History Watchtower (band)

1 history

1.1 initial career (1982–1989)
1.2 split (1990–1998)
1.3 reunion jason mcmaster (1999–2010)
1.4 reunion alan tecchio, hiatus , new songs (2010–present)

history
initial career (1982–1989)

watchtower formed in may 1982 in austin, texas. quartet made recording debut in 1983 version of song meltdown , included on cottage cheese lips of death - texas hardcore compilation lp. followed debut album, energetic disassembly, issued in 1985 on band s own diy label, zombo records. earlier version of album scrapped after group s label, rainforest records, closed doors. energetic disassembly notable heavy use of time changes , considered landmark in progressive metal. album saw watchtower tour bands slayer, anthrax, helstar, celtic frost, voivod , armored saint.

in fall of 1986, guitarist , founding member, billy white, quit band in order pursue different styles of music. formed short-lived khymera juggernaut drummer bobby jarzombek , former karion bassist pete perez before joining vocalist don dokken ashes album in 1990. watchtower s future briefly in doubt, doug keyser auditioned metallica following death of bassist cliff burton. similarly, jason mcmaster approached fellow texans pantera in search of new vocalist. mcmaster exited in 1988 after getting signed major label deal side project onyxx, later renamed dangerous toys, self-titled debut album on cbs scored mtv hits teas n pleas n , scared , reached near gold status.

white s replacement ron jarzombek, formerly s.a.slayer, while fellow austinite mike soliz (ex-militia, assalant) recruited in place of mcmaster, replaced former hades vocalist alan tecchio. newly signed noise records, watchtower flew berlin, germany in summer of 1989 band recorded second album, control , resistance, @ sky trak studios. in support of album, band toured likes of coroner, loudblast, tankard, prong, fates warning , mordred.

split (1990–1998)

in spring of 1990, watchtower undertook first , european tour noise records labelmates coroner. in states, band played few east coast shows lost tecchio thereafter. search suitable replacement proved difficult although several candidates, including scott jeffries (confessor), @ least considered. adding band s woes, jarzombek developed severe hand problems required multiple surgeries, putting watchtower on ice indefinitely , proposed third album, titled mathematics.

bassist doug keyser , drummer rick colaluca joined colorful local rock/funk/rap outfit retarted elf released album trick quigger on pony canyon in japan. jarzombek returned spastic ink, akin all-instrumental version of watchtower, issued debut album, ink complete in 1997, while mcmaster continued dangerous toys before making broken teeth main band in late 1990s.

reunion jason mcmaster (1999–2010)

in 1999, original watchtower members mcmaster, keyser , colaluca reunited, along jarzombek, record cover of accept s run if can tribute accept - vol. 1 on nuclear blast records. in 2000, watchtower played prestigious bang head!!! festival in germany , later summer supported dream theater in houston , dallas. band began work on long dormant mathematics album, progress stalled once again.

in 2002, monster records issued demonstrations in chaos, archives release consisting of recordings, demos, , unreleased tracks, including complete original energetic disassembly recordings , 1987 demos ron jarzombek got band signed noise records.

watchtower returned europe once more in 2004 headline headway festival in amstelveen, holland. same year ron jarzombek released second spastic ink album, ink compatible, guest contributions watchtower band mates doug keyser , jason mcmaster contributed lead vocals on 5 songs. in fall of 2004, monster records, monster underground, re-issued energetic disassembly on cd first time ever in united states. original cd re-issue came 1993, courtesy of germany s institute of art label.

in spring of 2009, watchtower confirmed co-headliners of 13th edition of germany s keep true festival, set take place in april 2010. band re-commenced work on mathematics view toward 2010 release.

decibel magazine featured watchtower s control , resistance part of hall of fame series in january 2010 issue.

reunion alan tecchio, hiatus , new songs (2010–present)

on april 9, 2010, watchtower released preliminary mix of size of matter forthcoming album mathematics digital-only single. marked band s first new piece of music since seminal 1989 album, control , resistance, , featured core members jarzombek, keyser, , colaluca along returning alan tecchio on vocals. tecchio replaces original frontman jason mcmaster second time in band s history. in may 2010, tecchio left watchtower once again. since announcement of tecchio s departure, watchtower had not made public appearances, , 2015, had never announced new singer.

on october 21, 2015, watchtower released 3 new songs mathematics, m-theory overture , arguments against design , technology inaction , individually on itunes , cd baby. reunited tecchio sessions of these tracks.

prosthetic records released watchtower s new ep concepts of math: book 1 on october 7, 2016, features released tracks, including new track mathematica calculis .