In the summer of 2005 Dom approached Mike and Alex separately about starting a band with him that combined their mutual love for bands like Integrity and Left For Dead. They wanted to create something that combined the metallic end of the hardcore spectrum with the pummeling ferocity of some of the Ontario bands that Dom, a Toronto native, grew up on, and everyone else had admired from afar. It was only meant to be a side-project as Dom was busy with Slumlords, Mike had the Spark, who had just released their LP, "Nobody's Laughing", Alex was planning on moving to Iowa for a tattoo apprenticeship, and every decent bass player they knew in Baltimore was too active with their other bands to commit to anything. After just a couple of practices the three songs for the demo were written and in July they recorded with Chris Camden at Ultrasound Studios (conveniently located in the same building as their practice space), with Doug Fresh (Slumlords, Stout, etc.) playing bass for the recording, and Alex having to head to Iowa before the recording was even completed. Shortly after the demo was recorded they brought Gus Bowman (Never Enough, Forced Forward, etc.) into the fold on second guitar and recruited Joe Red (Ruiner, Farewell Hope, etc.) to fill in on drums while Alex was away. [PT trivia: Matt Maben (Darkest Hour, Hell To Pay, etc.) and Nick Vance (Deep Sleep, Greasegun, InSpite, etc.) gave their shot at drums and second guitar, respectively, but could not commit at the time.] On August 13th they played their first show at an outdoor festival at the Sidebar in Baltimore, MD, again with Doug Fresh taking on bass duties. They only had the three songs from the demo written at the time so they played their set twice.

     After playing several shows with a rotating cast of bass players [generally Steve Smeal (Ruiner, Rough Sex, etc.) or Alex Dimattesa (Government Warning, Mendoza, etc.), who got to play the weekend they did with Haymaker] they finally solidified the position with the addition of Chris Kuhn (Pala, Downside Risk, etc.). Chris's first show with the band, on May 30th, 2006 at the Charm City Art Space, would also be Gus's last, as he was planning a move to Portland and the band were progressing to a more metallic sound that didn't suit his style as well as the early batch of songs. The band quickly welcomed Tony Hare (Taken By Force) into their ranks and finished writing the songs for their debut, "Vicious Skin", which was recorded at Oblivion Studios in Upper Marlboro, MD with Mike Bossier at the helm and would get released at that year's NinjaFest in London, England in October, which was part of a weekend of shows and the band's first trip overseas.

     This line up lasted for 8 months and in that time they played out as often as possible, including trips to Montreal and Quebec City, all over the mid-Atlantic and eastern mid-west, appearances at festivals such as This Is Hardcore (Philadelphia), This Is For You (Daytona Beach), and Circle Pit Fest (Baltimore), as well as the first A389 Records anniversary show/Dom's birthday featuring The Blackest Curse (Dwid on vocals, PT on the instruments, doing a full Integrity set) as the headliner. A recording from that show would later get released as the "01.13.2007" LP on A389 Records. This line up would also go back to Oblivion Studios to record a few songs for a split 7" with London, England's Frightener, whom they had met at Ninja Fest. [PT trivia: the instrumental clip at the end of Sick and Tired had Dom playing a solo over a snippet of a song by an old doo-wop band from Maryland that had hired Mike Bossier to remaster all of their old recordings.] After a snowy weekend trip to Brooklyn and Philadelphia with Blank Stare, the band decided to part ways with Tony Hare.

     The band had a show booked in 3 weeks so it wasted no time in filling Tony's spot with Danny Parker (Desperate Measures, Turn Into Ghosts), who played his first show with the band on March 11th, 2007 at the inaugural Damaged Bloody Damaged show playing Black Flag and Black Sabbath covers. That year was a busy one for the band: In April they went back to the United Kingdom for a 12-day tour with Frightener; in June they did a 10-day tour around the northeast and some of Canada with Ruiner; a trip out to California, during which they played an epic set at the 2nd Sound & Fury festival which featured a bunch of friends flying off the stage and childrens' Halloween costumes and a cover of Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast" (a recording of which Deathwish Inc. released for free download from their website); the release of their 2nd full-length, "Martyr Immortal", on A389 and Deathwish, with a full tour of the US and Canada to support the release in which they returned the favor to their friends in Frightener; a week-long tour to This Is For You fest and back with their friends in Triac, and still found time for weekend trips around the northeast.

     The following year was equally as energetic for the band. It kicked off with Pulling Teeth headlining the A389 Records 4th Anniversary bash with Gehenna, Starkweather, Deathcycle, and Steel Nation, and then playing a legendary Nirvana cover set at a local benefit show. That spring they kicked off another full US/Canadian tour with a set at United Blood fest in Richmond, VA, as well as a 10-day tour of Japan, thanks to their friends at WD Sounds. In June they recorded a video for "Heretic", off of "Vicious Skin", and that August and September saw the band on their first full European tour, highlighted by two sets at Ieperfest. They returned home to an unforgettable Celebrated Summer Records Two-Year Anniversary show, with Ruiner, Government Warning, The Ergs (their final MD appearance), Deep Sleep, Sick Fix, and Brain Dead.

     2009 would be the last year the band did any major touring. They kicked it off in usual fashion with a set at the A389 Anniversary show, along with Integrity, Oak, Pala, and Warpriest. Unfortunately that would be Danny's last show with the band as he had personal matters to deal with. Former Ruiner guitarist, Mitch Roemer, filled his shoes rather quickly, playing his first show with the band less than a week later at the Corpse Fortress in Silver Spring, MD at a show with Seasick, Killin' It, Naysayer, Backtrack, Brick, and Altered States. That March the band released "Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions", again on A389 and Deathwish, at a record release show at the Ottobar with the Cro-Mags, Wisdom In Chains, Psyced to Die, Deep Sleep, and Bad Seed, and then went on a week-long tour of the northeast with Converge, Ceremony, Rise and Fall, and Coliseum. That April the band flew out west for a 10-day trip with 108, Lewd Acts, and Skin Like Iron. That fall they celebrated the Charm City Art Space's 1000th show in October by playing Vicious Skin from start to finish and flew over to Iceland for 3 shows in November.

to be continued...