Band Line Up 2025
Formed in 1997 in the South-West of England. FOURWAYKILL had one mission. Go in, take out the bad guys, get the fuck clear.
Chris Neighbour (vocals). Ed Duttfield (guitar), Andy ´Podge´ Lowe (Bass) and Rob Hicks (Drums) recorded the first 4WK demo at Whitehouse Studios in Weston-Super-Mare. Featuring the blistering 'Tribe' and live favourite, 'Human Killing Kind', the demo sold well and their no-compromise approach to heavy groove thrash and brutal live shows led to the band soon gaining the attention of press, promoters and fans.
The West of England was never going to contain Fourwaykill for long. The boys set their sights on greater things. A new millennium beckoned and with it, a new line-up: Chris was joined by Jay Walsh (Guitar) Andy T (bass) and Marc Palin (Drums). The ´Kill or Cure´ EP was recorded and, along with a crushing live assault, the band firmly established themselves at the forefront of a thriving underground UK metal scene.
It wasn't until 2002 when the band settled on what is now considered the classic lineup of Chris, Jay, Podge and Rob that momentum started to build. Prestigious live shows with Anthrax, Diamond Head, and a tour with ex-Maiden frontman Blaze Bayley came thick and fast, and it wasn't long before 4WK came to the attention of Bloodstock Co-founder Vince Brotheridge. Vince was able to secure the band for a slot at the Bloodstock Festival in Derby and the long association between Fourwaykill and one of the UK's leading metal festivals was born.
In 2003 the band recorded the infamous opus '24 Hours to Die' - a brutal assault on all the senses. The accompanying video gained heavy rotation on Scuzz and MTV and raised the band´s profile still further.
The band were soon on the road again as part of Bloodstock´s New Blood of British Metal tour with Biomechanical and lnfobia, culminating in a crushing appearance at The Bloodstock Festival. On the strength of this, the band were invited straight back for the 2004 festival as headliners of the second stage.
In 2005, the band continued their association with Bloodstock when they opened the main stage at the inaugural Open Air festival. Later that year they tore apart main stages at the Custom Rock ´n´ Blues Weekender and Damnation Festivals, and shared stages up and down the country with Swedish legends Entombed, Stuck Mojo, American Head Charge and Soil amongst others.
Taking a break from live shows, the band headed to Philia studios in High Wycombe where they recorded a full album´s worth of material, including live favourite ´Pull the Trigger´ and title track ´Aggressor ´. With label and media interest growing, the band seemed to be going from strength to strength.
Sadly, fate is a cruel-tempered mistress. Following a period of instability and the cutting short of a UK tour, in 2007 the tracks fell off and the Fourwaykill machine ground to a premature halt. The band went on an indefinite hiatus.
But some things are just not meant to die. Following an impromptu jam session at guitarist Jay's birthday bash in April 2024, Jay, Chris and Rob agreed that the band had unfinished business.
The band decided to begin raising its presence on social media and getting recordings together for a new release - ´24 More Hours to Die´ album, fully remastered and released for the first time on streaming sites worldwide.
The previously unreleased track ´Speedball´ from the Philia studio sessions has also been given the 'Very Metal Art' treatment, with a fully animated promo video set for release Dec 2024.
A reunion show was called for—one final bash. Go big or go home… but where? Phone calls were made, emails exchanged, and the band were given the green light to return to the hallowed ground of the Bloodstock Open Air Festival to help celebrate its 20th Anniversary at Catton Hall on Thursday 7th Aug 2025.
Before then, plans are afoot to release more of the Philia recordings and to enter the studio with the long-standing lineup of Chris, Jay and Rob - alongside old friend and metal stalwart Rod Boston (Bull-riff Stampede, Ravens Creed) on bass - to record an as-yet undecided single.
So, as the world turns to shit and we witness the collapse of civilisation from the safety of our sanitised lives, some things are a welcome return to familiar chaos. It is a reminder of when good, wholesome, violent fun cost nothing and gave everything.
Fourwaykill 2024
...you have 24 more hours to die.
4WK are Rob Hicks, Jay Walsh (Xentrix/Bull-Riff Stampede), Chris Neighbour (Trapped in Purgatory), Rod Boston (Bull-Riff Stampede/Raven´s Creed).
