Everything started back in ´97 when Flo and Peter had the idea to form a band. Both were playing guitar and looking for fellow musicians sharing their interest in Metal. The search was a pain in the ass as they were not able to find suiting people… Somewhat about two years later Peter met Andi, the vocalist of the Viennese Death Metal band DECEPTION. At that time DECEPTION had some serious "musical differences" (so to say…) and split up soon after. Peter made Andi listen to a tape (you know, a gun directed at your face is a bloody good argument…*grins*) on which he and Flo had recorded some songs on a fucked up (really…) ghetto-blaster in their rehearsal-room. Andi quite like what he had heared so he joined the yet nameless band. As a three-piece they continued their quest to gather more poor souls to unleash graceless noise on mankind. After a short time the line-up was completed. Matthias, also ex-DECEPTION, was recruited as drummer and Eugen - a guy they knew from several gigs - as bass-player.

Now that the band was ready to rumble there was still a name to find. A few "brain"-stormings later IN MOURNING was chosen. But as nobody was really satisfied with this name it was soon after changed into PUNISHMENT. PUNISHMENT started to rehearse and write songs, and a few months later - in September ´99 - they had their first gig. It was - no doubt - a good one. The band played gig after gig, including a support-slot for the Japanese RITUAL CARNAGE. In April 2000 had to leave the band due to personal differences. Much to the bands own surprise it took them only a short time to find a replacement for Eugen. It was Gunnar, a "veteran" of the Viennese Metal-scene. PUNISHMENT recorded a three-track demo-CDR in September 2000. Gunnar left the band somewhat later. Since this day the band remained without bass-player. PUNISHMENT then played a lot of gigs in Austria, Jablonica (Slovakia), at the BRUTAL ASSAULT open air in Blansko (Czech Republic) and supported bands like KRABATHOR, INHUMATE, SIX FEET UNDER and SATYRICON. After the legendary HELL ON EARTH open air (Wr. Neustadt, Austria) in summer 2001 Matthias left the band.

At the same time Lugi - our current drummer - had left CRUSADE, a Death/Core-band from Vienna, and joined PUNISHMENT. To keep the line-up changes going Otto, guitar-player of our mates PARENTAL ADVISORY, replaced Flo who was stressed due to his final exams and his call-up for the Armed Forces. With this brand-new line-up PUNISHMENT played the first gig in January 2002, as support for HYPNOS. In February 2002 PUNISHMENT had the honour to play in Strasbourg/France at the SOUL GRINDING FESTIVAL #2, together with amazing bands such as GOREROTTED (UK), REQUIEM (Swi) and a bunch of France´s best in Death Metal! A gig in Graz (Austria) in summer 2002 was then recorded and released as "Live Payback". Another line-up change occurred in spring 2003 (surprise surprise?) when Flo left the band forever due to personal differences. Eh, yes… So Otto became a regular member of the band. PUNISHMENT entered the ELEPHANT WEST Studios on March 2003 to record their part pf the split-CD with the French Death Metal monsters 7TH NEMESIS. The CD,entitled "Chronicles Of A Sickness", is going to be released in summer 2003 on SKULL FUCKED PRODUCTIONS, also from France, and promoted on a tour later this year.