Forced Entry (band)

The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Tony Benjamins, guitarist Brad Hull and drummer Colin Mattson under the name Critical Condition. It was a cover band that played songs from Kiss, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and AC/DC.[4] Critical Condition changed their name to Forced Entry in 1986, and the following year released two demos, All Fucked Up and Thrashing Helpless Down. The latter won them the 1987 Northwest Music Award for "Best Metal Band".[4]

The band released a third demo, Hate Fills Your Eyes, in 1988, which led to the band's first record label contract.[1] After turning down offers from major record companies, including CBS and MCA,[8] they were signed to Combat Records (a subsidiary of Relativity), and in January 1989 recorded their debut album, Uncertain Future, which was released that June. The album was well-received by music critics,[9] and Forced Entry embarked on two major tours in support of it; along with Atrophy, they opened for Coroner on their No More Color tour,[10] and were one of the supporting acts (along with Obituary) on Sacred Reich's The American Way tour.[11][12]

They began recording their second and final album, As Above, So Below, in December 1990 at Normandy Sound in Warren, Rhode Island. The album was released in June 1991. Although the album achieved neither the underground success nor the critical acclaim of Uncertain Future, it received some positive reviews,[13][14] and the videos for "Macrocosm, Microcosm" and "Never a Know, But the No" were in heavy rotation on MTV's Headbangers Ball; the latter features cameos by the members of Alice in Chains.[15] Forced Entry was soon dropped from Relativity, and as a result, the band did not tour in support of As Above, So Below.[4]

The band continued to play shows and tried, unsuccessfully, to sign with another label. In 1995 they released a four song EP, The Shore, and played a final show in Seattle in August.[4] They reunited for one performance at the Abrasive Rock Festival in 2002.[16]

Hull continued to be active in the music industry, joining local bands such as L.S. Diablo, Sac Lunch and Thug, and joined the reunited Sanctuary in 2011,[17] appearing on their third album The Year the Sun Died (2014), but left in 2015. He also formed L.S. Diablo with guitarists Riley Hull and Aaron Goff and drummer Paul Marshall in 2009, playing bass on their self-produced six-song album.[18] Benjamins and Mattson jammed in local band called DUMT, but are currently both retired from the music industry.[4][1] In 1993 Hull and Benjamins appeared in an episode of "The Lame List", a recurring segment of the local Seattle television comedy Almost Live!.[19][20]

Century Media reissued Uncertain Future in 1999 with The Shore as bonus tracks.[21] Lost and Found Records reissued As Above, So Below in 2009.[22]

On November 27, 2020, Metal Storm reported that Forced Entry is planning to reunite for some shows in 2021.[5] Coinciding with the reunion, the band's music became available for the first time on all streaming outlets.

• Forced Entry discography at Discogs
• Forced Entry at Encyclopaedia Metallum
• Forced Entry at Metal Storm
• Forced Entry on Myspace