Skindred

Formed in Newport, Wales, in 1998 as a continuation of Dub War, Skindred developed a blend of alternative metal, reggae rock, rap metal, nu metal and punk, driven by Benji Webbe’s vocals, Mikey Demus’s guitars and Arya Goggin’s drums, with Daniel Pugsley long-standing on bass. Skindred established itself with Babylon in 2002 through a highly identifiable formula—heavy riffs, rhythms drawn from reggae and dancehall, hip‑hop‑like phrasing and a strong sense of the chorus. The band expanded that mix on Roots Rock Riot (2007), Shark Bites and Dog Fights (2009), Union Black (2011), Kill the Power (2014), Volume (2015), Big Tings (2018) and Smile (2023), while retaining a direct aesthetic in which tempo changes and Jamaican accents play a central role. Equally present on metal stages and in contexts more open to alternative rock, Skindred has toured with Korn, Disturbed, Papa Roach, Gogol Bordello and Rob Zombie, and played festivals such as Download, Reading and Leeds, Hellfest and Wacken. Skindred therefore remains associated with a hybrid songwriting approach—between metal energy, reggae pulse and rap delivery.