Znowhite
Znöwhite was an American speed and thrash metal band from Chicago.
Biography
In 1981 the three brothers founded Ian (guitar), Sparks (bass) and Nicky Tafoya (drums), the band Snowhite. The name in German means' snow white (also the English name for Snow White ) and was an ironic allusion to the black skin color of the band members. They played a fast, hard version of Speed Metal. As a singer she recruited a classmate of Ian Tafoya, the white Nicole Lee.
Their first demo they recorded in just six hours. When she sent it in 1983 Brian Slagel of Metal Blade Records, he liked it so well that it could not even two-minute song Hell Bent on the Metal Massacre III took a compilation with bands like Slayer, Virgin Steele and Tyrant.
Encouraged by this, took Snowhite on their second demo album and released after a single with three songs that eventually earned them a contract with Enigma Records. They wrote her name now Znöwhite ( in the logo " ZnöWhite " ) and released their first album All Hail to Thee. The album was successful enough to give them gigs as the opening act for bands like Metallica and Raven. Znöwhite were at that time in the scene as an outstanding live band.
After their second album Kick ' em When They're Down in 1985, Nicky and Sparks Tafoya left the band and were replaced by Amp Dawg and Scott Schafer. Dissatisfied with their record company changed Znöwhite to the California Erika Records, which was easy for them because of their visibility. They brought out thence a live album called Live Suicide, which was recorded during a show in Cleveland and three new pieces contained.
Back in her hometown, they began to work on a new album. During this time, Scott Schafer Nicky Tafoya replaced on drums and Alex Olvera became the new bass player. In 1988, Act of God came out on Roadrunner Records, got rid of on the Znöwhite their heavy metal umlaut. After that, Nicole Lee decided to leave the band. Ian Tafoya was looking for a new female singer, and found one with Debbie Gunn of Sentinel Beast, while Scott Schafer again returned to the bass and John Slattery took over the drums. No sooner had Debbie Gunn joined the band, she left Znöwhite already again to go into the Swedish Women's Thrash band Ice Age. Znöwhite was dissolved.