Switchblade

Switchblade
Origin	Sydney, NSW
Genres	Thrash metal, death metal
Years active	2001 - 2011
Labels	Amphead
Associated acts	Descend, Friar Rush, Icon of Deceit, Paradigm, Infernal Method, The Amenta, Vaticide
Past members	Symon Al-haddad, Chris Apps, Scott Bernascone, Ben Bessant, Gerard Dack, Anthony Delvecchio, Adam Helmreich, Andrew Najdek, Matt Piccolotto, Sway,

Band Members

• Final Line-Up
  • Gerard Dack (bass)
  • Anthony Delvecchio (guitar)
  • Andrew Najdek (guitar)
  • Matt Piccolotto (drums)

• Former Members
  • Adam Helmreich (vocals) (2005 - 2010)
  • Symon Alhaddad (bass) (2006 - 2008)
  • Ben Bessant (bass) (2001 - 2006)
  • Scott Bernascone (guitar) (2004 - 2005)
  • Sway (Colin Druery) (vocals) (2002 - 2005)
  • Chris Apps (vocals) (2001)

Formed

Sydney, NSW, 2001

Band Information

Switchblade was a Sydney band playing an aggressive and melodic blend of thrash and death metal. Formed in 2001 by Piccolotto, Najdek and Bessant, a demo was recorded with vocalist Chris Apps, but the overall result was poor and the group ditched it. Apps left and Switchblade spent some time writing new material until Sway joined in mid-2002. A few months later he had to leave the group when he damaged his vocal cords but by early 2003 he was back.

After quickly developing an audience with a range of key local supports and completing work on an album, Switchblade added a second guitarist, Scott Bernascone, in time for a show with Machine Head in Sydney in October 2004. During this period Najdek was also a member of Friar Rush and Piccolotto was also with Descend, but this changed as Switchblade concentrated on the album release. The End of All Once Known was released in April 2005. The album drew a huge response from local audiences. Their momentum was threatened however when Bernascone and Sway decided to leave after a festival in Sydney; during the final song of their set Helmreich joined the group on stage and was recruited almost immediately. Anthony Delvecchio replaced Bernascone after a few months but during the downtime, Najdek joined Infernal Method for a brief period. Scott Bernascone was The Amenta's live guitarist during their Australian tour in October 2007.

Switchblade was booked to appear at Metalstock in 2006 but shortly before the show Bessant suddenly left the band to live in Perth. Symon Alhaddad from Vaticide took his place and they went on the play at the Come Together Festival in Sydney in June. The band then played at Metal for the Brain in November 2006 and the Festival of the Dead alongside Nevermore the same evening.

The band began their second album during 2006, taking most of the next two years off from live playing to complete it. Invictus Infinitum was mixed by Neil Kernon with a guest appearance by Jeff Loomis of Nevermore and was released in April 2009. Former Infernal Method member Gerard Dack joined the band on bass during the recording period. After launching the album in Sydney, Switchblade embarked on a national tour, with Our Last Enemy appearing at several of the shows. On October 15, 2009, Switchblade was the opening act for Slayer's special live performance of the Reign in Blood album in Sydney. They opened for Exodus in Sydney in October 2010 but then went inactive after the departure of Helmreich. In May 2011, Switchblade announced they had split up. Najdek and Dack have since been involved in a band called Icon of Deceit which has so far played a single show.

Discography

Albums:

	2005	The End of All Once Known	self release
	2009	Invictus Infinitum	self release

Compilation tracks:

	Year	Track Title	Album Title	Label
	2004	"Convulse"	Underearthed 2	independent
	2006	"Domination"	The Art of Shredding - A Tribute to Dime	DarkStar