Unfortunately, both of these efforts featured very competent but rather unoriginal thrash that failed to advance their career, eventually leading to their breaking up for the first (but not last) time a short time later. Vocalist Glenn Hansen was brought in for Whiplash's first (but, again, not last) attempted comeback via 1990's Insult to Injury album, but it wasn't until six years later that a very different lineup (including singer Rob Gonzo, guitarist Warren Conditi, bassist James Preziosa, the ever-present Tony Portaro, and a returning Tony Scaglione) managed to record album number four, the unhappily titled Cult of One. Ironically, Whiplash's fifth record, the even more nonsensical Sit Stand Kneel Pray, arrived only a year later, albeit with further staff changes in the persons of drummer Bob Candella and the departure of vocalist Gonzo so that Portaro could resume vocal duties.

Now seemingly on a roll (of some kind, anyway), Whiplash commemorated their 15th year of activity by reuniting the classic three-Tony lineup one last time for 1998's cleverly named Thrashback. Sadly, this would appear to be their penultimate hurrah, as, following the release of 1999's odds'n'sods Messages in Blood demos/live collection, Whiplash once again faded from sight, only making headlines for the tragic news that original bassist Tony Bono had passed away on May 27, 2002, after suffering a heart attack at the age of 38.