Psi Kore
Band Members
- Final Line-Up
- Aaron Bilbija (guitar)
- Chuck Lamb (vocals, guitar)
- Matt Lamb (drums)
- Meredith Webster (bass)
- Former Members
- Ben Walker (guitar) (2001)
- Andrew Lilley (guitar) (1998 - 2001)
- Alex Dourian (bass) (1996 - 1998)
- Gekko (drums) (1996 - 1997)
Formed
Sydney, NSW, 1996
Band Information
Psi.Kore was a thrash band that formed from the ashes of a Sydney death metal unit called Carnage in 1996. Carnage guitarist Adam Boyle, bass player Alex Dourian, and singer Lamb began rehearsing with drummer Gekko but Boyle left after only a few weeks. This did nothing to slow them down and by the end of the year Psi.Kore had played a number of formative live shows as the three piece. A rough demo was recorded in 1997 and the band supplied a version of Kiss’ “God Gave Rock n Roll to You II” on a Sydney compilation called Rock, that featured guest vocals from the singers of all the other bands on the album. Shortly afterward, Gekko was replaced by Matt Lamb who was only 17 at the time.
By early 1998 Psi.Kore has established itself as a hard-working band and in May decided to expand to a four-piece with the addition of Andrew Lilley on lead guitar. A quick Queensland visit with Deadspawn followed and then in September Dourian decided to leave the band. Webster joined in December 1998, making her first live appearance when Psi.Kore opened for Damaged and Blood Duster in Sydney.
In early 1999 Psi.Kore supported Vision of Disorder; this somewhat disastrous show was nevertheless the beginning of a big year for the band as they then went on to support Entombed, Cathedral and Nevermore, began recording a debut release and finished the year by playing at Metal for the Brain.
The band’s self-titled EP coincided with their huge nationwide tour alongside Alchemist and Cryogenic between March and May 2000 and became a top seller for their label Chatterbox Records. Following this, Psi.Kore toured with Skinlab and appeared at the Grounded festival and then Metal for the Brain in October. A tour late in the year with Damaged followed, but Lilley had to stand down from the dates due to a freak nerve condition and his role was filled by Cryogenic guitarist Steve Essa at some dates.
2001 began as busy as the previous year with a national tour with Cradle of Filth and Abramelin but after these shows tensions came to a head and Lilley was sacked. His replacement was 17 year old Ben Walker, who joined the band for their tour with Megadeth in August but more tension resulted in him being fired from Psi.Kore after their appearance at Metal for the Brain. Ex-Deadspawn and Infernal Method guitarist Aaron Bilbija joined Psi.Kore in January 2002.
This line-up’s debut at Grounded was cancelled when Matt injured his hand but after he recovered Psi.Kore played the Overcranked festival in Brisbane and then two legs of the High Voltage touring festival, in Adelaide and Sydney. After this, Psi.Kore went off the road to prepare for the recording of a full-length album however internal tension once again rose to a head and the band acrimoniously split in August 2002. Webster, Bilbija and Matt Lamb formed Daysend shortly afterward.
Discography
EP:
| 2000 | Psi.Kore | Chatterbox |
Compilation tracks:
| Year | Track Title | Album Title | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "God Gave Rock N Roll to You II" | Rock | Phantom/Chatterbox |
| 1999 | "Cut" | Under the Southern Cross | Chatterbox |
| 2000 | "Inbred Hate" | RadioRock Vol. 1 | Columbia |
| 2001 | "Strength in Conviction" | Metal for the Brain 2001 | Metal for the Brain/Chatterbox |
| 2001 | "Strength in Conviction" | Hip New Sounds | High Voltage |
| 2002 | "Strength in Conviction" | Full Metal Racket 2 | ABC/EMI |