Municipal Waste is a crossover thrash band from Richmond, Virginia, formed in 2001. To date, the band has released six studio albums, three EPs and four splits. They have gone through several line-up changes, leaving vocalist Tony Foresta and guitarist Ryan Waste as the only constant members. In addition to Foresta and Waste, their current lineup includes Nick "Nikropolis" Poulos on guitar, Philip "Landphil" Hall on bass and Dave Witte on drums.
History
Municipal Waste was formed in Richmond, Virginia in 2000. Municipal Waste played their first show at a Richmond New Year's EveKeg party in 2000/2001. The band was blamed for inciting a small riot. The band took musical influences from crossover thrash bands such as D.R.I., Suicidal Tendencies, Animosity-era Corrosion of Conformity, Nuclear Assault and Attitude Adjustment. Municipal Waste toured throughout 2001 and 2002 in the US and Mexico. The band released two split albums—one 7" with Bad Acid Trip, the other being a 12" with Crucial Unit. They also had tracks on a number of compilations. In 2002 Brendan Trache left, being replaced by Brandon Ferrell, shortly before the Tango and Thrash on Amendment Records and Waste 'Em All was released on Six Weeks Records. Following the release of Waste 'Em All, both Andy Harris and Brandon Ferrell left the band, being replaced by drummer Dave Witte and bassist "LandPhil". In 2005, Municipal Waste signed to Earache Records and recorded the Hazardous Mutation album. During 2005 and 2006, Municipal Waste shot a video for "Unleash the Bastards", with a censored and non-censored version. In June 2007, Municipal Waste toured with Destruction in the United States, before heading into the studio with Hatebreed and Shadows Fall producer Zeuss, to record their next album The Art of Partying. The band followed this up with a headline tour of Europe, a tour with The Haunted and spots at Wacken Open Air in Germany and Reading and Leeds Festivals. They also went on the road with Suicidal Tendencies. A video was then recorded for the track "Headbanger Face Rip," which was filmed by Troma Entertainment. In 2007, the band received great acclaim from the music press, with a top five album of the year placing in Sweden's Close Up magazine and top twenty positions in Big Cheese and Kerrang! They also were on the front cover of Metal Maniacs magazine but also made several appearances in NME. They performed at the UK's Download Festival on June 15, 2008. They also joined At the Gates on their "Suicidal Final Tour" along with Darkest Hour, Toxic Holocaust and Repulsion. In 2010, the band was confirmed as being part of the soundtrack for Namco Bandai Games' 2010 remake of Splatterhouse. Municipal Waste released their third album Massive Aggressive in 2009, followed three years later by The Fatal Feast, and then five years later by Slime and Punishment. The band released the EP "The Last Rager" in October 2019, and are currently working on a new full-length studio album.
The band members themselves have stated that they are influenced from groups such as Suicidal Tendencies, D.R.I., Slayer, Anthrax, Exodus, Testament, Sepultura, Nuclear Assault, S.O.D., M.O.D. and the Cro-Mags. The band's songwriting approach takes form in short, crossover thrash songs. Lyrical topics have to do with alcoholism, mutants, or thrash metal. The music is also described as being, and the band has received the tag "Party thrash" from the media. The band's song titles are also comedic, or give nods to their influences such as "Thrashing's My Business and Business is Good", "The Thrashin' of the Christ", "Thrash? Don't Mind If I Do" and "Drunk as Shit".
