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Luleå, North Sweden. 1993. A punk band splits into two bands; one the pop-tinged, post-hardcore FIRESIDE, the other a renegade heavy outfit by the name of BREACH. Lulea was the perfect place for BREACH to begin developing their unique, multi-faceted sound. The members focused all their energy and time into writing and rehearsing. In a short time the band laid a strong foundation for their future growth in a sound that merged influences from US hardcore and other heavy artists from HELMET to ENTOMBED. 1995. During the spring the band recorded their debut full-length Friction at Stockholm's Sunlight Studios with producer/engineer Fred Estby. The combination of their existing low-end sound and Sunlight's immense production turned Friction into one of Sweden's heaviest exports. Upon its August release, Friction was met with acclaim usually afforded to more established artists, and the band lived up to the billing by turning in a classic performance at Sweden's Hultsfred Festival. 1996. BREACH entered Tontenik Studios in Umea with FIRESIDE's Pelle Gunnerfeldt to record a new mini-CD. That mini-CD, titled Old Songs vs. New Beats, marked the band's first major step towards shedding their influences and moving into a class by themselves. Immediately after... Read More ... recording, BREACH toured Europe for the first time in support of REFUSED. The tour was a monumental success and the band capped it of by performing at most of Scandinavia's major festivals. The momentum generated by both tours allowed the band the opportunity to tour Europe for the first time as headliners in November. 1997. Almost immediately following their first headlining tour, the band went back into the studio with Gunnerfelt to record its next full-length, It's Me God. Released in April, It's Me God was yet another snapshot of the band's growth, and it set off their most intense cycle of touring to date. BREACH trekked across Europe and Scandinavia through April and May, played several summer festivals and completed a massive European jaunt with NEUROSIS and ENTOMBED in October. Shortly thereafter, It's Me God was issued in North America. 1998. In the first half of the year BREACH went through their most trying phase as several members left the band. They forged on with one guitarist and a rotating cast of fill-in drummers. Despite this, they managed to pull the line-up together to play at June's Flying High Festival in Germany with Ignite and Suicidal Tendencies. Upon their return home, Niklas and Per joined (as the full-time second guitarist and drummer respectively) and the band hunkered down for intense writing and rehearsals for their third album. 1999: Recorded by BREACH and mixed at Tontenik in the winter, Venom is clearly their finest moment to date and a culmination of their work. Their renegade pastiche of fiery hardcore resolve, metallic precision and intrepid indie ingenuity had never been so seamless and pure and, as a result, Venom was met with an incredible response when issued in March by Burning Heart. BREACH celebrated the release of Venom with a sold out show at Kafe 44 in Stockholm at which they debuted their unique, two-drummer live show. A summer of festival touring commenced and led into their third European headlining tour in fall '99.
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