Acid Reign

{{Short description|British thrash metal band}} {{more citations needed|date=April 2025}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Acid Reign | image = | caption = | origin = Harrogate, Yorkshire, England | genre = Thrash metal, crossover thrash | years_active = 1985–1991, 2015–present | label = Under One Flag | website = | spinoffs = Cathedral, Workshed | current_members = *Howard "H" Smith *Pete Dee *Matt Smith *Johnny Grimley *Darren Mcgillivray | past_members = *Mark Ramsey Wharton *Garry Jennings *Ian Gangwer *Kevin Papworth *Adam Lehan *Ian MacDonald *Paul Chanter *Dean "Cooky" Cook *Marc Jackson }}

'''Acid Reign''' are an English thrash metal band from Harrogate, Yorkshire.<ref name="LarkinHR">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1999|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0257-7|pages=9/10}}</ref> Originally active from 1985 to 1991,<ref name="LarkinHR"/> they rebooted in 2015 with just Howard "H" Smith remaining from the original line-up. Along with Onslaught, Sabbat and Xentrix, Acid Reign are considered to be one of the "Big Four" of British thrash metal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-10-uk-s-best-thrash-bands-according-to-acid-reign-s-h|title=The 10 UK's best thrash bands according to Acid Reign's H|publisher=loudersound.com|date=28 May 2015|access-date=11 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.coreandco.fr/chroniques/acid-reign-the-age-of-entitlement-7464.html|title=Acid Reign – The Age of Entitlement – chronique|website=Coreandco.fr|date=25 November 2019|access-date=11 August 2020}}</ref> They have released four studio albums to date: ''The Fear'' (1989), ''Obnoxious'' (1990), ''The Age of Entitlement'' (2019) and ''Daze of the Week'' (2026).

== History == === Initial career (1985–1991) === Acid Reign were formed by drummer and keyboardist Mark Ramsey Wharton, bassist Ian Gangwer (originally Peter Warriner), singer Howard "H" Smith, and future Cathedral member, guitarist Gary "Gaz" Jennings.<ref name="LarkinHM">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-656-1|pages=9/10}}</ref>

In 1987, the band released the ''Moshkinstein'' demo.<ref name="LarkinHM" /> On the strength of this recording, they were picked up by British thrash metal label Under One Flag (a subsidiary of Music for Nations) in 1988 who released the ''Moshkinstein EP''.<ref name="LarkinHM" /> Following this release, Jennings was replaced by another future Cathedral member, Adam Lehan (formerly of Lord Crucifier), and the band gained support slots opening for such acts as Flotsam and Jetsam and Death Angel. Acid Reign struck up a friendship with label mates Nuclear Assault and Exodus, and toured the UK and Europe as support to the ''Survive'' and ''Fabulous Disaster'' tours.<ref name="LarkinHM" />

The band released their debut album, ''The Fear'', in 1989.<ref name="LarkinHM" /> In support of the album, Acid Reign toured with Nuclear Assault again in 1989 across Europe with Dark Angel and Candlemass, with bassist Ian "Mac" MacDonald replacing Gangwer. Their second album, ''Obnoxious'', arrived in 1990 to generally poor reviews.<ref name="LarkinHM" />

=== Post-split (1991–2014) === Acid Reign broke up in 1991 after parting ways with Music for Nations. They played their final show at the London Marquee Club.<ref name="LarkinHM" />

In January 2014, H started the world's only comedy/heavy metal podcast called "Talking Bollocks" for the British metal website ''All About the Rock''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Howard|title=Episode 1: The best of 2013, Re-Animator reanimated, Reign revelations and Xentrix's bank robbing connections|url=http://allabouttherock.co.uk/aatr-podcast-episode-1/|work=All About the Rock|date=11 January 2014|access-date=13 March 2014}}</ref>

