Agathocles is a Belgian political grindcore band. Founded in 1985, it is mainly known for producing a large quantity of split seven-inch EPs. They play a style of grindcore they have dubbed "mincecore". Their lyrical themes have focused on anti-fascism, animal liberation and anarchism. All of its members are vegetarians.
Their lineup has changed numerous times since they first started, the only consistent member being Jan Frederickx (also known as Jan AG).
Contents
Biography
1980s
Agathocles was formed in the Belgian city of Mol, aspiring to sound like bands such as Lärm and Hellhammer. Its original members, Jan and Erwin, were involved in the underground metal/punk scene since the start of the decade, releasing compilation tapes and zines. Only a few of their rehearsal tapes survive from 1984, their first year playing together, mainly as appearances on compilations.
Agathocles began playing concerts in 1985, although audiences were still small for the type of extreme music they produced. They had an on-air interview on the local radio station that year.
By 1987, the band's line-up had begun to settle, albeit temporarily, in the form of Jan, Ronny and Erwin. They also found a long-term rehearsal space—Jam, a youth club in Mol—where they would not receive complaints or be ejected, as had happened in previous rehearsal rooms. They recorded more compilation tracks, organised more small concerts, and played gigs with other bands who would become equally famous, such as Napalm Death and Pestilence (and later Extreme Noise Terror, as well as smaller bands such as Violent Mosquitos and Total Mosh Project).
The first Agathocles releases were issued in 1988, which saw the arrival of a split EP with Riek Boois, as well as their first solo outing, Cabbalic Gnosticism, both of which were originally on cassette. Other material was recorded at the same time, but not released until later. By this time the band had four members, as Jakke had joined on guitar in December 1986, allowing Jan to concentrate on vocals.
Another guitarist, Guy, joined a year later, in 1989, and the split LP with the band Drudge was recorded and released on Deaf Records, as well as several other EPs. Towards the end of the year, the line-up changed yet again, with the bassist, Ronny, leaving the band and guitarist Jakke taking over from him.
1990s
A major line-up change occurred at the beginning of the decade, in May 1990, when Jan got rid of all the other members of the band and found two new members instead - Domingo on guitar and Burt on drums, with Jan now playing bass. Domingo and Burt were both from little-known Belgian grindcore band Necrosis, who recorded only one demo, in 1990. With the new line-up, the band ceased rehearsing in Mol, moving instead to the drummer's home town of Zichem. Several more EPs were released in the same year and, with the band growing in popularity, they played gigs in Denmark as well as Belgium and went on a mini tour with the Japanese grindcore band SxOxB.
More line-up changes occurred throughout the next few years. Ex-Agathocles drummer Erwin briefly returned in 1991, now playing bass guitar. After only a few months with this line-up, Domingo left the band, leaving the band as a three-piece group during the recording of their Agarchy EP in July. However, the band soon had four members again when Domingo was replaced by Chris. It was with this line-up that they recorded Theatric Symbolisation Of Life, but towards the end of the year, Erwin left the band again and Agathocles got a new bassist called Dirk.
In the summer of 1991, Agathocles also went on another tour, this time in East Germany, with vocalist Tuur from fellow Belgian mincecore band Reign Of Terror. Tuur did vocals for this tour because guitarist Chris was unable to tour with the band, so Jan had to take over his guitarist duties.
The band's line-up changed again in May 1992 when guitarist Chris and bassist Dirk left to form their own band. Agathocles found a new guitarist to take over from Chris - Steve (from Belgian grindcore band Intestinal Disease) - and Jan played bass guitar (as well as doing vocals). Two of the band's LPs (Cliché? and Use Your Anger) were recorded with this new line-up and they also played one gig in Italy for the first time in a small town named Macomer (Sardinia).
The band remained a 3-piece group throughout 1993, with the line-up staying consistent as Jan, Burt and Steve. It was with this line-up that Agathocles went on a major European tour, visiting Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as recording several more split EPs. In 1994, the band retained the same line-up, this time touring in Spain (in July of that year), where they recorded the Mince Mongers In Barna EP in the rehearsal room of Spanish mincecore band Violent Headache. The Black Clouds Determinate CD was also recorded in this year.
