An influential New Orleans sludge metal outfit, Eyehategod emerged in the early 1990s with an ugly and uncompromising blend of doomy, bluesy punk, and misanthropic metal that quickly pushed them to the fore of the fertile NOLA metal scene. Since debuting in 1990 with In the Name of Suffering, the band have amassed a loyal following with potent and disorienting efforts like Take as Needed for Pain (1993), Confederacy of Ruined Lives (2000), and A History of Nomadic Behavior (2021).

Formed in New Orleans in 1988, Eyehategod quickly ascended to the top tier of a Southern sludgecore scene that included bands like Crowbar and Down, all of whom were heavily influenced by Black Sabbath, Black Flag, and the Melvins. The brainchild of guitarist Jimmy Bower and drummer Joe LaCaze, the group eventually grew into a quintet with the arrival of vocalist Michael Williams, lead guitarist Brian Patton, and bassist Steve Dale. EHG issued their debut album, the raw and unrelenting In the Name of Suffering, in 1992 via the French label Intellectual Convulsion. After the label dissolved, the band were approached by Century Media, which re-released In the Name of Suffering in 1992, followed by the more refined, though no less incendiary sophomore effort, 1993's Take as Needed for Pain, which was recorded with new bassist Mark Schultz. After touring in support of the LP, the group went on an unofficial hiatus, with Bower joining Crowbar (as a drummer) and also playing in the Southern metal supergroup Down, Patton teaming up with Soilent Green, and Williams working as a writer for Metal Maniacs magazine.

In 1996, Eyehategod reconvened (with Vince LeBlanc on bass) for the chaotic Dopesick; however, the band fell largely silent for some time afterward. Bower returned to Crowbar for their 1998 album, Odd Fellows Rest, but left soon after to return to Eyehategod, who recorded several 7" singles on small independent labels. These were eventually collected on 2000's Southern Discomfort, along with several live tracks and outtakes from the Dopesick sessions. Southern Discomfort also served to prime the pump for the full-length Confederacy of Ruined Lives, which was released later that year, with Daniel Nick filling the revolving-door bass slot.

EHG spent the next decade working on various side projects and sporadically performing live and issuing split records and 7"s -- the band's 2001 concert LP 10 Years of Abuse (and Still Broke) was released to complete a contractual obligation with Century Media. During this time, Williams was arrested on narcotics charges and subsequently managed to kick a long-term heroin habit. Longtime drummer Joey LaCaze passed away in 2013 and made his last studio appearance on the band's eponymous 2014 comeback LP, which became their most successful outing to date, appearing on multiple Billboard charts and garnering significant critical acclaim.

Aaron Hill became Eyehategod's new drummer, and the group spent the next two years performing in support of the album. Williams, suffering from health issues that would eventually result in a 2016 liver transplant, took a leave of absence and was replaced (temporarily) by guest vocalists Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down) and Randy Blythe (Lamb of God). Williams returned to the fold in 2018 to begin work on the band's sixth full-length effort. The resulting History of Nomadic Behavior was released in 2021. ~ James Christopher Monger & Steve Huey, Rovi