Formed in Fort Smith, AR, in the year 2000, the Handshake Murders explore the limits of death metal complexity within the economical template of hardcore, coming up with a challenging sonic amalgam that's been compared to bands like Coalesce, Meshuggah, and A Life Once Lost. Comprised of single-named musicians Jayson (vocals), John (guitar), Brian (guitar), Jeff (bass), and Dan (percussion), the group has toured across the U.S. with bands such as Darkest Hour, Norma Jean, and Still Remains, and issued one full-length album (2006's Usurper, via Goodfellow Records) and three EPs (including 2005's incredibly verbose Essays on the Progression of Man: What Time and Earth Would Not Bury). ~ Eduardo Rivadavia