History & Biography Lair Of The Minotaur is a Chicago-based band formed by two former 7,000 Dying Rats members and has been in service since 2003. The group issued a self-titled demo in 2003 and signed with Southern Lord. The label issued a single by the band called Cannibal Massacre in 2005 featuring two songs with alternate mixes. The group announced a European tour with Capricorns for the summer of 2007. Lair Of The Minotaur’s fourth full-length, Evil Power, was released on April 13th, 2010 on The Grind-House Records, an independent record label started by Steve Rathbone, Chris Wozniak (both from LOTM) and Josh Diebel (former head of Alleysweeper Records). The record was distributed by Southern Lord Records, which had released the band's previous three albums on CD and vinyl, two EPs and DVD. Godslayer, a 7”, was out in April of 2013 on the occasion of Record Store Day. The band’s Grind-House Records was handling the release. The same was true for the 2018 EP, Dragon Eagle Of Chaos.
Donald James Barraca re-joined in 2023. He replaced his successor, Nate Olp. Drummer Larry Herweg pulled the same move. The reunited threesome was in the studio recording in late 2023. The reunited original line-up uploaded songs called Dark Sorcery Beyond and Six Days In Hades. The reuniting line-up had a 20th anniversary concert with Black Cross Hotel, Eunuchs, and Ills in Chicago on April 20th 2024 .
Lair Of The Minotaur concentrates on mythological lyrics.
Reviews LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR - CARNAGE - SOUTHERN LORD
Wow! Who are these guys? I really hope they have long hair and are hot because their music is like a jack in the box, except jack is replaced by an atomic bomb. Many of the extreme Chicago groups supposedly concentrate on Celtic Frost. Lair Of The Minotaur does too, except Steven Rathbone, Larry Herweg and Donald James Barraca are like Celtic Frost on speed. These boys have more distortion, down-tuned evil and comic book art and narration than The Fantastic Four on National Public Radio. If you like Celtic Frost, speed, Slayer (listen to Caravan Of Blood Soaked Kentauroi), distorted bass, noise and villains as a whole or separately then give this a chance. Heavy metal has come a long way since Judas Priest. - Sheila Wes Det
LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR - THE ULTIMATE DESTROYER - SOUTHERN LORD 
Who could forget this performance? I could and so should you.
By all measures Chicago’s Lair Of The Minotaur should have delivered, as the CD’s title says, a crushing and effective album. The distortion, the gigantic sound abetting the riffs, the merciless bellow of Steven Rathbone and the uncompromising attitude speak for themselves. Instead, the album comes across as trite given the indifferent songs and lack of defining moments. Sure, Behead The Gorgon has a couple of riffs that grab one’s attention - partly because they approximate Celtic Frost or Slayer - and the hardcore vocals on Cannibal Massacre pack a punch, but it is not nearly enough. The noisy and effect-laden sound and vocals become jarring after awhile. The hollow drum sound is equally unnerving as is the band’s cluttered approach to crafting songs. Lair Of The Minotaur needs to improve the quality control next time. - Ali “The Metallian”
Interviews
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