2000s
In 2000, Agathocles released their sixth full-length, To Serve… to Protect, that was distributed through the Italian label Vacation House (later re-released with bonus tracks by the Brazilian labels No Fashion HC and Heavy Metal Rock).
Members
Jan Frederickx - guitar, vocals (1985-)
Nils Laureys - drums, vocals (2007-)
Koen - guitar (2012-)
Past members
Erwin Vandenbergh - drums (1985-1990) bass (1991)
Ronny - bass (1987-1989)
Jakke - guitar (1987-1990)
Guy - guitar (1989-1990)
Domingo Smets - guitar (1990)
Burt Beyens - drums (1990-2002)
Chris - guitar (1991-1992)
Dirk - bass (1991-1992)
Steve Houtmeyers - guitar (1992-1995)
Matty Dupont - guitar (1995-1998)
Dirk Cuyx - guitar (1998-2007)
Roel Tulleneers - drums (2002-2007)
Tony Schepkens - bass (2007-2008)
Bram Criekemans - bass (2008-2012)
Discography
Theatric Symbolisation of Life' 1992
Use Your Anger 1992
Black Clouds Determinate 1994
Razor Sharp Daggers 1995
The LPs: 1989-1991 1996
Thanks For Your Hostility 1996
Humarrogance 1997
Split with Axed Up Conformist 1999
To Serve... to Protect... 2000
Superiority Overdose 2001
4-Way Split with Abortion, Din-Addict and Malignant Tumour 2001
Bomb Brussels (Live Album) 2001
Alive & Mincing (Live Album) 2003
Mincemania In Bulgaria 2004
Mincer 2006
Get Off your Ass/In Noise we Noise Split with Ruido Genital 2007
Night Train To Terror split with Saul Turteltaub 2007
Split with The Vanishing Act 2008
Split with Armatura 2008
Abstract split with Cü Sujo 2008
Grind is Protest 2009
Split with Crowd Control 2009
LPs
Supposed It Was You (split with Drudge) 1989
Split with Lunatic Invasion 1991
Theatric Symbolisation Of Life 1992
Agarchy / Use Your Anger 1997
Split with Deadmocracy 1998
Until It Bleeds (Best Of) 1997
Live and Noisy (Live) 1997
Mincecore (Compilation) 1998
To Serve... To Protect 1999
Live in Leipzig, Germany 1991 (Live) 1999
Mincecore History 1985-1990 (Compilation) 2000
Keep Mincing (Compilation) 2001
Superiority Overdose 2001
Mincecore History 1989-1993 (Best of) 2001
Chop Off Their Trust (Split) 2002
Live Aalst Belgium 1989 (Split) 2002
Until It Bleeds Again (1994-1999) (Best of) 2002
Split With Sterbe Hilfe - Emoc T'now Modcnik Yht! (Split Album) 2003
To Serve... To Protect / Leads To... (Best of) 2003
EPs
If This Is Gore, What's Meat Then (split with Riek Boois) 1988
Split with Disgorge 1989
Split with V.N.A. 1989
Fascination of Mutilation 1989
If This Is Cruel What's Vivisection Then? 1989
Who Profits? Who Dies? (split with Morbid Organs Mutilation (M.O.M.)) 1989
Split with Blood - wrong band linked 1990
Split with Smegma 1991
Split with Putrid Offal 1991
Split with Psycho 1991
Agarchy 1991
Cliché? 1992
Split with Social Genocide 1993
Blind World (split with Nasum) 1993
Split with Starvation 1993
War Scars (split with Kompost) 1993
Distrust And Abuse 1993
Split with Nyctophobic 1993
Split with Bad Acid Trip 1993
No Use ...For Hatred 1993
Split with Patareni 1993
Split with Smash The Brain 1993
Split with Man Is The Bastard 1993
DTs
Cabbalic Gnosticism 1988
Live In Gierle 1989
DVDs
Superiority Overdose 2002