DRAXXIS was formed in 1985 by guitarists Dan Kuhta and Greg Gladysiewski, bassist Bill Kuhta, and drummer Chuck Wagner, with vocalist Melvin Shearer in Ford City, Pennsylvania, located on the outskirts of Steel City. As with most bands, DRAXXIS began to cut their teeth as a cover band performing songs by heavy metal heavyweights such as IRON MAIDEN, SAVATAGE, MOTLEY CRUE METALLICA and METAL CHURCH. By mid-1986, Shearer would depart the band. That fall, DRAXXIS recruited a 17-year-old fan of the band named Paul Revay to replace Shearer. In March of 1989, DRAXXIS went into Susquehanna Sound studio in Northumberland to lay down four tracks for the band's self-produced debut. The 24-track-EP was released under the band's own label Kikin Records. The release would receive a limited distribution. Still, DRAXXIS managed to build a strong following. Local college radio stations would help the band's growing buzz by giving them plenty of airplay. The EP was well-received among the local heavy metal scene. The band's reputation and fanbase were growing at home, but demo submissions to labels garnered no response. The following year both Kuhta brothers would leave the band and be replaced by guitarist David Roman and bassist Jim Tedeski. With the two new editions, DRAXXIS would write and rehearse for a period evolving into a more mature and complex ensemble while maintaining a strong infinity with the implementation of newfound synergy. In the Fall of 1992, DRAXXIS began to play several shows that began on October 23rd and culminated on May 28th 1993, with Metal Militia III Festival alongside several other Pittsburgh metal acts. Not long after Metal Malitia III DRAXXIS would begin preparations for the second EP. This time the group had a new objective, to secure a record deal. Recorded at Audiomation in Pittsburgh and once again self-produced by the band, 'Book of Life' would be released under the Kikin label. The 4-song EP presented a now more mature band. The group's popularity continued to grow, this did little to gain record label attention. Several copies of the release and promotional packs were unsolicitedly sent out to labels to no avail. As with most heavy metal bands in the early 1990s, DRAXXIS would see the signs of the shifting musical landscape changing as they begin to find it increasingly difficult to continue. The band finally parted ways in 1997. Occasionally Paul, Greg, Jim and Chuck would get together to write more songs, but this would not materialize into a proper reuniting of the band. Eventually, the band was simply no more.
