NOXiOUS

By Tad Taylor
May 14, 2004

Members of four prominent Greenville bands have joined forces to form cutting-edge metal band NOXiOUS. The band debuts tonight at Ground Zero, 3059 Howard St., as part of "Megashow 8," a heavy metal benefit concert featuring local, regional and national acts in support of Ground Zero co-owner Jim Minchow in his battle with cancer.

"It makes me feel proud to play with these guys and be part of this scene," NOXiOUS vocalist Hans Wenzel said of the show.

In addition to former Jimi Ray Wonder vocalist Wenzel, NOXiOUS is former Red Eye Tribe guitarist Stuart McConnell, bassist Robert Dirr, who is also current Shaitan Mazar guitarist, and Chicken Wire Strippers drummer Mark Cudd.

Wenzel said he enjoys the deviation from the mainstream scene he has been a part of for so many years.

"This is an opportunity to stir my creative juices in a different style of music," he said. "I get to play in a different scene with different bands and clubs."

He said the band is essentially a vehicle for collective musical exploration. "We are all seasoned musicians who want to stretch our legs," he said. "We are finding out what we are capable of."

While Wenzel said he believes the group will appeal to a wide range of audiences, he said the band has an identifiable "heavy underground edge."


- Spartanburg Herald-Journal

By Lillia Callum-Penso
November 1st, 2004

On a recent day in October, eight bands descended on the Warehouse Theatre for yet another chance to be heard, this time by a few key record execs. But, this isn't American Idol and the winners don't get a record deal at the end of the day. This is merely one more day in the realm of making it as local musicians, and there's an admirable, workmanlike effort to a day in their lives. In this story, reporter Lillia Callum-Penso and photographer Matt Baldwin follow NOXiOUS, a driven, creative and wise group of local musicians looking for just one thing ... A break.

- Link Magazine

Extreme Bands
by Donna Walker
June 18th, 2004


NOXIOUS IS...
Hans Wenzel: Vocals

Stuart McConnell: Guitar

Marc Cudd: Drums

Robert Dirr: Bass

THE SOUND...

Noxious' music has been compared to a mixture of Led Zeppelin, Down and Corrosion of Conformity. Or, as Wenzel says, "a real heavy Audioslave."

THE EVOLUTION...

McConnell moved to the Upstate from Charleston and was looking to put together a metal band. He already knew Wenzel, and was able to hook up with the others through local musician Jason Hohenstein of Shaitan Mazar, of which Dirr is also a member.

THE INFLUENCES...

For Wenzel, it's Soundgarden and Led Zeppelin. For Cudd, Kiss, Metallica and Pantera. For Dirr, Led Zeppelin, Tool, Black Sabbath, and Mike Patton of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. For McConnell, Alice in Chains, Led Zeppelin, Tool, and Corrosion of Conformity.

WHY THE NAME?

The band spent a long time deliberating over a name, but chose Noxious because "we wanted something that sounded metal but wouldn't pin us down," Wenzel said. It's also, Wenzel joked, "a nickname for obnoxious."

TAKING IT EASY...

While the band members are serious about the music, they're also looking to enjoy playing it rather than chasing a possible record deal. "We're making the music we want to hear," Dirr said.

"We're stretching our legs, seeing what boundaries we can break, labels we can bust through," Cudd said.

- The Greenville News

By Tad Taylor
September 17th, 2004

Greenville's hard-grooving metal band NOXiOUS recently played for artist and repertoire representatives from Epic, Columbia and Atlantic Records at the Velvet Underground in Atlanta's Hard Rock Cafe.

While the representatives gave the band either good or excellent grades in all categories on the showcase evaluation sheet, two of the three representatives awarded the group a superior rating, the highest possible, for vocal ability. Greenville power vocalist Hans Wenzel, the group's lead singer, won Best Male Vocalist earlier this year at Fashion Rock 2004 in Florida.



- Spartanburg Herald-Journal

By Tad Taylor
January 21, 2005

While still less than a year old, Greenville groove-metal band NOXiOUS is already developing an enthusiastic and loyal following that grows with each performance.

Blending grinding guitar riffs and traditional hard-rock attitude with melodic nuance and rhythmic sophistication, their sound reflects diverse influences spanning from Marvin Gaye to Nine Inch Nails.


- Spartanburg Herald-Journal

Song: What We Have Done
Week of Jan. 31st, 2005

Awards:
Best Male Vocal (Hard Rock)
Best Guitars (Hard Rock)
Most Rocking Track (Hard Rock)

Song: Fresh Veins
Awards:
#3 Best Hard Rock Male Vocal (All-Time)
#9 Most Rocking Track(Hard Rock All-time)
Best Male Vocal Week of:
Jan 31st
Feb 14
Feb 21 (Hard Rock)

Best Guitars (Hard Rock)

Track of the Day Feb 17, 2005 (Hard Rock)
Track of the Day March 28, 2005
(Rock)


Song: Brain Candy
Week of Feb. 21st, 2005

Awards:
Best Male Vocals (Rock)
Best Guitars (Rock)
Most Rocking Track (Rock) - Garageband.com