On 30 November 2014, Acid Reign frontman H told ''All About the Rock'': {{blockquote|I tried to put the old line up back together but Adam and Ramsey were unable to do it for differing reasons. That news came this time last year and it looked like that was that as Kev isn't able to commit to anything as he's constantly on the road, although he has an open invitation to join us when he's not, that's a given. Then, in the summer, I started toying with the idea of a new line up and it came together quite quickly. We're taking it slowly, learning the old stuff and playing with new ideas too. It's not a reformation it's a reboot. Even if it was the old line up it would be different, it's been 24 years! The main thing is that the goodwill toward Acid Reign has never been stronger, everywhere I go people are saying we should come back and eventually I actually fucking listened! We'll make an "official" announcement when we're ready and have plans but for now it is just have a merry Xmas and an Obnoxious New Year.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hogan|first=Craig|title=Acid Reign to Reform? Reboot?|url=http://allabouttherock.co.uk/acid-reign-reform/|work=All About the Rock|date=30 November 2014|access-date=3 December 2014}}</ref>}}

=== Reboot (2015–present) === On 5 May 2015, Acid Reign announced on their Facebook page that they had reformed. Frontman Howard "H" Smith, who is the only original member of Acid Reign involved in the reboot,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metallian.com/acidreign.php|title=Metallian – Acid Reign Biography|website=metallian|access-date=10 August 2023}}</ref> commented, "Finally the rebooted line up is complete, it's taken nearly two years but I can honestly say it's been worth the wait. Typically we're doing things differently to everyone else as where they reformed (and believe me we tried) we are now rebooting. Everyone in the band has Acid Reign in their DNA, some of the guys knew the band back in the day and some didn't but everyone is on the same page and we can't wait to get out there and show the world how much it has been missing us."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/u-k-thrashers-acid-reign-are-back/|title=U.K. Thrashers ACID REIGN Are Back!|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=11 August 2020|date=5 May 2015}}</ref> Two months later, Acid Reign released their first song in 25 years, "Plan of the Damned", via streaming platforms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/new-acid-reign-lineup-to-release-plan-of-the-damned-single/|title=New ACID REIGN Lineup To Release 'Plan Of The Damned' Single |website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=5 June 2019|date=13 July 2015}}</ref>

On 27 September 2019 the band released their first full-length studio album in 29 years, engineered, produced and mixed by Jayce Lewis at Northstone Studios,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/u-k-thrashers-acid-reign-announce-first-album-in-29-years-the-age-of-entitlement/|title=U.K. Thrashers ACID REIGN Announce First Album In 29 Years, 'The Age Of Entitlement'|date=4 July 2019|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=14 July 2021}}</ref> the long-awaited album titled ''The Age of Entitlement'' was released via Dissonance Productions to worldwide critical and fan acclaim.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/acid-reign-to-release-new-album-in-september/|title=ACID REIGN To Release New Album In September|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=5 June 2019|date=4 June 2019}}</ref>

In May 2021, Acid Reign confirmed on their Facebook page that original bassist Ian Gangwer had died. No cause of death was given at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=42132|title=Acid Reign – Original Bassist Passes Away|publisher=Metal Storm|access-date=26 May 2021|date=26 May 2021}}</ref> On 25 March 2022, it was announced via the band's Facebook page that they had parted company with guitarist Paul Chanter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=45561|title=Acid Reign – Part Ways With Guitarist Paul Chanter|publisher=Metal Storm|access-date=26 March 2022|date=26 March 2022}}</ref> Chanter was replaced by Matt Smith. Drummer Marc Jackson and guitarist Dean "Cooky" Cook both left Acid Reign in December 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=57191|title=Acid Reign – Writing New Material|publisher=Metal Storm|access-date=29 January 2025|date=29 January 2025}}</ref> They were replaced by Johnny Grimley (ex-Shrapnel) and Darren Mcgillivray (ex-Wrath of Man).

