The Acacia Strain
Punishingly slow, tuned-into-the-floor heaviness with Vincent Bennett's misanthropy on top: doom tempos, hardcore intent, heaviness as a moral position.
Tour dates
- House of Blues OrlandoTickets
- House of Blues Myrtle BeachTickets
- The Fillmore CharlotteTickets
- Roxian Theatre Presented By CitizensTickets
- Nevermore HallTickets
- Starland BallroomTickets
- Palladium-MATickets
- MtelusTickets
- History TorontoTickets
- Royal Oak Music TheatreTickets
- Agora TheatreTickets
- Riviera Theatre- ILTickets
- The Fillmore Minneapolis presented by Affinity PlusTickets
- Ogden TheatreTickets
- The UnionTickets
- Showbox SODOTickets
- Channel 24Tickets
- House of Blues AnaheimTickets
- The Van BurenTickets
- Aztec TheatreTickets
- Diamond BallroomTickets
- House of Blues HoustonTickets
- House of Blues Dallas Tickets
- The Andrew J Brady Music CenterTickets
- The CavernsTickets
About The Acacia Strain
The Acacia Strain is a deathcore band from Chicopee, MA, formed in 2001.
The Acacia Strain started in Chicopee, Massachusetts in 2001 among high school friends, with vocalist Vincent Bennett joined by guitarist Christopher Daniele, drummer Ben Abert and bassist Karrie Whitfield; guitarists Daniel Laskiewicz and Daniel Daponde came aboard shortly after. Bennett has remained the band's only constant member through numerous lineup changes since. Their debut album, ...And Life Is Very Long, came out on Devil's Head Records in 2002.
Their music combines deathcore and metallic hardcore with very low tunings and a heavy reliance on slow, grinding tempos, and later records have moved further toward sludge and doom textures. AllMusic has described their approach as a triple-guitar assault built on a bone-crushing rhythm section, comparing its unchecked aggression to Sepultura and Pantera.
Releases including Continent, Wormwood and Death Is the Only Mortal established their reputation for weight over speed, part of thirteen full-length albums released over more than two decades. The band, now based in Albany, New York, is currently signed to Rise Records. Bennett has at times pushed back against the deathcore label itself, saying he only sometimes agrees with it.
Bennett's bleak, plainly worded lyrics are a consistent feature, circling around misanthropy and nihilism. He has said the misogynistic and sexually deviant imagery in his writing functions mainly as metaphor, keeping the songs' meanings open to interpretation. Cited influences include Candiria, Integrity, Dismember, Crowbar, Meshuggah, Hatebreed, Slayer, Arch Enemy and Overcast.
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Questions about The Acacia Strain
Where is The Acacia Strain from?
The Acacia Strain is from Chicopee, MA.
Who is in The Acacia Strain?
The Acacia Strain is Vincent Bennett (lead vocals), Kevin Boutot (drums), Devin Shidaker (guitar), Griffin Landa (bass) and Tom Smith Jr. (guitar). Former members include Karrie Whitfield, Ben Abert, Christopher Daniele and Daniel Daponde.
When did The Acacia Strain form?
The Acacia Strain formed in Chicopee in 2001.
What was The Acacia Strain's first album?
The Acacia Strain's first album was …And Life Is Very Long (2002). The latest is You Are Safe From God Here (2025).
Is The Acacia Strain on tour?
Yes. The Acacia Strain has 25 shows listed, from Orlando, FL on Nov 13, 2026 to Pelham, TN on Dec 18, 2026.
What kind of music does The Acacia Strain play?
The Acacia Strain plays deathcore and metallic hardcore.
What festivals has The Acacia Strain played before?
The Acacia Strain has played Aftershock 2026, Louder Than Life 2026.