A genre-defying (and lineup shifting) metal outfit founded in Santa Barbara, California and based out of Austin, Texas, Motograter take their name from a homemade springed/percussion instrument that's made of heavy cable, cranks, and gears. Delivering an angsty blend of industrial, rap, and experimental nu-metal, the band was formed in 1995 by motograter (the instrument) inventor Bruce "Grater" Butler and percussionist Joey "Smur" Krzywonski. Vocalist Zak "The Waz" Ward and main drummer Chris "Crispy" Binns joined in 1998, and in 1999 the group released their debut EP, Hugh Chardon. Electronics and samples wielder Eric Gonzales joined the fold later that same year, and appeared on the band's 2000 EP, Indy. 2002 saw the band ink a deal with Elektra Records, and the following year they released their eponymous debut long-player, which featured the additions of vocalist Ivan "Ghost" Moody and guitarist Matt "Nuke" Nunes. Lineup changes plagued the band for the next few years, and in 2005 Motograter announced that they would be going on hiatus to allow more space for the members' myriad side projects. By 2009 the band was operational again -- though with no original members -- and released an EP, Pre-Release, featuring a lineup that included Michael "Angel" Woodruff (vocals), Matt "Nuke" Nunes (guitar), Tyler Hole (guitar), Mylon Guy (bass), Jeremy "Twitch" Scheller (drums), and Mark Nosler (motograter). The group continued to tour for the next couple of years, even adding a seventh member, KC Kaos, on electronics and samples, but by 2011 the band had once again called it quits. They reconvened in 2015 with new vocalist James Anthony Legion, and in 2017 they signed with Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson's EMP Label Group and released their long-awaited sophomore studio long-player, Desolation, which featured a lineup consisting of Nunes, Legion, Guy, Noah "Shark" Robertson, Dustin "Skunk" Anderson, and Jesse Stamper. ~ James Christopher Monger