New York City metalcore band
Bloodsimple were formed from the ashes of influential hardcore/thrash metal act
Vision of Disorder. After
VoD's 2001 album,
From Bliss to Devastation, received a lukewarm response from fans and critics, the group went on hiatus, and in 2002 the bandmembers announced their breakup. By this time, lead singer
Tim Williams and guitarist
Mike Kennedy had already begun working on material for a new project; originally called
Fix 8, the group started life as a side project, but with the breakup of
VoD and the arrival of guitarist Nick Rowe,
Bloodsimple took on a life of their own. After the addition of bassist
Kyle Sanders (ex-Medication and
Skrew) and drummer
Chris Hamilton (formerly with
Downset,
Crowbar, and
Deadbolt), the members of
Bloodsimple began writing songs and recording demos, and they attracted the attention of
Chad Gray of the band
Mudvayne, who signed the group to his label, Bullygoat Records (which is distributed by Warner Bros./Reprise).
Bloodsimple's first album,
A Cruel World, was released in the spring of 2005, and the band hit the road, sharing stages with the likes of
Superjoint Ritual,
American Head Charge,
Soulfly,
Six Feet Under, and
Stone Sour. In 2007 the band was part of the popular heavy metal package show The Family Value Tour, and in the fall of that year the group released its second full-length album. Entitled
Red Harvest, the album was
Bloodsimple's first recording with drummer Will Hunt, who was one of several drummers recruited by
Bloodsimple to handle percussion chores after
Chris Hamilton left the group. ~ Mark Deming