Auckland, New Zealand hardcore band Antagonist A.D. were founded in 2005 as simply Antagonist, consisting of vocalist Sam Crocker, bassist Joshua Moffitt, drummer Brendon Wishnowsky, and guitarist Sean Connelly.
The group's brutal, metallic hardcore sound featured lyrics about issues such as veganism and women's rights. The group's lineup switched before the end of 2005 (with Wishnowsky and Connelly being replaced by guitarists Kris Bosman and Ross McDougall and drummer Israel McDean), and their debut album, These Cities, Our Graves, was released on Elevenfiftyseven Records in 2006, with the same label releasing the Distance EP the following year. The group began touring Australia, and was signed by Melbourne-based Trial & Error Records, who re-released the band's debut album with two new tracks. The group added A.D. to its name in 2008, in order to avoid confusion with American metalcore band Antagonist, and the band's second album, We Are the Dead, was released in the same year. The band toured Southeast Asia in 2009; subsequently, McDougall left the band. The group toured Europe in 2010, and guitarist Matthew Livingstone joined the group during the recording of the band's first 7" EP, Old Bones Make New Blooms, which was released in early 2011. The band's third album, Nothing from No One, surfaced on Mediaskare Records in 2012, with Luke Manson now joining the band on guitar and bass player Milon Williams temporarily replacing Moffitt, who had moved to Japan. The group continued touring the world, and UNFD released Haunt Me as I Roam, the group's most cathartic, introspective album yet, in 2015. ~ Paul Simpson