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Biography
lowercase|title=downset.Infobox musical artist | name = downset.| image = Downset.JPG| caption = downset., 1994| image_size =| background = group_or_band| alias = Social Justice| origin = Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles , California , United States|U.S. | instrument =| genre = Rapcore Hardcore punk Rap rock Rap metal | years_active = 1989–2009| label = Mercury Records Epitaph Records Hawino Records | associated_acts =| website =| current_members = Rey Oropeza Brian Schwager|Ares Schwager Chris Lee (musician)|Chris Lee Rico Villasenor | past_members = Don Ward Rogelio Lozano Andrew Klein James Morris Chris Hamilton| notable_instruments = downset. (originally called Social Justice ) was a rapcore group hailing from Los Angeles, California .
Band history
The band's original moniker was Social Justice. They released their debut album, Unity Is Strength , in 1989 and the Extended play|EP I Refuse To Lose under this name with a different lineup in 1992. They are known for being one of the first hardcore punk|hardcore bands to incorporate hip hop music|hip hop and funk influences into their music.
In 1992, Social Justice (1987–92) changed their name to downset., and released the Our Suffocation demo in 1993. The album, which explored various social issues such as the death of lead singer Rey Oropeza 's father at the hands of the Los Angeles Police Department|LAPD , was praised by critics.
Later in 1994, downset. signed a deal with Mercury Records , a subsidiary of Polygram Records , and released their self-titled effort in the same year. In 1994 downset began gaining popularity in Europe after touring there with Biohazard (band)|Biohazard and Dog Eat Dog (band)|Dog Eat Dog followed by a tour with Pantera and The Almighty later that year. In early 1995 downset. returned to Europe with Sullen for a massive headlining tour. In 1995 they also appeared at some major rock festivals throughout the continent including Roskilde and Dynamo. In 1996, the band released their most commercially successful album, Do We Speak A Dead Language? , through Mercury.
After making their departure from Mercury Records, downset. were scooped up by Epitaph Records and released their third album, Check Your People , in 2000. That same year, rumours circulated that Oropeza was to assume Rage Against the Machine 's Zack de la Rocha vocalist position after Zack left. Other replacement contenders were Chris Cornell , Chuck D , and B-Real of Cypress Hill . Cornell was ultimately chosen, and Rage Against the Machine transformed into Audioslave .
After many line-up changes (most notably, the loss of longtime downset. guitar player, Rogelio Lozano, and the addition of original drummer, Chris Lee), in 2004 downset. released their last album, Universal , on independent record label Hawino Records .
Though downset. never experienced any mainstream success, they are still regarded as a noteworthy influence within the nu metal and rap metal subgenres. In addition to headlining the second stage at Ozzfest in 1997, they toured with Linkin Park , Slayer , Metallica and Anthrax (band)|Anthrax , among many other prominent metal names.
downset. officially split in May 2009, claiming the band had "officially run its course". http://www.downset.net/|Downset split news
Band members
Chris Hamilton - Drums
Andrew Klein - Guitar
Chris Lee (musician)|Chris Lee - Drums
Rogelio Lozano - Guitar
http://www.supervillainrocks.com James Morris - Bass
01 - Anger 02 - Ritual 03 - Take 'Em Out 04 - Prostitutionalized 05 - Downset 06 - My American Prayer 07 - Holding Hands 08 - About to Blast 09 - Breed the Killer 10 - Dying of Thirst
Do We Speak A Dead Language? (1996)
01 - Intro 02 - Empower 03 - Eyes Shut Tight 04 - Keep On Breathing 05 - Hurl A Stone 06 - Fire 07 - Touch 08 - Against The Spirits 09 - Sickness 10 - Pocket Full Of Fatcaps 11 - Sangre De Mis Manos 12 - Horrifying 13 - Sickness (Reprise) 14 - Permanent Days Unmoving 15 - Ashes In Hand
Check Your People (2000)
01 - Fallen Off 02 - Coming Back 03 - Together 04 - Play Big 05 - Check You People 06 - No Home (Steady!) 07 - Which Way 08 - Chemical Strangle 09 - Tear Us Apart 10 - 2000 11 - En el Aire 12 - Test of My Heart 13 - Pure Trauma
Universal (Downset. album)|Universal (2004)
01 - All Crews 02 - Forever 03 - Stay In The Game 04 - Black Glock 05 - Jumping Off 06 - The Rush 07 - Hectic 08 - Make This Happen 09 - What they Want 10 - Smiles & Cries 11 - Universal
EPs
" Rarities (2000) 01 - Heart Of A Rebel (Feat. DJ Muggs & Ray Oropeza) 02 - Body Cry (Live Short Version) 03 - Prostitutionalized (Live In Houston Texas) 04 - Global Domination (Feat. Rey Oropeza) 05 - Iron Man (Alternate Version) 06 - Touch (Unreleased Version) 07 - Supertouch & Shitfit (Bad Brains Cover)
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p44870 downset. biography at Allmusic
http://www.allmusic.com/album/check-your-people-r500744 Check Your People review at Allmusic
http://www.allmusic.com/album/universal-r684509/review Universal review at Allmusic
Category:Musical groups established in 1989 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2009 Category:Rap rock groups Category:Rapcore groups Category:Hardcore punk groups from California Category:Epitaph Records artists Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles, California Category:Chicano rock musicians
