Knoxville, Tenn., deathcore sextet Whitechapel is named for the infamous section of London where the Jack the Ripper murders were committed. The band formed in 2006 and currently consists of vocalist Phil Bozeman; guitarists Ben Savage, Zach Householder and Alex Wade; bassist Gabe Crisp and drummer Kevin Lane.
 
Whitechapel recorded demos almost immediately after forming; debut disc The Somatic Defilement was released in June 2007. The group signed that fall to Metal Blade Records. Second album This is Exile appeared in 2008 and reached number 118 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. The band toured extensively in 2008, including its first-ever headlining tour, and appeared on the summer 2009 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival.