BEATDOWN HARDCORE + HARDCORE PUNK + DEATHCORE

No strangers to the hardcore scene, rising from the ashes of The Ghost of Rick James & A 3rd Murder, the band’s sound is harsher and more brutal than ever. Their sound hits you like a brick to the gut. 

Six, maybe seven, degrees of separation from the worst-of-the-worst violent curb stomping brutality out there, the band are surprisingly optimistic, positive thinkers—your basic glass half full motherf$ckers—but make no mistake, they have zero problem getting in your face and seeing what happens. They’re an enigmatic puzzle of light and dark, of energy and chaos, of obnoxiousness and jerkiness, but that's just part of their charm.

For 1st Assault, the past is present—always. The details of their individual origin stories, pre-Assault, is the driving force behind the Chicago-based bands success. Their blunt, unfiltered, and distinct worldviews lead us through the darkness and resilience that defines their existence…and it’s heavy as hell.​
Left to Right: Winston (Lead Guitar), Rico (Drums), Krusty (Bass) & John (Rhythm Guitar)
DRUMMER
name:  Rico 'The Butcher'  Duarte
birthday:  1989
birthplace: Los Angeles, CA
drums: Pearl

bio:  Rico had a difficult childhood as the son of Mexican immigrants who struggled to make a living in the U.S.A.. Growing up in L.A., he fell in with the wrong crowd and got on law enforcements radar, eventually ending up in a short stint in juvie. His family decided it was best to move again and settled in Chicago. Long story short, he left all that behind and vowed to focus on a different path and leave the rest behind. Rico had a lot of pent of energy, so he'd often find himself tapping on various things. One of the Youth Center counselors mentioned drumming to him, which inspired him to try to get his own kit. He found solace in music and his drumming became heavily influenced by aggressive bands because he didn't want to feel trapped into a rigid way of playing. Despite the challenges he faced growing up, Rico's determination and love of music allowed him to overcome adversity. His energy and passion reflects in every performance.

role:  He's the hardest working member of the band; he's constantly coming up with ideas for better accents and highlights in the songs and he hates staying in the same tempo and style for long. He practices hours upon hours a day in his time-off, constantly honing in his skills. He comes off as constantly mad but he's the most rational member of the band.
BASSIST
name:  'Krusty'
birthday: 1988
birthplace: Chicago, IL
bass: Panther & Turbocaster

bio:  Krusty and his dad immigrated to the U.S. from Eastern Europe and faced many challenges. Him and his father grew up with little support and basically had to start with nothing. His mom left him as a child and due to bullying in school and many other issues he doesn't really talk much about, he spent much of his time alone. His dad worked hard to try to provide for him but spent long hours away.  So he would get lost in the fictional worlds and scenarios with toys and later video games & the internet. Growing up he wasn't too interested in music, but after someone in his class introduced him to some heavy bands, it clicked right away. He would spend countless hours discovering more bands and was influenced by a range of styles. He also liked learning about the behind-the-scenes production and everything involved with the music, videos and more. Although he was quiet in person, he had a lot of things he wanted to express. So he thought about making music to help him deal with his childhood. Initially wanting to play drums, he picked up the bass when he met Rico and enjoyed the energy it brought to their songs, but also later learned guitar to better guide the band's direction. Krusty started the bands A 3rd Murder, The Ghost of Rick James, and now 1st Assault.

role:  Don't be fooled by his stoic and brooding composure, he's a real softy and the leader of the band. He takes care of most of the behind the scenes work and arranges the songs. He's also the bands tech guy and also does the sound engineering, graphic design and video work for the band.
LEAD GUITARIST
name:  Winston Warren
age:  1990
birthplace:  Houston, TX
guitar: Over-G & Redgie

bio:  He had a deadbeat dad, a mom high all the time and he fucked up in school and wasn't doing shit for a while except waiting for the next fix. He stole a friends guitar and just traveled around squatting from place to place. He wanted a little more out of his life and one day he met Krusty and joined the band. He decided he didn't want to be a loser, he wanted to be good at something, he wanted to be known for something. So he just continued to practice, practice and practice some more. He was heavily influenced by his dad's record collection which had a lot of Pantera, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Ratt, Motley Crue, Dokken and similar.

role:  He is the lead riff writer for the band and comes up with all of the solos. He loves coming up with new combinations and textures to the sound.  He's usually a smart ass to people he doesn't know but the most social and charismatic.
RHYTHM GUITARIST​
name:  John Mirusea aka John Wayne
age:  1990
birthplace:  Boston, MA
guitar: Voyager & Redgie

bio:   John's grandparents were North Korean defectors who moved to Japan a long time ago.  His mother met a Japanese-American who was stationed at a military base there.  On a trip to his dad's hometown of Boston, his mom gave birth to John.  So John grew up with a whole lot of different influences and was quite traveled. Eventually though, his parents divorced and John decided to go with his dad, who moved back to the United States.  He started going to hardcore shows in the iconic Boston scene and his love of the beatdown genre got him through some hard times. 

role:  He creates the solid backing riffs that fill in Winston's more intricate work. He makes sure the band has the right mix of slams, grooves and breakdowns. He also has no problem busting some kneecaps if it comes down to it. For the most part though, he's the calmest member of the band.