The brainchild of Calum Henderson and Greg Corlett,
Amok formed in early 2004. Angered by the metal nonsense
bred out of the early noughties, the brief for them
was simple: write and perform some of the heaviest and
most relentless songs possible! Intense writing, practice
and home-based recording provided a solid foundation
and within no time a strong line up was formed.
With the pieces in place, Amok commenced their calculated
attack on the unsuspecting Metal Scene. Planting the
seed by spreading the word through the then-flourishing
social media circuit along with an old school fly posting
campaign, the news was out and the battle lines drawn.
A hectic gigging schedule throughout their native Scotland
followed, coupled with the release of demo tracks as
Amok set out to convert the metal masses and catch the
attention of the congregation. The band quickly became
famed for their over the top and memorable live performances,
increasing their already growing popularity and making
them a staple within the Glasgow Metal Scene. Throughout
their early gigs, blood was shed, bones broken, vomit
induced and equipment smashed to pieces as the boys
continued to make their statement of intent known.
With the emergence of the Thrash Metal revival in the
UK, Amok ramped up their barrage and invaded the rest
of Britain. Stellar live performances showcasing new
material let the rest know that the rumour was true
and Amok where indeed a force to be reckoned with. Their
hard work, determination and rising profile saw them
duly rewarded with several high profile support slots
paired with positive media exposure throughout the internet
as well as a favourable mention within UK Metal Magazine
Terrorizer upon, the release of their final demo 'Operation
Thrash'.
Fast forward 4 years from their conception, to 2008,
and Amok finally released their debut album 'Downhill
Without Brakes'. This self-funded 40 minute offering
encapsulated the fine-tuned and distinctive sound Amok
had honed over the years. Unbeknown to Amok, within
this release they had written what would soon become
a cult anthem among Thrashers in the form of the track
'Thrash Island'. Its amusing, care free lyrics, catchy
riffage and chorus hook struck an instant chord with
its target audience and helped propel Amok's popularity
to new heights. The album received positive reviews
all round, both published and blogged, and saw German-based
Metal label Witches Brew sign up Amok and promptly re-release
'Downhill Without Brakes', exposing the band to a new
market. The album would prove to be hit and go on to
be a cult favourite among thrashers worldwide, with
downloads, physical purchases and streaming via YouTube
still on the increase to date.
In early 2013, Witches Brew called out Amok to release
their second album, bringing to an end their exile.
With fresh goals, enthusiasm and riffs to boot, Amok
made the radical decision to make their first ever line
up change to spearhead their new era. This saw founding
member and drummer Jamie Bremaneson make way for the
incoming powerhouse Matt Storry, an extraordinary talent
and close friend of the band. With the new look Amok
ready and fired up, work commenced immediately on recording
'Somewhere in the West'. An evolution of Amok's already
distinctively heavy, yet very accessible sound: the
album fuses together technicality, speed, aggression,
power and melody to produce a fresh outlook on modern
thrash metal. Telling stories through lyrics of poverty,
corruption, addiction, lawlessness and the general deterioration
of the civilized human world, 'Somewhere in the West'
promises to wipe out any pre-conceived notions of what
a Thrash Metal album is, whilst seeing Amok pick up
where they left off - forging new paths within the genre
and mixing things up.
On 29th November 2013, "Somewhere In The West" was released
with Amok putting 'Premium Brand Thrash' back on the
menu!