Obnox

Primarily the solo project of Cleveland punk scene veteran Lamont Thomas, the music produced by Obnox is a brash, hallucinatory collision of garage rock, noise, soul, and hip-hop. Since 2011, Obnox has released well over a dozen full-lengths and EPs, often with punning titles such as Masonic Reducer (2012) or Boogalou Reed (2015). His dense, perpetually in-the-red recordings are filled with searing guitars and walloping drums, and his lyrics can be swaggering and sexual as well as political and protest-minded. Studio productions such as 2014's Louder Space and 2018's Bang Messiah sacrifice none of the intensity of Obnox's shows or four-track home recordings.

Lamont Thomas was born and raised in Sandusky, Ohio. During his formative years, he got into hard rock, punk, and early rap. After stints in Atlanta and Philadelphia, he moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he started working at Used Kids Records. He became a fixture of the city's punk scene, forming the duo <a href="spotify:artist:5NhqzLUYeZfo75kxpKgB83">Bassholes</a> with <a href="spotify:artist:3q7VQ8Qo0jP8axnG8cNfur">Don Howland</a>, and later playing drums in bands like Flipping Hades and <a href="spotify:artist:7hyscwD1eXxldq49zBrPiM">This Moment in Black History</a>. He launched his Obnox project with I'm Bleeding Now, a 2011 full-length on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Smog+Veil+Records%22">Smog Veil Records</a> which was reissued by Austin's <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%2212XU%22">12XU</a> the next year. <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%2212XU%22">12XU</a> also released 2012's Masonic Reducer 7", while other EPs appeared that year on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Permanent+Records%22">Permanent Records</a> (Rojo) and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Negative+Guest+List%22">Negative Guest List</a> (Purple Reign). A slew of additional EPs arrived in 2013, including A Ragin' in the Sun (<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Anyway+Records%22">Anyway Records</a>) and Canabible Ohio (<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Black+Gladiator%22">Black Gladiator</a>/<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Slovenly+Records%22">Slovenly Records</a>), while <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%2212XU%22">12XU</a> issued the double LP Corrupt Free Enterprise. Louder Space, Obnox's first studio recording and one of his most hip-hop-influenced releases, followed on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%2212XU%22">12XU</a> in 2014. The label also released the Used Kids 7", and 12" EP The Juke That Sat by the Door was issued by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Chunklet+Industries%22">Chunklet Industries</a> the same year.

Three Obnox LPs appeared in 2015: Boogalou Reed on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%2212XU%22">12XU</a>, followed by Know America (a concept album about taking over a radio station) and Wiglet, both on Never/Ever. The blown-out, loop-heavy funk LP Niggative Approach appeared on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%2212XU%22">12XU</a> in 2017, with Murder Radio released by Never/Ever the same year. The avant-jazz-influenced Templo Del Sonido LP was issued by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Monofonus+Press%22">Monofonus Press</a> in 2018. Later in the year, Obnox returned to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Smog+Veil%22">Smog Veil</a> with the <a href="spotify:artist:52ZFTGbQ9miWMX8JYBvtOO">Steve Albini</a>-recorded Bang Messiah. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi