The Birthday Party were an Australian post-punk band, from 1977 to 1983. Formed in Melbourne, the band were one of the darkest and most challenging post-punk groups to emerge in the early '80s, creating bleak and noisy soundscapes that provided the perfect setting for vocalist Nick Cave's difficult, disturbing stories of religion, violence, and perversity. Their sound drew upon punk, rockabilly, free jazz and the rawest blues, but transcended concise categorization. Under the direction of Cave and guitarist Rowland S. Howard, the band tore through reams of blues and rockabilly licks, spitting out hellacious feedback and noise at an unrelenting pace.