THE OBSESSED - The Church Within Tour 2026

The American band The Obsessed is a pioneering force in doom metal, led by the legendary Scott “Wino” Weinrich. Get ready for powerful, raw riffs and gritty vocals that have inspired countless bands in the genre. The Obsessed’s intense sound is as timeless as it is heavy—don’t miss the chance to experience this powerhouse of doom metal live in Dortmund! The show is presented by Sound of Liberation.

Scott “Wino” Weinrich is a living legend. In a way, he’s the American version of Lemmy and shares many similarities with the late, beloved metal icon. He’s always been a rebel, a loner, and an outsider in a scene of outsiders, pursuing his music without regard for popularity or acceptance. In doing so, he became one of the early pioneers of American doom metal. It all began when he founded THE OBSESSED in the 1970s and continued with his many other bands, such as Saint Vitus and Spirit Caravan. As a key figure in the Washington/Maryland music scene of the 1980s, his music earned the respect of metal, punk, and crossover fans alike, while it was often labeled as doom metal. Looking back, it was simply raw, street-smart American metal with a cynical edge and psychedelic flair—and that’s exactly what made him the unique and timeless icon of heavy music that he is today.

THE OBSESSED were founded in the late 1970s in Potomac, Maryland, by legendary guitarist Scott “Wino” Weinrich (Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan). The band emerged from a scene that included musicians and artists such as Black Sabbath, Frank Zappa, The Dictators, and The Stooges. The original lineup consisted of Wino, bassist Mark Laue, guitarist John Reese, and drummer Dave Flood. In 1983, Wino took over on vocals, and the band became a trio to record the EP “Sodden Jackal.” The band broke up in the late 1980s after Wino moved to California to join Saint Vitus.

In September 2011, THE OBSESSED returned to the stage at the Roadburn Festival with the legendary lineup from “The Church Within”—consisting of Wino, Greg Rogers, and Guy Pinhas. In the years that followed, the band played several more reunion shows, including Hellfest Open Air 2012 and Maryland Deathfest XI in May 2013 with bassist Reid Raley. In March 2016, Wino announced the band’s full-fledged return as well as the official signing of a contract with Relapse Records to record the follow-up to “The Church Within.” The new lineup originally consisted of Spirit Caravan bassist Dave Sherman and Wino’s longtime friend and former roadie Brian Costantino (drums). On October 31, 2016, Wino announced another lineup change, including Bruce Falkinburg (bass) and Seraphim (guitar), bringing the band back to a four-piece lineup for the first time in over 35 years.

In 2017, THE OBSESSED released “Sacred,” their first studio album in over twenty years, once again making heavy metal history. After several years on tour, the lineup solidified with Brian Costantino on drums, Chris Angleberger on bass, Jason Taylor on guitar, and Scott “Wino” Weinrich as frontman. The legendary quartet is now ready to usher in this new decade of doom with their long-awaited fifth album, “Gilded Sorrow”: With the expansion to a four-piece lineup featuring Jason Taylor on guitar, the music is more aggressive, more direct, and downright more vicious than ever before. Wino comments: “Bringing Jason Taylor on board as a second guitarist was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, because he’s a virtuoso guitarist, and I have to say he’s contributed a whole lot to this album.” Regarding the new album, he adds: “I think it’s the heaviest thing I’ve ever done. Heavy in the sense that it’s not just sludge-heavy, but heavy all around. And it sounds fantastic. Everything I do with Frank Marchand just keeps getting better. He knows damn well what he’s doing.”