The Nerve Agents

All Music Guide:

Comprised of members Timmy Stardust (guitar, vocals), Dante Sigona (bass, piano), Eric Ozenne (vocals), Zac "the Butcher" Hunter (guitar), and Andy Outbreak (drums), the Bay Area hardcore quintet the Nerve Agents has been thrashing it out since 1998. Comprised of ex-members from such similarly styled outfits as Redemption 87, Model American, Rely, and Fury 66, the group signed on with the Revelation label the same year the members got together, issuing a pair of releases over the next two years -- 1998's self-titled EP and 2000's Days of the White Owl. Subsequently, the Nerve Agents made a name for themselves among hardcore devotees due to their explosive live performances, as they toured the country with the likes of AFI, TSOL, Tiger Army, Sick of It All, and U.S. Bombs, among others. July 2001 saw the release of the Nerve Agents' second full-length (and first for new label Epitaph), The Butterfly Collection.

Wikipedia:

The Nerve Agents were an American hardcore punk band formed by Andy Outbreak and Eric Ozenne (ex-Redemption 87).

Their angry brand of music juxtaposed yelled, sometimes ranting vocals with distorted and often chorus laden chords, complex bass lines and fast-paced percussion. Their darkened style is reminiscent of Black Flag & The Damned.

The Nerve Agents were noted for their frenzied, chaotic, often violent live performances. It was not unusual for a fan or band member to require medical attention. Often on such occasions Eric Ozenne would halt performances, sometimes escorting the injured fan to the hospital. Other theatrical elements, such as costumes and the trademark eyeliner, were commonplace. On rare occasions a guest performer known only as the 'White Owl', (taking its name from the theme of the first full length), would run across the stage in a white mummy-like robe.

There are many rumors surrounding the band's demise. Andy Outbreak's involvement in The Distillers became a source of scheduling tension, as was the pending birth of Eric Ozenne's daughter. The band played their last two shows on Sunday, December 30, at the Pound in San Francisco, sharing the bill with Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards.

Members of The Nerve Agents are now/or used to be in the bands Said Radio, Darker My Love, The Fall, The Frisk, Hudson Criminal, Model American, Fury 66, The Distillers, Redemption 87, Pitch Black, Unit Pride, Shadowboxer, and FIVE.

Line-up

DVD

Future Releases

Mankind Records will release a rare/unreleased songs album in the near future, as well as a DVD with live footage of the band.