Xentrix tickets and 2024 tour dates

Biography

Formed in 1985 in Preston, Lancashire, British thrashers Xentrix (pronounced Zen-tricks) began their careers by playing metal covers before focusing all of their efforts on coming up with original material. Initially known as Sweet Vengeance, guitarist/vocalist Chris Astley, guitarist Kristian Havard, drummer Dennis Gasser and bassist Paul Mackenzie created enough of a stir through their live performances that the English branch of RoadRunner Records took notice and signed the group in January 1989.

The band's debut album, Shattered Existence, produced by John Cuniberti, was released later that year to an overwhelming press response in England, where Xentrix were hailed as heroes. A bunch of scattered live performances followed, with the band embarking on their first headlining UK tour in May 1990.

To coincide with the tour, the quartet issued a brand new three-song EP featuring a cover of Ray Parker Junior's Ghost Busters, scoring some controversy because of the Ghostbusters logo on their EP. The single was subsequently re-released using a different cover. The track was originally recorded for the BBC "Radio One Friday Rock Show" along with several others which remain unreleased. The success of this EP led to the recording of the band's second LP for RoadRunner, which was issued in late 1990 under the title For Whose Advantage?. The music video for the title track was recorded.

Immediately following the album's release, the band hit the touring trail again, this time venturing over to Europe for the first time as support to label mates Annihilator. Later, Xentrix entered "Loco Studios" in South Wales to record two brand new tracks, Pure Thought and Shadows Of Doubt, which were later released on Dilute to Taste EP along with three live numbers recorded in their hometown in 1991.

In 1992 the band decided to take a different direction with their album Kin, adopting a more progressive style with their music.. A music video was filmed for the album's opening track The Order of Chaos and received some airplay on MTV, the band would later release an EP of the same name. After a European tour supporting German band Tankard, the band returned to the United Kingdom to play what would be their final tour with Chris Astley at the helm. Astley finally left the band after recording a demo of a number of new songs, some of which ended up on Scourge, released in 1996.