Formed in 2006 by Phil Bozeman, Brandon Cagle, and Ben Savage, tech-heavy Knoxville, Tennessee-based death metal outfit Whitechapel (named for the London neighborhood where the notorious Jack the Ripper disposed of most of his victims) blend grindcore, hardcore, and black metal into an unholy trinity of audio violence. After rounding out the lineup with guitarist Alex Wade, bassist Gabe Crisp, and drummer Derek Martin, the band's 2006 self-produced EP led to a European record deal with the Siege of Amida label and a distribution deal with Candlelight, where the band released its full-length debut, The Somatic Defilement, in 2007. That same year, the band parted ways with Savage and Martin, who were replaced by guitarist Zach Householder and drummer Kevin Lane. After signing on with Metal Blade, the band returned with its sophomore effort, This Is Exile, in 2008, followed shortly thereafter by A New Era of Corruption in 2010. In 2011, Whitechapel parted ways with Lane, replacing the drummer with Ben Harclerode, who made his debut on the remix EP Recorrupted later that year. Whitechapel returned the following year with a self-titled album, which was followed by their fifth album, Our Endless War, in 2014. ~ James Christopher Monger