By John Tuckness
I recently saw local Reno band Enslave The Creation at Rockbar Theater in downtown Reno and had forgotten how good they are in a live show. They have a good fan base, both local and from outside the Reno area. Check out the photo gallery of their recent show, and scroll down for more about the band.
About the Band
Enslave The Creation is a technical, progressive death metal band formed by Mike Stewart and Eric Marks in 2008 after the demise of their previous band Existence. They welcomed 19-year-old guitarist Cris Portugal in 2010 and began practicing six to ten hours a day for the next year.
The trio had difficulty finding drummers and vocalists that could rise to the challenge of their compositions. In early 2011, with drum machine tracks programmed by guitarist Mike Stewart, they decided to push forward and play live while still in search of a drummer and vocalist that shared their passion and dedication.
The group began playing live as often as possible in Reno, and also began to book out-of-state shows. Enslave The Creation quickly established itself as a musically talented force on the West Coast, opening for and playing with several nationally recognized bands including Obituary, All Shall Perish, Carnifex, Broken Hope, The Devastated, and many more. The band has headlined several national festivals including Fist Fest, Sickness In September, and Metal In The Mountains.
Enslave The Creation studies music theory heavily and continues to practice relentlessly, both as a group and as individuals. The band has released a DVD of their October 2011 performance at The Knitting Factory in Reno and also recorded their second HD DVD at The Knitting Factory in Reno in May 2014.
Enslave The Creation is entirely self-produced, recorded and filmed, and designs all their own original art. As of 2016 the band continues to tour and play extensively in support of their music, and is currently recording several CDs. This year they also brought in Mike Vargas on vocals. They’re still on the hunt for a full-time, permanent drummer.
Learn more about the band at EnslaveTheCreation.com.
