A self-styled 'Street Metal' band from Chicago, ZOETROPE (pronounced e-trop) debuted with the self-financed 'The Right Way' single in 1980. It would be the 'Metal Log Volume I' demo of 1983 that really brought the band to the attention of the masses thanks to its popularity on the tape trading circuit. The group, numbering vocalist / drummer Barry Stern, guitarists Kevin Michael and Ken Black with Calvin 'Willis' Humphrey on bass, had a track included on Metal Blade's 'Metal Massacre Volume 4' compilation.

The band's debut album 'Amnesty' (prior to release it was to be titled 'Break Your Back') finally arrived in 1985 and included new interpretations of 'Member In A Gang' and 'Kill The Enemy' from the 'Metal Log..' demo, the group taking on a heavier, Thrashier hue by this point. Asked once why they preferred to have Barry Stern singing lead whilst performing drum duties Ken Black was quoted as saying: "We don't want no guy with a headband shakin' his ass in front of the stage!"

A second album, 1987's 'A Life Of Crime', was produced by Randy Burns and found Louie Svitek had replaced Ken Black, although the departing guitarist had hung around long enough to play on the track 'Unbridaled Energy'.

However, Barry Stern was tempted away with an offer to join fabled Doom outfit TROUBLE and Louie Svitek followed him out of the band around the same time to hook up with M.O.D. and later stints with MINDFUNK and MINISTRY. ZOETROPE did manage a 1993 album 'Mind Over Splatter' which saw Kevin Michael and Calvin Humphrey recruiting guitarist Mike Garret, ex-SGT. ROCKS drummer Drew Kristoff and vocalist Pete Montswillo. Sadly, former ZOETROPE drummer Barry Stern passed away in early 2005.