Photo: Stefan Bollmann, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons
Our top ten Whitechapel songs list looks at the work of an American deathcore band who were formed in 2006 in Knoxville Tennessee. The founding members were vocalist Phil Bozeman, guitarist Brandon Cagle and lead guitarist Ben Savage. They named themselves after the location in London where Jack the Ripper committed his murders in the 1800’s. Not long afterwards they added Alex Wade as a guitarist, bassist Gabe Crisp and drummer Derek Martin. Now a six piece, they recorded their first demo later that year. In 2007 they signed with Candlelight records and released their debut album The Somatic Defilement during which time they also acquired a new drummer called Kevin Lane.
Their second album This Is Exile was released in 2008. Over the next couple of years they toured to support this record which included embarking on touring festivals such as Mayhem. In 2010 they released their third album titled A New Era Of Corruption which got to number forty-three on the Billboard 200 chart. Shorty afterwards Kevin Lane left and replaced by Benjamin Haclerold. They continued to tour across the world and play several festivals and in 2011 released an ep titled Recorrupted. In 2012 they released their self-titled fourth album which got to forty-seven on the Billboard 200. Our Endless War was released in 2014 which was followed by Mark of the Blade in 2016 after which Ben Haclerold left the band. Their most recent album was The Valley in 2019 and their next album Kin is scheduled for release in 2021. Alex Rudinger who had been the band’s live drummer since 2019, was officially enlisted as their new permanent drummer this year.
Whitechapel are a band who have become stalwarts of the deathcore genre over the course of their fifteen year existence. A lot of other bands who emerged from the scene at the same time as them simply did not have the talent or originality to stick around and thus have either fallen into obscurity or disappeared altogether, Whitechapel however, are one of the bands who have progressed beyond the early realms of the genre and as a result have maintained a successful career and are now a very popular modern metal band. Here is a list of their ten best songs.
# 10 – Eternal Refuge
Kicking off our top ten Whitechapel songs list is this track taken from their second album This Is Exile released in 2008. This album entered the Billboard 200 at number 118. The song is a classic staple of the 2008 deathcore era, combining the death metal sound with that of the hardcore breakdowns to make a perfect blend of the two genres.
# 9- Possession
Up next is another song from This Is Exile. It is a somewhat different track from the rest of the album, being more mid paced whereas the rest of the album is more fast in nature. It has all the classic ingredient of deathcore such as blast beats, breakdowns and a memorable line where vocalist Phil Bozeman chants “We.Are.The. Disease!”
# 8 – The Darkest Day Of Man
This next track is from the band’s third album A New Era Of Corruption released in 2010. The album reached number forty-three on the US Billboard 200 and the impressive position of number three on the Independent charts. Other positions that it reached are number five on the Hard Rock charts and twelve on the general rock charts.
# 7 – I , Dementia
Next up is a track from Whitechapel’s self-titled debut released in 2012. With this track they are tackling a generally poignant lyrical topic dealing with Dementia. 2012 was a period that was somewhat of a “clear out” point for the deathcore genre, with the lesser bands generally fading away and the superior bands like Whitechapel being fairly certain that their career’s still had a future.
# 6 – Vicer Exerciser
Going all the way to the beginning of the band’s career we have this next track taken from their debut album The Somatic Defilement released in 2006. At just under three minutes, this relatively short track packs in a lot of brutality. This album was one of the better debut albums in the deathcore genre.
# 5 – When A Demon Defiles A Witch
With our next track we come all the way up to the band’s most recent album with this track taken from their most recent album The Valley released in 2019. With this track the band have very much evolved from their deathcore roots into a style that is still heavy but has more of a sense of melody to it.
# 4 – Hate Creation
This song is another taken from the band’s self-titled album. The track has brutality written all over it from the title to the lyrics as well as the actual music itself. Two particular aspects that are applauded by fans are the vocals and the drums that make a brilliant combination that carry the song so well. That is not to discredit the guitars which are also very impressive and heavy.
# 3 – Hickory Creek
At number three is this track which another to be taken from The Valley. This album received very positive reviews and is a very different sounding Whitechapel to the deathcore band that emerged in the mid-2000’s. An acoustic version of this song was recorded that was the first Whitechapel song to have completely clean vocals.
# 2 – The Saw Is The Law
Just off the top spot is this track taken from the band’s fifth album Our Endless War released in 2014. This was the first single to be taken from the album for which a lyrical video was produced. This album remains Whitechapel’s most commercially successful album. It reached the top ten on the Billboard 200 as well number two on the top rock albums chart and number one on the Hard Rock Album charts.
# 1 – Our Endless War
At the top of our Whitechapel songs list is this cut that is also taken from Our Endless War that is the band’s most popular song according to various polls collected by a number of websites and is their most viewed video on Youtube. So as their most successful song from their most successful album it makes perfect sense to have it at the top of this list. It is not just for those reasons that’s it deserves it however, it is a great song that has all of the best ingredients of a Whitechapel song in the sense that it proves that a band can be catchy and brutal at the same time.
Top 10 Whitechapel Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