Acid Reign began working on new material for their fourth full-length studio album as early as 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=41993|title=Acid Reign – Working On New Material|publisher=Metal Storm|access-date=16 May 2021|date=16 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thestrayferret.co.uk/festival-date-marks-new-era-for-harrogate-thrash-metal-band/|title=Festival date marks new era for Harrogate thrash metal band|website=thestrayferret.co.uk|access-date=22 March 2022|date=22 March 2022}}</ref> In January 2026, the band revealed ''Daze of the Week'' as the title of the album and it was released on 15 May.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/acid-reign-to-release-new-album-daze-of-the-week-in-may|title=ACID REIGN To Release New Album, 'Daze Of The Week', In May|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=31 January 2026|date=31 January 2026}}</ref>

== Band members == === Current members === *Howard "H" Smith – vocals (1985–1991, 2014–present) *Pete Dee – bass (2015–present) *Matt Smith – guitar (2022–present) *Darren Mcgillivray – guitar (2025–present) *Johnny Grimley – drums (2025–present)

=== Former members === *Mark Ramsey Wharton – drums, keyboards (1985–1991) *Garry Jennings – guitar (1985–1988) *Ian Gangwer – bass (1985–1989; died 2021) *Kevin "Kev" Papworth – guitar (1987–1991) *Adam Lehan – guitar (1989–1990) *Ian "Mac" MacDonald – bass (1989–1991) *Paul Chanter – guitar (2015–2022) *Dean "Cooky" Cook – guitar (2015–2024) *Marc Jackson – drums (2014–2024)

'''Timeline''' {{#tag:timeline| ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:120 bottom:80 top:5 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1985 till:{{#time: m/d/Y }} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3 ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1986 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1985

Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitars id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards id:lines value:black legend:Studio_album id:bars value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

LineData = color:black layer:back at:02/20/1989 at:04/30/1990 at:09/27/2019

BarData = bar:H text:H bar:Gaz text:Gaz Jennings bar:Kev text:Kev bar:Adam text:Adam Lehan bar:Cooky text:Cooky bar:Paul text:Paul Chanter bar:Matt text:Matt Smith bar:Ian text:Ian Gangwer bar:Mac text:Ian MacDonald bar:Pete text:Pete Dee bar:Mark text:Mark Ramsey bar:Marc text:Marc Jackson

PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4) bar:H from:start till:01/01/1991 color:Vocals bar:H from:01/01/2015 till:end color:Vocals bar:Gaz from:start till:09/01/1988 color:Guitar bar:Kev from:01/01/1987 till:01/01/1991 color:Guitar bar:Adam from:01/01/1989 till:06/01/1990 color:Guitar bar:Ian from:start till:01/01/1989 color:Bass bar:Mac from:01/01/1989 till:01/01/1991 color:Bass bar:Mark from:start till:01/01/1991 color:Drums bar:Mark from:start till:01/01/1991 color:Keys width:3 bar:Cooky from:01/01/2015 till:12/23/2024 color:Guitar bar:Paul from:01/01/2015 till:03/25/2022 color:Guitar bar:Pete from:01/01/2015 till:end color:Bass bar:Marc from:01/01/2015 till:12/18/2024 color:Drums bar:Matt from:08/01/2022 till:end color:Guitar }}

== Discography == === Studio albums === *''The Fear'' (1989) (UK Indie No. 10)<ref>{{cite book |last=Lazell |first=Barry |title=Indie Hits 1980–1999 |year= 1997 |publisher=Cherry Red Books |isbn=0-9517206-9-4 }}</ref> *''Obnoxious'' (1990) *''The Age of Entitlement'' (2019) *''Daze of the Week'' (2026)

=== Other releases === *''The Worst of Acid Reign'' (compilation, 1991) *''The Apple Core Archives'' (box set, 2014)

=== EPs === *''Moshkinstein'' (1988) *''Humanoia'' (1989)

=== Singles === *"Hanging on the Telephone" (1989) *"Plan of the Damned" (2015) *"The Man Who Became Himself" (2017) *"The New Low" (2019) *"Blood Makes Noise" (2019)

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *{{allmusic}} *{{discogs artist}}

Category:Crossover thrash groups Category:Musical groups established in 1985 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1991 Category:British political music groups Category:English thrash metal musical groups Category:Musical groups from Harrogate Category:1985 establishments in England Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2015 Category:Rock music groups from North Yorkshire