Debris Inc.

Debris Inc. formed in Chicago, Illinois in 2001, born from the wreckage of two legendary underground metal acts. Debris Inc. was formed in 2001 by Dave Chandler sometime after the demise of Saint Vitus alongside Ron Holzner of Trouble, recording a handful of songs immediately upon formation, with Chandler agreeing to form the group on the stipulation that the band played punk rock. The project grew out of a fertile period when Trouble went into remission in the late nineties, prompting various members to create outlets like Lid, Wet Animal, Supershine, and eventually Debris Inc. From the start, the band leaned into a scrappy, raw sound that blended Chandler's doom pedigree with a genuine love of old-school punk, performing covers of punk bands like X and Fear alongside covers of Saint Vitus tunes. The band's lineup became one of its most notable features, cycling through a rotating cast of drummers before settling into a configuration that turned heads across the doom and sludge scenes. The drummer's chair saw a bevy of contributors before the pair settled on NOLA standout Jimmy Bower. With Bower behind the kit, Debris Inc. became known as the new band from Dave Chandler of Saint Vitus and Ron Holzner of Trouble and Novembers Doom, with Jimmy Bower of Superjoint Ritual, EyeHateGod, Down, and Crowbar handling drums. The band's momentum built through festival appearances and steady touring, and after building a following through relentless underground gigging, they signed to Rise Above Records on December 21, 2004, following sporadic touring of the United States, notably a 2004 US tour with Orange Goblin and Dixie Witch. Their self-titled debut, Debris Inc., was released on April 4, 2005 via Rise Above in the UK and Candlelight Records in the USA , and surprised listeners who expected a doom record. It turned out to be primarily old-school California-style punk, more Black Flag than Saint Vitus, more Circle Jerks than Eyehategod, more Germs than Orange Goblin. Despite being a one-album act, Debris Inc. carved out a distinct identity through constant touring and a fiercely loyal cult fanbase. A tour of the U.S. in 2005 was intended but due to rising gas prices at the time the tour was ultimately postponed, though the band did tour the U.S. and Europe in 2006 , hitting festivals and doom strongholds across both continents. As the years wore on, live dates became less frequent, and the band's dates became more sporadic before Dave Chandler eventually announced in 2008 that the band would be put to rest. In November 2008, Dave Chandler revealed to UK's Terrorizer magazine that the band had been put to rest. Following the split, both core members returned to defining chapters of their careers. Chandler would eventually reform Saint Vitus, while Ron Holzner would form Earthen Grave before joining former Trouble bandmate Eric Wagner in The Skull in 2011. Though Debris Inc. never became a household name, it remains a fascinating footnote in doom metal history, a genuine passion project where two genre pioneers indulged their punk roots, backed for a stretch by one of sludge metal's most respected drummers. For fans of Saint Vitus and Trouble, the band's brief run and singular record still stand as a curious, beloved detour worth remembering.