3 Inches of Blood
The band “3 Inches of Blood” is fast gaining popularity and fan support from the Alternative Metal community of North America. Formed in 2000 in the ultra conservative community of Victoria, British Columbia, 3 inches of Blood delivers the fast paced beat that gets everyone headbanging. When combined with graphic lyrics delivered via ear popping howls and primeval screeches and yells, the fan experience is one of total surrender to the group’s vision.
The two founding members are vocalist, Jamie Hooper and singer Cam Pipes. When performing together, these two men combine their vastly different vocal styles to create a unique and slightly alarming sound. Whereas Hooper delivers guttural, low-pitched sounds, Pipes delivers tortured howls from the stratosphere of his vocal range. The other members of 3 Inches of Blood involved in the fledgling band have since gone on to other ventures. Currently they have Alexei Rodriguez on drums, Nick Cates on bass, and two guitarists are Shane Clark and Justin Hagberg.
The group’s first album was Battlecry Under a Winter Sun. This album survived the demise of its label, causing 3 Inches of Blood to have to finance further issues of their increasingly popular album, from their own pockets. The fiery struggles depicted in this album’s songs struck a chord with the Metal crowd. 3 Inches of Blood soon adopted the props of ancient, epic warfare when attending “3 Inches” live shows. Swords and the Viking theme seemed appropriate, and soon became standard fan garb.
In 2004 the group’s second album was not produced without the band’s experiencing some fairly grueling recording sessions. As Hooper describes it, “We went through about 12 records worth of bullshit making that.” Aptly named, Advance and Vanquish soon won the fans over to “3 Inches” latest sound. This album was firmly rooted in the Alternative Metal genre, with echoes of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest quite clearly audible.
3 Inches of Blood feels that it’s their mission to “annihilate the heavy metal posers, and in every town we play, the streets will run red with their blood.” 3 Inches of Blood strive for honesty and real feeling in their music. Anything shallow or insincere is intolerable to them.
When Fire Up the Blades was released in 2006, it was clear that 3 Inches of Blood had reached new heights of seminal male aggression. Titles like Trial of Champions, Assassins Of the Light and Night Marauders gave fans a foretaste of the gritty struggles described in the lyrics.
Band members seem slightly surprised at the lengths to which their extreme fans will go to show their allegiance to the “3 Inches” mindset. But in a venue where the performers endorse the view that “everybody’s fucked,” they can expect more and more outlandish reactions among those who look up to them as visionaries.
3 Inches of Blood is a Canadian success story, and if they can keep up the momentum, will be entertaining fans for years to come.
3 Inches of Blood members are:
Cam Pipes - clean vocals
Jamie Hooper - screams
Justin Hagberg - guitar
Shane Clark - guitar
Nick Cates - bass guitar
Alexei Rodriguez - drums
3 Inches of Blood Discography:
Battlecry under a Wintersun (2002)
Advance and Vanquish (2004)
Fire up the Blades (2007)
