Headkase was formed in February 2001. Consisting of all 6 of it's original members, Headkase are best described as 'industrial/techno flavoured circus-metal'. They are very theatrical in their approach to live performances (evil clown face paint and scary masks, rapid movement around the stage), believing that a live performance must give the audience more than just a band standing in their street clothes, playing the songs while looking down at their feet. The audience came to SEE a spectacular live show with fun visuals! Something beyond just listening to the music, which they can do at home anytime with their CD player.

Headkase consists of Nutty Spotswood on vocals, Dylan DK Star on bass, Tristan Sykes on rhythm guitar, Raleigh Valemont on lead guitar, Toddy Hansen on drums (also of From These Wounds, Plague of Man, Western Decay and Beijing Tank fame), and Brett Hansen on keyboard (who can also be seen in Marlinchen and Silent Partners). All with different tastes in music from jazz to trip hop to trance to death metal, and everything in between, it is all evident in the music. This makes it very hard to pigeonhole the band into one particular genre. Metal is the predominant genre though, which sees the band performing mostly within the metal scene, although many hard boilled metalheads would argue that Headkase are not heavy enough to be playing in that scene. Meanwhile, people outside of the metal scene say Headkase are too heavy to be playing non-metal gigs.

Headkase play to a mostly gothic audience, as well as fans of other genre-blending bands like Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Secret Chiefs 3, Dog Fashion Disco, Carnival in Coal, Vicious Hairy Mary, Darth Vegas, etc. Headkase are often compared to those acts as well as System of a Down, Slipknot, Rammstein, Mushroomhead, Meshuggah, Killswitch Engage, Chimaira, and Lollipop Lust Kill.

The press have said some interesting things about Headkase. Time Off Magazine have said, 'The six-piece belt out a unique brand of eerie carnival-styled metal, combining the industrial effects of a keyboard with pulsating drumbeats'... and 'Headkase slam out a heavy set of metal tracks with keyboard effects, hammering drum beats, evil clown masks and a menacing stage demeanour' ... 'by the closing track, 'Murdered And Dumped In The Willow', the punters are clearly oozing adrenalin'... Rave Magazine have said, 'Their style of death metal meets Mr. Bungle got some response from the crowd, which had almost doubled by the end of their 30 minute opening set'... and 'Headkase brought their Slipknot meets Mr. Bungle nuttiness to the indoor stage' ... 'one just had to admire their tight and powerful sound, their energy and showmanship'... and finally, 'Like a dirty bomb in Disneyland, Headkase have the potential to cause panic. The good sound and physical depth of the Paddington bunker provided a safe haven for the freak-metal act, with the genre traversing track Cocaine & Caffeine a highlight'.