Mace

N

ot to be confused with the progressive metal band Mace from Massachusetts, this Mace debuted as a trio on the Metal Massacre V compilation, with the track Marching Saprophytes but the track was incorrectly credited on the sleeve; it was, in fact, titled Marching Sacrifice, as seen on a the compilation Northwest Metalfest from in 1984.

At that time, the band consisted of Vence De Rose (vocals/drums), Dave Hillis (guitars) and Kirk Verhey (bass). Verhey would take over the lead vocal position in time for the 1985 debut, Process of Elimination (1985) which by this time featured the line-up of Vern White (bass), Dave Hillis (guitars), Kirk Verhey (vocals) and Shane White (R.I.P. 2014; drums). The line-up remained for the follow-up, The Evil in Good (1987) but soon after Shane White departed before the second album release, leaving Mace to draft David Kopler to take drums before the band split in 1989.

Hillis moved on, however, to play an important role in the rise of the Seattle grunge movement by acting as producer for such bands as Alice In Chains, Blind Melon, and Pearl Jam. Hillis would also co-found Snowball with Femme Fatale vocalist Lorraine Lewis.

During their brief reformation in 2012 which included Verhey and Dave Hillis along with Joseph Irving (bass), Tom Pulley (drums) and Jeromy Leonard (guitars) amongst its membership, they recorded a song titled Haarp Strings which was made available for streaming, and played a couple of live shows before splitting again.

Shane White would die in 2014.