Formation (1995–1996) Drowingman was formed in
Burlington, Vermont, and played its first show in a basement at Hungerford Terrace on New Year's Eve of 1996. A first demo recording from early 1996 is included on the
Learn to Let It Go retrospective released by
ReIgnition Recordings in 2004. Hungerford Terrace is famous for its involvement in the Underground Railroad with Harriet Tumbman in the slavery days.
Hydra Head Records era (1997–1998) By 1997, the band had begun playing throughout the Northeast. Frequently sharing bills with bands on the Boston-based
Hydra Head Records (
Converge,
Cave In,
Cable and
Piebald), Drowningman soon joined the roster and their debut 7-inch EP
Weighted and Weighed Down was released in 1997,
Hydra Head had become concerned with the revolving door policy and when the EP
How They Light Cigarettes in Prison was presented to them, the reaction was underwhelming. Revelation Records expressed enthusiasm for the record and went on to release it in early 2000, initially shipping more copies than any previous Revelation EP. Simon Brody described the emerging band on the Revelation Records website in the following fashion: A first full U.S. tour with
The Dillinger Escape Plan was embarked on to support the release. Soon after returning, production of the
Rock and Roll Killing Machine record began in Washington, D.C. at the Salad Days Studio. A great deal of technical difficulty was encountered; Simon Brody had claimed in interviews the stressed work environment caused the tempo of many of the songs to rush and that record lost some of the previous efforts melodic counterpoint. Still, it was well received, earning a 10/10 in respected extreme music magazine
Terrorizer and finding its way into many publications' top ten lists for 2001.
Reunion and ''Don't Push Us When We're Hot'' (2004–2005) Denny Donovan and Simon Brody revived Drowningman briefly, beginning with a 2005 trek with
The Dillinger Escape Plan,
Misery Signals,
Every Time I Die and
Zao. A promotional video for the track "White People Are Stupid" was directed by Joseph Patisall, which
MTV premiered on October 15, 2005 with the abbreviated title "WPAS". Before embarking on a tour to promote their new album, in October 2005 Drowningman former members rejoined the band, guitarist Frank Smecker and drummer
Dave Joyal, the later having prior involvement during the
Still Loves You EP. The band broke up permanently after recording a version of
Black Flag's "Loose Nut", for the Reignition Records re-issue of the tribute album
Black On Black. When the tour for Don't Push Us When We're Hot commenced, the band became disgruntled by the poor organization of the tour and only made it three or four shows into the tour before breaking up the band for the second time. In 2014, Drowningman reformed for three shows in the Northeast with the
Rock and Roll Killing Machine lineup. == Members ==