Only Living Witness

Only Living Witness was an American metal band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1989 by members of dissolved thrash metal band Formicide. Across two studio albums, they developed a modern hardcore punk-influenced heavy metal sound.^[1] The band split up in 1995.

Only Living Witness
Origin	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres	Heavy metal, hardcore punk, alternative metal (early)
Years active	1989–1995
Labels	Look Again, Slipped Disc, Reflections, Chainsaw Safety, Century Media
Members	Jonah Jenkins Eric Stevenson Craig Silverman Roy Costa
Past members	Kevin Stevenson Chris Crowley

Career

The band was formed in 1989 in Boston, Massachusetts, by Jonah Jenkins (vocals) and Eric Stevenson (drums, ex-Formicide). Stevenson's brother Kevin (guitar) and former Formicide bandmate Roy Costa (bass) completed the lineup. In 1991, Kevin Stevenson and Costa were replaced by Craig Silverman and Chris Crowley.^[1] Kevin Stevenson and Costa went on to form The Shods.

Only Living Witness released a few demos before being signed by Century Media Records. Their debut album, Prone Mortal Form, was released in 1993.^[1] The band performed concerts in 14 countries including Sweden, England, France, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. In 1996, their follow-up CD Innocents was released, but the band had already split up.^[1]

Following the band's dissolution in 1995, Jonah Jenkins went on to perform the vocal duties in Miltown, Milligram and Raw Radar War. Guitarist Craig Silverman went on to play in bands Blood for Blood, Ramallah, Slapshot, and Agnostic Front.

Only Living Witness briefly reformed in 2008 for four reunion shows: June 14 and 21 at The Middle East in Cambridge, Massachusetts, August 22 in Clinton, Massachusetts, and the final show on August 30 in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Eric Stevenson, the band's main composer and drummer, died on August 9, 2011, at the age of 43.^[2][3]

Legacy

Only Living Witness would prove to be influential to the wave of metalcore acts that also came out of Massachusetts some years later, like 36 Crazyfists, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall and Unearth.

In 2014, Shadows Fall's cover of the Only Living Witness song "December" was used in the soundtrack of the film Let's Be Cops.

Members

• Jonah Jenkins – vocals (1989–1995)
• Eric Stevenson – drums (1989–1995)
• Kevin Stevenson – guitar (1989–1991)
• Roy Costa – bass (1989–1991)
• Craig Silverman – guitar (1991–1995)
• Chris Crowley – bass (1991–1995)

US Reunion, Clinton, MA and Netherlands show 2008

• Bob Maloney – bass guitar

Clinton, MA and Netherlands show 2008

• Benny Grotto – drums

Discography

Year	Album
1993	Prone Mortal Form Released: 1993 Label: Century Media Records Released: 2018 Label: Think Fast! Records (vinyl re-issue)
1996	Innocents Released: 1996 Label: Century Media Records
2006	Prone Mortal Form/Innocents (re-released) Released: 2006 Label: Century Media Records (CD re-issue) Released: 2008 Label: Reflections Records (vinyl re-issue)

Demos

1990

Self-titled demo (audio cassette)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Complex Man"	3:55
2.	"Dying System"	4:31
3.	"Corruption Of Power"	2:57
4.	"Bad Blood"	2:32
Total length:		13:57

1992

Prone Mortal Form demo (audio cassette)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Prone Mortal Form"	5:12
2.	"Twitching Tongues"	3:03
3.	"Window 4:45"	4:45
4.	"Nineveh"	5:29
5.	"Slug"	4:30
Total length:		22:59

Singles

1991

• Complex Man 7" limited press of 1,000 copies (Look Again Records)

Side A

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Complex Man"	3:58

Side B

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dying System"	4:35
2.	"Bad Blood"	2:34
Total length:		11:07

1995

• Freaklaw 7" limited press of 3,000 copies (Chainsaw Safety Records)

Side A

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Freaklaw"	2:48

Side B

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Some Will Never Know"	4:04
Total length:		6:52

Compilation appearances

1991

• Planned Obsolescence compilation (RRRecords)

Have contributed with the track Bad Blood

1993

• East Coast Assault compilation (Too Damn Hype Records)

Have contributed with the track Twitching Tongues

1994

• Case Closed?: An International Compilation of Husker Du Cover Songs (Snoop Records)

Have contributed with the track Too Far Down

1995

• Bloodlines: The Seeds of Rebellion compilation (Century Media Records)

Have contributed with the track Deed's Pride

• Boston Hardcore '89-'91 (Taang! Records)

Have contributed with the track Bad Blood