Bruce Fitzhugh is the second and best known lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of Arkansas's Christian metal band Living Sacrifice. The lead vocalist role was left to Bruce shortly after the departure of former lead Darren Johnson and prior to the recording of Living Sacrifice's 1997 album, Reborn. Fitzhugh is featured in Zao's The Lesser Lights of Heaven DVD. Fitzhugh's nephew is Drew Garrison, Vocalist for Descended From Wolves and Becoming Saints.
He has been involved in many other music endeavors such as producing The Showdown's debut album, A Chorus Of Obliteration. He also produced albums for Zao, Further Seems Forever, Few Left Standing, and Eso-Charis. He is also a guest vocalist on Demon Hunter's album Storm the Gates of Hell on the song "Sixteen".
In 2015, Fitzhugh stated in an interview with Mark Salomon, that Living Sacrifice is currently writing new music. Fitzhugh, along with Demon Hunter guitarist and Showdown bassist, Jeremiah Scott, wrote two songs titled "Made for War" and "Defend the Crown" for the Killing Floor 2 Soundtrack. In 2015, Fitzhugh, along with Travis Turner (ex-Aletheian, Solamors) and Alex Kenis (ex-Becoming the Archetype, Aletheian, Solamors), recorded a cover of Megadeth's "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" cover in honor of the 25th anniversary of the song.
Fitzhugh owned a label titled: "Seize the Day Records". Fitzhugh formed the company, Zambooie with Mike Lewis (Puller, For Love Not Lisa) and later Billy Power (Blenderhead) and currently works at Manhead Merch.
History
Bruce Fitzhugh began his musical career in 1989, joining Darren Johnson and Lance Garvin in the band Living Sacrifice. The three would be joined by Jason Truby on lead guitars. Fitzhugh and Johnson became friends during high school and Fitzhugh became friends with Garvin shortly thereafter. The band's first show was on December 1, 1989 in front of a hall of nurses. Living Sacrifice would record a demo, titled Not Yielding to Ungodly, with Fitzhugh performing rhythm guitars, which was released in 1990. The demo was influenced by early Slayer, drawing from thrash metal influences. The demo would get into the hands of Kurt Bachman and Joey Daub of Believer, which led to the band signing with R.E.X. Records. In 1991, the band would enter the studio to record their debut self-titled album, which would be released through R.E.X. as the band's label debut.
Around 1992, the band would switch styles with Johnson switching to a guttural vocal style and Garvin incorporating blast beats. In this new death metal style, the band entered the studio to record Nonexistent, with the band driving all the way from Little Rock, Arkansas to Nashville, Tennessee. During the recording process, Fitzhugh and the other members were upset with the engineer who was hired for the record, which led to them asking him to step aside. With this in mind, Fitzhugh and the members of Living Sacrifice began to engineer the record and mixed their record at that time. Fitzhugh also was not a fan of Johnson's change in vocal style, however, by the next release, his style adjusted. In 1994, the band released Inhabit, which was recorded in Pennsylvania with Daub and Bachman. The band had left on Christmas Day in 1993 and began recording on December 27 until early 1993. Following the release, the band came to the realization that R.E.X. was not paying them their royalties, which led to a confrontation that resulted in the band being released from their contract and owning the rights to their first three albums. In 1995, Johnson departed from the band. Not wanting to bring anyone new in as their vocalist, Fitzhugh and Truby would both try for the position. However, Truby would lose his voice, while Fitzhugh's continued to get better. With this in mind, and still requiring a bassist, the three would hire Chris Truby as their bassist, Jason's older brother.