Whiplash

Biography

Whiplash is an American thrash metal band formed in 1984 in Passaic, New Jersey. They are centered around guitarist and vocalist Tony Portaro, the only remaining original member. Despite lacking major success, Whiplash has been recognized as one of the first East Coast thrash metal bands of the 1980s, and are notable for featuring drummer Tony Scaglione, who had been in and out of Whiplash since its inception, and temporarily filled-in for Dave Lombardo on Slayer's Reign in Blood tour.

History

The original lineup of Tony Portaro, Tony Scaglione, and Tony Bono recorded their debut album, Power and Pain×Power and PainFebruary 1986 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Stage Dive3:092Red Bomb5:183Last Man Alive3:324Message in Blood4:045War Monger3:176Power Thrashing Death4:147Stirring the Cauldron4:188Spit on Your Grave2:499Nailed to the Cross4:04, released on Roadrunner Records in 1986. Joe Cangelosi replaced Scaglione that year when the latter left for a seven-week tour with Slayer. Cangelosi recorded Ticket to Mayhem in 1987 with Portaro and Bono. In 1989, singer Glenn Hansen joined the band for the album Insult to Injury×Insult to Injury1989 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Voice of Sanity3:372Hiroshima3:153Insult to Injury2:434Dementia Thirteen3:025Essence of Evil5:596Witness to the Terror3:597Battlescars4:288Rape of the Mind2:309Ticket to Mayhem / 4 E.S.4:0810Pistolwhipped3:17. The band split up due to business reasons, but reunited in 1995 after Portaro and Scaglione joined a revamped lineup of Billy Milano's M.O.D. for a European tour. Whiplash released two further albums, Cult of One×Cult of One28 February 1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Such Is the Will6:212No One’s Idol5:243No Fear to Tread5:1341,000 Times6:525Wheel of Misfortune5:236Heavenaut7:507Lost World5:268Cult of One8:289Enemy4:3210Apostle of Truth6:51 (1996) and Sit Stand Kneel Prey×Sit Stand Kneel Prey15 September 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Climb Out of Hell4:142Left Unsaid4:083Hitlist3:524Cyanide Grenade4:135Jane Doe4:136Knock Me Down5:267Lack of Contrition5:558Word to the Wise4:109Strangeface5:1310Catharsis1:2111Sit Stand Kneel Prey6:46 (1997), before the trio recorded a final album, Thrashback×Thrashback5 October 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Temple of Punishment3:492Stab2:433This4:134Killing on Monroe Street3:575King With the Axe5:446Strike Me Blind2:267Memory Serves4:248Resurrection Chair3:119House With No Doors4:4310Thrash ’til Death2:3611Nails in Mee Deep4:07 (1998), and the band again broke up in 1999.
Bassist Tony Bono died in 2002 after suffering a heart attack, at the age of 38.
In 2009, Portaro and Cangelosi reformed the band with bassist Rich Day, and recorded Unborn Again, released in September 2009. Whiplash played many festivals in Europe that year, including Wacken Open Air in Germany, Jalometalli festival in Finland, and shows in Italy, Norway, Mexico and Colombia.
In 2010, the band took a break due to personal legal reasons. In early December 2010, Portaro announced Scaglione's return to the band. They recruited New York bassist David DeLong. After two weeks, Scaglione announced that personal scheduling issues had become his priority. With Ben Ward of Orange Goblin and Nathan Perrier of Alabaster Suns, Labrat and Capricorns, Dan Foord (SikTh) joined the band.

Whiplash launched their Power and Pain 2011 tour with dates in Greece and Italy in April 2011. Following performances at Hellfest (France) and Clifton, New Jersey, Whiplash headlined the San Francisco festival Slaughter by the Water 2. After returning from California, they wrote new material and held another New Jersey performance before finishing their tour in Chile. In January 2012, Whiplash headlined thrash metal shows in Philadelphia and New Jersey before embarking on 70000 Tons of Metal aboard the Royal Caribbean ship Majesty of the Seas. In March and April, Whiplash performed in the Netherlands, at Keep It True in Germany, and the SWR Barroselas Metalfest in Portugal. The band headlined the Convivencia Rock festival in Pereira, Colombia in July 2012.
On October 10, 2015, Whiplash announced they were reuniting with Scaglione. This reunion did not last for long, and the band replaced him with Tom Tierney, who was later replaced by former Overkill drummer Ron Lipnicki.
In July 2018, Whiplash signed with Metal Blade Records, and an album tentatively titled Old School American Way was teased for nearly a decade. The album was scrapped in favor of Thrashquake×Thrashquake30 January 2026 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Thrashquake2Bullet Train3When the Deadman Calls4Can't Take Back a Bullet5Sword Meet Skull6Who Stole My Whiskey7Red Tape Riot8Mother's Kill Club9Sonic Asylum10Graveyard of Good and Evil, which was planned for release on March 6, 2026, but was also scrapped. On August 26, 2026, the band announced that the album, now titled Roar, would be released on November 27.

Band members

Current members

Tony Portaro – guitars, lead vocals (1984–1999, 2007–present)
Will Winton – bass, backing and lead vocals (2022–present)
Ron Lipnicki – drums (2018–present)
Former members

Rich Day – bass, backing vocals (2007–2011)
Tony Bono – bass, backing vocals (1984–1990, 1993, 1998–1999; died 2002)
Joe Cangelosi – drums (1987–1990, 2007–2010)
Pat Burns – bass (1984)
Mike Orosz – lead vocals (1984)
Glenn Hansen – lead vocals (1989–1990)
Rob Gonzo – lead vocals (1995–1997)
Rob Harding – bass (1984)
James Preziosa – bass (1995–1998)
Warren Conditi – guitars (1995–1998), lead vocals (1997–1998)
Henry Veggian – lead vocals (1993)
Dave Jengo – guitars (1993)
Bob Candella – drums (1997–1998)
Dan Foord – drums (2011–2014)
Charlie Zeleny – drums (2014–2015)
Tony Scaglione – drums (1984–1987, 1993, 1996–1997, 1998–1999, 2010–2011, 2015–2016)
Tom Tierney – drums (2016–2018)
David DeLong – bass, backing vocals (2011–2022)
Timeline

Albums

Power and Pain (1986)
Ticket to Mayhem (1987)
Insult to Injury (1989)
Cult of One (1996)
Sit Stand Kneel Prey (1997)
Thrashback (1998)
Unborn Again (2009)
Roar (2026)

Demos

Fire Away (1984)
Thunderstruk (1984)
Looking Death in the Face (1985)
Untitled 3-track demo (1985)