After recording the 1983 'Prepare To Die' mini-album for S.A. SLAYER, guitarist Art Villareal exited to forge KARIAN, recruiting original S.A. SLAYER vocalist Chris Cronk, bassist Pete Perez, and drummer Frank Ferreira. KARIAN gigged extensively, sharing stages with WATCHTOWER, S.A. SLAYER, WYZARD and MILITIA. Demos were recorded at Sound Cube Studios in Converse, Texas with engineer Ron Thomas. However, KARIAN folded in 1986.

Cronk would briefly be associated with Colorado's JAG PANZER, Ferreira joined HELSTAR for the album 'A Distant Thunder', Villareal collaborated with late '80s RIOT rhythm section of Don Van Stavern, also of S.A. SLAYER and PITBULL DAYCARE, and Bobby Jarzombek in JACK RUBY, while Perez would replace Van Stavern in RIOT in 1990 and went on to record with both SPASTIC INK and LEATHERWOLF.

Archive KARIAN tracks were to surface during 2006 as the 'Iron Shadows' album.