Saint Vitus formed in L.A. in '79. As one of the only bands in town still drawing inspiration from sludgy predecessors like Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus were considered throwbacks and struggled to connect with a larger audience. Four albums and two EPs on SST helped them build an underground following. They moved to Hellhound in '89, and after two more albums and a roster reshuffle, they released their masterpiece, Die Healing. Saint Vitus disbanded in '96, but their cult reputation grew over time, and they reunited in '03 and continue to periodically record and tour.