NewsDecember 19, 2023 1:25 AM ET3,133 views

Antagonist to disband following final show in February 2024

Antagonist break up 23

After 25 years, California metalcore quintet Antagonist have decided to hang it up following a farewell show. The band shared a few statements from Guitar/vocalist Carlos Garcia and drummer Orlando Garcia along with an image which is modeled after a tombstone with the dates 1998-2024. 

In the same post the dates written out in text February 17th 2024 as the ending date. The band is planning a final farewell show, which could possibly be the set for February 17th of next year. 

Through 25 years the band released five EPs and five studio full-lengths, most recently Gone Is The Light, which was released during Covid lock downs.

Orlando Garcia's statement read:

Not too long after I started my freshman year of high school, I was determined to join a real band, I quickly made some new musician friends, I met a guy who played guitar named Carlos and before I knew it, I was jamming in my parent's garage with 3 dudes that I didn't really know that well yet, those people would create the first Antagonist line up, we started writing material from day one and that whole situation changed my life for the last 25 years.

From pushing my drums in shopping carts to touring across the country in a van, 5 full length albums, numerous line up changes, countless shows and miles traveled, it's been one hell of a ride, I'm extremely lucky to have been beside some of my best of friends along the way.

25 years seems like a long time but it's gone by in a flash, time flies when you're having fun I guess. The word fun is important and that's why we started playing music as kids; to have fun. Fun has always been number one, we have never made money from the band so it's always been a priority to make sure things are fun as much as possible, we have always believed in being honest with our music, our message and most importantly to ourselves, so we want to have a good fun time with everyone one last time and close the book on Antagonist by having a fun show at the venue we grew up playing at for old time sake.

Thanks to everyone who made the last 25 years possible, Carlos for putting up with me all this time 101, all past members, anyone who filled in for show or a tour, all the friends and family who supported our crazy vision, the fans that became friends over the years, all the promoters, labels, agents, sound engineers, etc that we have worked with for taking a chance with us, anyone who let us sleep at their house and fed us on the road, thank you to everyone we've met during this crazy journey, even though we won't be active anymore the music still lives for eternity and this isn't good bye forever but more like goodbye for now.

Who knows what the future holds, for now I will continue to focus on writing and drumming with Zombie Eating Horse and you might see me back on stage with Carlos filling in for System of a Clown here and there so keep an eye out and keep supporting heavy music and your local music scene.

Carlos Garcia's statement:

Hey everyone, I know it's been a while but we've been waiting for the right time to say something. And honestly there really isn't a right time so here it goes…

After 25 years of being a band, Antagonist is officially calling it a day. I know a lot of you are thinking "l thought you guys broke up along time ago?" And I get why you would say that, we haven't been as active these past few years. But this past November 2023, Antagonist turned 25 which is more than half the time I've been alive, and that's fucking crazy. I really think that's an accomplishment and we're all really proud of that fact.

the last five years or so have been really tough on the band. We put out a full length in 2020. We released "Gone is the Light" during the worst possible time (COVID), but it was finished so we figured what the hell, maybe more people will get to hear it, because everyone will be in quarantine…

Our last tour was in the early 2010's, we just couldn't sustain being on the road any longer. We had been touring at that point for 5 to 7 years, we were in debt, we had just tragically lost a friend to the road, and we were playing to emptier and emptier rooms. It was a huge ego punch and reality check. We didn't know where we going from there but then we started writing again and we ended up putting out some EPs that we loved and our last full length that, even with a lock down in 2020, people still didn't hear.

It's really tough being in an underground, DIY heavy metal band, and we never really reached the potential we thought we could have. But when I get all in my feelings about it, the thing that makes it worth it are the friends we made along the way and the people who have been so appreciative of what we've done, and we are so grateful for that.

We've always put our heart and soul into our music, our entire beings. Not in hopes of becoming "big" (whatever that means), but I hopes that others would connect with it. So I hope you guys took something positive from us, from the music or the lyrics that still often make me cringe when I read them back. But hey, it was all honest and from the gut. We're just some regular assholes who loved making music together, for whoever was willing to listen.

Antagonist was our baby, and he's grown up, and now it's time to let him go. I'll miss it so so much. We'll have one last hurrah to sing and sweat together (announcement coming soon). But for now, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

[via ThePRP]

28 comments

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anonymous 356 days ago

The protagonist wins again.

anonymous 356 days ago

AnGOOgonist. Fuck Joe Biden.

anonymous 356 days ago

Its sad when they go young like that..

anonymous 356 days ago

I've literally been listening to gay music since 1996, never once heard of this band in the hetero nor homo circuit

anonymous 356 days ago

^^^^AnGOOgonist. Fuck Joe Biden Look at this homo wanting a lemon party with the prez lmao

anonymous 356 days ago

I had no idea they ever got together

anonymous 356 days ago

Are these Jerry's kids?

anonymous 356 days ago

Whomst'?

anonymous 356 days ago

I was there

anonymous 356 days ago

I'm harmless you're just antagonistic as fuck

rick____tocchet 356 days ago

Lol @ Jerry's kids. We used to call the neighbors kid that all the time.

anonymous 356 days ago

"Its sad when they go young like that.." When they *go*??

anonymous 356 days ago

antagony > antagonist

anonymous 356 days ago

I didn't even know they were sick.

anonymous 356 days ago

lol who?

anonymous 356 days ago

hahaha i thought this band died in 2009 literally nobody cares good riddance

anonymous 356 days ago

Orlando Garcia is the biggest bitch i've ever met in my life

anonymous 356 days ago

Covering bands no one gives a fuck about since 2022

anonymous 355 days ago

hahaha i thought this band died in 2009 literally nobody cares good riddance This band was the shit back in the day, but I guess you were too busy listening to Knights of the Abyss or some other gay stuff

anonymous 355 days ago

Nightmare Fest 2k5

anonymous 355 days ago

literally the only people who care is their 3 fans that don't have a real job

anonymous 355 days ago

Orlando needs to hang it up that guy is a mid drummer at best and ZEH sounds like some middle school kids that just discovered what dropped tuning is with horrible rip off riffs and shitty singer.

anonymous 355 days ago

System of a Clown lmao what a perfect name that describes them. Nobody cares!

anonymous 355 days ago

"From pushing my drums in shopping carts to pushing shopping carts because I finally got a job at Walmart that pays me"

anonymous 355 days ago

LB commenters mad because their girls first experience was at Skateland at Antagonist shows while you were still at home playing GameCube. You got their sloppy 200nd's, Do a barrel roll!

anonymous 354 days ago

"LB commenters mad because their girls first experience was at Skateland at Antagonist shows while you were still at home playing GameCube. You got their sloppy 200nd's, Do a barrel roll!" Bash on my gamecube all you want but I'm the one clapping your girls cheeks while you're at work now and leaving a dookie in your toilets thanks daisy and jess 💕

anonymous 331 days ago

6 people will be there

anonymous 219 days ago

I just found their record "Exist" buried under junk in my car and listened through. It's not so bad. I can't remember where it came from, but I assume they impressed me the night I bought that CD. Thanks for rocking, fellas.




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