The Acacia Strain

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "The Acacia Strain" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The Acacia Strain
The Acacia Strain in 2014
Background information
Origin	Chicopee, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres	Metalcore deathcore
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Rise Closed Casket Activities Prosthetic Devil's Head
Members	Vincent Bennett Devin Shidaker Griffin Landa Mike Mulholland Matt Guglielmo
Past members	Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz Christopher Daniele Daniel "Outhouse" Daponde Karrie Whitfield Jeanne Sagan Seth Coleman Ben Abert Kevin Boutot Jack Strong Richard Gomez Tom Smith

The Acacia Strain is an American deathcore band that was founded in 2001 and originally based in Chicopee, Massachusetts, but now based in Albany, New York. The group is currently signed to Rise Records^[1] and initially consisted of high school friends Vincent Bennett, Christopher Daniele, and Ben Abert, Karrie Whitfield, Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz, and Daniel Daponde joining shortly after. They recorded and released their debut album ...And Life Is Very Long in 2002 via Devil's Head records. Since then, the band has released eleven more full-length albums.

The Acacia Strain's music has been primarily described as deathcore^[2][3] and metalcore,^[4] and has been noted to include heavy influences from sludge,^[5] doom metal^[5][6][7] and death metal^[8] along with some punk rock-style aesthetic and sensibilities.^[9]

AllMusic characterizes the band's musical style as "utiliz[ing] a bone-crushing rhythm section, apocalyptic samples, and a unique triple-guitar assault to deliver their signature blend of hardcore punk, noise, death metal and doom metal."^[5] The site's review of Wormwood elaborates on the band's sound as "an inelegant and unstoppable juggernaut fueled by memories of the unchecked aggression unleashed on the world by the likes of Sepultura and Pantera."^[10]

Vocalist Vincent Bennett and drummer Kevin Boutot have both denied that The Acacia Strain is of the "deathcore genre", going as far as expressing dislike for the label,^[11][12] though Bennett was later more ambivalent towards it, stating "sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't."^[13]

The Acacia Strain's influences include Candiria, Integrity, Dismember, Rush, Iron Maiden, Crowbar, Meshuggah, Hatebreed, Slayer, Arch Enemy, and Overcast.^[14][12][15]

Written by lead vocalist Vincent Bennett, the band's lyrics generally center around misanthropy^[16] and nihilism.^[17] Bennett employs misogynistic and sexually deviant imagery in his lyrics, but usually only as metaphors to help get his points across while keeping the songs' overall meanings open for interpretation.^[16][17][18]

Current Vincent Bennett – lead vocals (2001–present) Devin Shidaker – lead guitar, backing vocals (2013–present) Griffin Landa – bass (2015–present) Mike Mulholland – rhythm guitar (2022–present) Matt Guglielmo – drums (2023–present)

Former Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz – lead guitar, programming (2001–2013); rhythm guitar (2007–2013) Daniel Daponde – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2001–2006) Christopher Daniele – third guitar (2001–2005) Ben Abert – drums (2001–2004) Karrie Whitfield – bass (2001–2003) Jeanne Sagan – bass (2003) Seth Coleman – bass (2004–2006) Kevin Boutot – drums (2005–2023) Jack Strong – bass (2006–2015) Richard Gomez – rhythm guitar (2013–2016) Tom Smith – rhythm guitar (2016–2022)

Touring musicians Mark Castillo – drums (2004) John Preston – bass (2003) David Sroka – rhythm guitar (2009) Mike Casavant – rhythm guitar (2009–2010) Tim Cavallari – lead guitar (2010–2012) Tony Diaz – rhythm guitar (2010–2012) Matt Guglielmo – drums (2018) Terrance Pettitt – drums (2023)

• The Most Known Unknown (2010)

• When Angels Shed Their Wings Volume 3 with Loyal to the Grave (2003)
• Money for Nothing (2013)
• The Depression Sessions with Thy Art Is Murder and Fit for an Autopsy (2016)

• "Jonestown" (2010)
• "Servant in the Place of Truth" (2012)
• "Above" / "Below" (2013)
• "Bitter Pill" (2017)
• "Big Sleep" (2017)
• "D" (2020)
• "E" (2020)
• "C" (2020)
• "A" (2020)
• "Y" (2020)
• "Untended Graves" (2022)
• "Fresh Bones" (2023)
• "Chain" (feat. Jacob Lilly) (2022)

• Demo 2001 (2001)
• Demo 2002 (2002)

• The Most Known Unknown (2010)

• "Smoke Ya Later" (2004)
• "3750" (2005)
• "Angry Mob Justice" (2006)
• "Skynet" (2009)
• "The Hills Have Eyes" (2010)
• "The Impaler" (2011)
• "Cauterizer" (2014)
• "Send Help" (2015)
• "One Thousand Painful Stings" (2020)

• Official website