviews

GRIP INC.- NEMESIS - METAL BLADE
Grip Inc, the band formed following Dave Lombardo's departure from Slayer, is back with its second album. It should quickly be mentioned that even though the back cover lists bassist Jason Viebrooks, the bio - which I presume is the last piece of the puzzle always - excludes him. Jason is in Hate Squad now. Secondly, while the short band story on the CD makes a point of Nemesis' more experimental approach and the inclusion of keyboards, I am glad to report that there is little or no evidence of this on the actual album. Whatever the wishful thinking of the above's writer, this is still a heavy metal album. The pounding of Dave Lombardo, the technical capability of Waldemar Sorychta (get hold of Despair's History Of Hate album) and the shouts of vocalist Chambers are still the backbone of this outfit. Also present is the Slayer-ish number, which as on the band's debut is included to satisfy fans of Dave's work with Slayer. The number is called War Between One. In general, Grip Inc. has enough riffs and rhythm to make for a good band. Where they are let down once again - as this was true on the debut too - is the over all structuring of the songs. The tunes usually are not engulfed in a discernible boundary where they can dwell in a compact environment. Typically , with a Grip Inc. song the ending of track could have existed at the start of the tune. This lack of structure contributes to the feeling that the songs are without a critical mass. Even if the overall quality of the musicianship and instrumentation is very good. - Ali "The Metallian"

Interviews

Grip Inc.