Excel

About

Excel came out of the Venice, California crossover thrash scene in 1983, drawing from a mix of early punk like the Germs and Black Flag alongside heavy metal heavyweights like Black Sabbath and Slayer. That collision of sounds put them squarely in the same West Coast orbit as Suicidal Tendencies and Beowülf, and their reputation grew beyond just the music: the band became known for spray painting their own logos on city streets during tours, resulting in a constantly evolving visual identity. Their debut album Split Image landed in 1987, followed by The Joke's on You in 1989, which includes the track "Tapping into the Emotional Void" that Excel later claimed influenced Metallica's "Enter Sandman." The third album Seeking Refuge arrived in 1995 before the band dissolved. After a long hiatus, Excel reformed in 2012, with their catalog still drawing listeners into the raw, genre blurring energy that defined their run.