OCTOBER 31 is a band that makes their goals reality! Forming in 1995 by King Fowley and Brian Williams, the band went through a demo period with "Voyage to Infinity" (a tape that Brian and King wrote over a few days time!) and eventually picked up a 'steady' full line-up with Jim Hunter on bass!
The band recorded the "The Fire Awaits You" debut LP as a three-piece for R.I.P Records. The outcome got major support the world over by other 'cult' metalheads who heard and saw the conviction in the band's music and attitude from the start.
Kevin Lewis was added on as a second guitar player for the recording of "Visions of the End", a mini-cd that quickly followed up the "The Fire..." for the sake of keeping the fire burning and introducing the band as a four-piece. The 'buzz' in the underground grew even more rapidly and the band just kept on attacking with their sound and songs. "Meet Thy Maker", the second full-length record of the band surfaced in late 1999 on R.I.P Records. It was quickly licensed by Metal Blade Europe for a two cd set, which included the "Visions of the End" mini-cd as well!
The band signed a full fledged deal with Metal Blade and headed to Germany to play the much-touted Wacken Music Festival. The show was greatly received and the band had made a small dent in their task for world domination. Soon after this event, Kevin Lewis decided to 'step down' from the ranks and the band again was one guitar minded for a bit.
The band knew they needed a replacement and called on Scott Waldrop of Twisted Tower Dire to help out. This also saw the introduction of Tony Taylor (also of Twisted Tower Dire) to the band on vocals. The vocal thing had always been an 'issue' from the start. King Fowley early on was playing drums and singing on the recordings, but he and the band wanted to get a full-time 'singer' into the ranks to free King up on drums.
After a few attempts at this, including a few friends 'filling' in for sporadic gigs, it was decided that King needed to 'front' the band, as he had on many occasions already, including the Wacken Festival.
David 'Scarface' Castillo had played drums when King hadn't and his involvement with the band was becoming better and better. Sadly with Tony in the ranks, there was no 'room' for Dave as King was back on drums.
Well, here it is 2002 now and OCTOBER 31 has again changed roster. Gone are the vocals of Tony Taylor and the guitar playing of Scott Waldrop (who both recorded and played on a two song 7-inch single 'Salem's Curse/'Electric Eye' with the band) and King is now back (permanently) on vocals, while Dave 'Scarface' has returned to the kit. Also in the ranks now is good friend and fellow metalhead Jason Tedder, a long time buddy of guitarist Brian Williams.
As far as record labels go, the band dismissed their Metal Blade contract and have decided to stay independent and plan to release their long overdue third full-length record 'No Survivors' on King's Battlezone Records later this year/early next!
The reason for so many 'delays' says King is "the ever changing line-ups presented a lot of 'wonder' in what the band was doing and who would be doing it in the near future." The band seems set that this is the line-up for the current attack and the music will do the talking for them as well.
So keep an eye out on these fucking lunatics and mark your calender down for everyday is OCTOBER 31!!!
Source: http://truemetal.org/october31/
