Segression

Band Members

• Final Line-Up
  • Chris Rand (vocals, bass)
  • Chris Sellin (guitar)
  • Shane Partridge (guitar)
  • Keith Owen (drums)

• Former Members
  • Red (Adrian Herbert) (drums) (1998 - 2001)
  • John Buckley (drums) (1996 - 1998)
  • James Broadbent (guitar) (1996)

Formed

Wollongong, NSW, 1996

Band Information

Between 1996 and 2000, Segression was without doubt one of the highest profile metal bands on the Australian east coast with a hard work ethic and maverick stance that set them apart from most other acts on the scene. At first embracing a Machine Head-like groove thrash style, Segression later moved into the nu-metal area and fell from favour but at their height they were one of the most popular metal acts in circulation.

Segression came to be on New Year’s Day, 1996 when the Wollongong thrash band Eezee changed its name. The line-up at the time was Rand, Sellin, John Buckley (drums) and James Broadbent (guitar) but Broadbent was replaced by Partridge almost immediately. Work had already begun on the L.I.A. album at this point and several tracks feature Broadbent’s work. The album was supported by a relentless touring schedule that the band would continue for much of their career, playing small towns and regional venues as well as major centres. In August 1996 Segression supported Fear Factory and Strapping Young Lad in 1997. Mid-year the second album Fifth of the Fifth emerged and met with similar success to its predecessor, selling strongly as they toured constantly, including several shows with Mortal Sin on their comeback tour and finishing the year at Metal for the Brain. In 1998 the band got perhaps its biggest break to date when they were selected as the support to Ozzy Osbourne’s Australian tour. Late that year they again supported SYL; Buckley was replaced by Newcastle drummer Red in time for the headlining spot at Metal for the Brain.

1999 was a relatively quiet year for the band as they played rarely and barely toured but concentrated on recording their third album. Towards the end of the year Segression announced a deal with Roadrunner Australia’s subsidiary label Dark Carnival. In February 2000 Segression toured with Slipknot and shortly afterwards the new album Smile appeared. With much less of a thrash vibe and far more of a nu-metal direction, the album polarised audiences, some of whom had already cooled on the band in the two and a half years since Fifth of the Fifth. Nevertheless, Segression still enjoyed a strong raft of popularity as a live band although sales of the album were disappointing compared with the independently-released previous two and a falling out with Roadrunner less than a year into their contract meant label support for the band was pulled. After being named on the bill for Metal for the Brain 2000, Segression withdrew from the show, instead announcing a final Australian tour before moving to the United States.

In early 2001, Segression moved to Chicago, where they played occasional shows and worked on new material. By May, however, they were back in Australia as support to the Pantera/Corrosion of Conformity national tour. Following this, in July, Red left the band. With Keith Owen replacing him, Segression again lay low while they put together a fourth album, a self-titled, self-produced effort released on their own label that finally appeared in June 2002. In conjunction with the release of Segression, the band headlined the Overcranked festival in Brisbane the same month. The album received a rather cool response from both critics and audiences alike but true to their nature Segression toured it until the end of the year. The band went to ground after that and Segression hasn’t played live since December 2002.

In the latter half of 2003 it was announced that Segression had been put on hold indefinitely while all members plus bass player Michael Caruana played in a melodic heavy rock band called Side Effect X, a band that has, despite some airplay on both radio and TV, yet to capture the following that Segression had at its height.

Discography

Albums:

	1996	L.I.A.	Oracle
	1997	Fifth of the Fifth	Oracle
	2000	Smile	Dark Carnival
	2002	Segression	self release

Compilation tracks:

Year	Track Title	Album Title	Label
1997	"Internal Thought Flow"	Thirteen	ABC/EMI
2000	"Disease Me"	Sweating Bullets 2	Roadrunner
2000	"The Thickening"	Full Metal Racket	ABC/EMI