Unfiltered Bay Area thrash metal meeting extreme shock rock. Raw, high-velocity aggression for those who find standard metal too polite.
Skitzo sounds like the absolute edge of the 1980s underground, where thrash metal hadn't yet been polished for the radio. It is a sonic assault of jagged guitar riffs, frantic drumming, and vocals that sound like they are being pushed through a throat full of gravel. The production is unapologetically raw, capturing the energy of a band that cares more about the impact of the moment than the perfection of the recording.
What truly distinguishes the band is their commitment to the 'gross-out' factor of shock rock, led by founder Lance Ozanix. While the music is foundational thrash, the identity is inseparable from their legendary, stomach-churning stage antics and their bizarre crossover into mainstream tabloid culture. This is music that exists in the space between a backyard riot and a sideshow attraction.
Start with 'Heavy Shit' or 'Babblesick' to get a sense of their high-energy, low-fidelity approach. It is the perfect entry point for anyone who misses the days when metal felt genuinely dangerous, unpredictable, and a little bit disgusting.
Skitzo is a thrash metal band from Santa Rosa, California, United States. The band was formed in 1980 in Healdsburg, California, when Lance Ozanix and several other people joined and called their band Venom. The name was later changed to Skitzo in 1981, after discovering that there is already a band with the same name. The band's lead singer and songwriter, Lance Ozanix, vomits at the end of the band's performances so that the band can remain "recognizable". Ozanix can regurgitate his food and propel it 30 feet. Ozanix appeared in an episode of Judge Judy when a woman, Sadie Luke, sued him for vomiting on her dress while Skitzo was performing at a club. Judge Judy believed that the vomiting was assault, because she was unaware that it was part of the act. Ozanix lost the case and had to pay $500 for damages as ruled by Judy. Skitzo was on the Jerry Springer Show between 1999 and 2004 making various guest appearances, regurgitating green vomit on Springer's stage, and causing "riots" in the audience. Lance Ozanix has been a guest of Howard Stern and appeared on Ripley's Believe it or Not selling his vomit paintings for $5000 each. In 1996 Ozanix was winner #3 of the NBC TV show Strange Universe. Skitzo performed at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, California on October 8, 2011, for the band's 30th anniversary, and in 2016 the band celebrated their 35th anniversary.
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