death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
band based out of Seattle, Washington. The band formed in 2006 and released their debut album '' Throes of Absolution'' on April 24, 2012, on
Century Media Records
Century Media Records is a heavy metal record label with offices in the United States, Germany and London. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million.
Background
Century Media was founded by Robert Kampf and Oli ...
in North America and
Basick Records
Basick Records is a British record label founded in 2005 by Nathan "Barley" Phillips and his half brother Jake Smith. Their business has since expanded into the Invictus Music & Media group, which includes Basick Records itself, the hardcore pu ...
in Europe. On January 10, 2014, after being silent for nearly two years, vocalist JJ Polachek announced the band is working on three potential releases for 2014 and 2015. It was described as a large conceptual work.
History
Formation and ''7 Horns 7 Eyes''
In 2006, friends, Kyle Wood, Brandon and Aaron Smith, Chris Weiford, and Steven Bye started a band, that they named 7 Horns 7 Eyes, which comes from Revelation 5:6 in the
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
. They recorded their self-titled debut EP in 2006 and released it in 2007. After ''7 Horns 7 Eyes'' was released, Weiford and Bye left the band and were replaced by friend Sean Alf, and Ryan Wood, Kyle's brother.
"Huntour", ''Convalescence EP'', and ''Throes of Absolution''
In 2009, the band was selected for
Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter is an American Christian metal band from Seattle, Washington, started in 2000 by brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark. Although the brothers created the band together, only Ryan remains, since Don left the band to take care of his ...
's first annual "Huntour" along with the resurrected
Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice is an American Christian metal band formed in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1989. The band has released eight studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johns ...
,
The Famine
The Famine was an American death metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 2007. They were signed to Solid State Records.
History
Formation and three-song EP
The band initially formed with three of the original members of Embodyment ...
Advent
Advent is a Christian season of preparation for the Nativity of Christ at Christmas. It is the beginning of the liturgical year in Western Christianity.
The name was adopted from Latin "coming; arrival", translating Greek ''parousia''.
In ...
. After the "Huntour" the band began to record their first album and released the first single of the album, "The Vindicator". After recording the whole album, Kyle Wood left to get married. Aaron Smith then contacted his friend JJ "Shiv" Polachek of
Monotheist
Monotheism is the belief that there is only one deity, an all-supreme being that is universally referred to as God. Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxfor ...
, to be the new vocalist and re-record vocals. In 2011, the band released ''Convalescence EP'' and in 2012, their debut album, '' Throes of Absolution'' was released. After the release, Sean Alf left the band, and was replaced by Zack Uidl.
New album
The band announced that instead of the original plan of releasing three concept albums, they would make it one album, to be released in late 2017 or early 2018, recording the "traditional followup" to their debut album, ''Throes of Absolution'', except that the lyrical focus will be on philosophy and their emotions and that they were no longer a Christian band.
Members
Current
* JJ Polachek IV – vocals (Nekroi Theoi, ex-Ovid's Withering, ex-Monotheist, ex-Lorelei) (2010–present)
* Aaron Smith – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2006–present)
* Brandon Smith – bass guitar (2006–present)
* Sean Alf – lead guitar (2008–2012, 2014–present)
Former
* Kyle Wood – vocals (2006–2010)
* Ryan Wood – drums (2008–2012)
* Steven Bye – drums (2006–2008)
* Zack Uidl – lead guitar (2012–2014)
* Chris Weiford – guitar (2006–2008)
Session
* Nick Pierce – drums (2014–2018)
*
Alex Rüdinger
Alex Rüdinger (born November 18, 1991) is an American drummer. He started playing drums at the age of 13, and since then he has played for numerous metal bands including Conquering Dystopia, the Faceless and Threat Signal. He has also done a ...
Albums
*'' Throes of Absolution'' (2012) (Century Media)
EPs
*''7 Horns 7 Eyes'' (2007) (Basick Records)
*''Convalescence'' (2011) (Basick Records)
Other projects
* JJ "Shiv" Polachek is in bands, Ovid's Withering, Nekroi Theoi and
Monotheist
Monotheism is the belief that there is only one deity, an all-supreme being that is universally referred to as God. Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxfor ...
. He is featured in "Waifu" by Enpedestalment.
* Zack Uidl is featured in the song "Ignorance" by A Boundless Moment.
* Ryan Wood is currently playing in
Project 86
Project 86 is an American metal band from Orange County, California, formed in 1996. The band has released ten albums, which have collectively sold nearly 500,000 units worldwide, two EPs, two DVDs, and one live album.
In 1998, BEC Recordings ...
.
* Nick Pierce is the current drummer of
Unearth
Unearth is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released seven studio albums.
History Early career (1998–2002)
Unearth was formed by Trevor Phipps, Buz McGrath, Ken Susi, Mike Rudberg, an ...
.
* Aaron Smith produced the
Jeff Loomis
Jeff Loomis (born September 14, 1971) is an American musician, best known for his role as lead guitarist in the progressive metal band Nevermore during its existence from 1991 to 2011, as well as brief tenures in its precursor, Sanctuary (band) ...
solo album, ''
Plains of Oblivion
''Plains of Oblivion'' is the second studio album by former Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis, released on April 6, 2012 through Century Media Records; a limited Digipak edition was also released, containing two bonus tracks.Binary Code's album ''Memento Mori'', and
Jared Dines
Jared Dines (born October 6, 1989) is an American YouTuber and musician who is known for metalcore-themed and adjacent videos, covers, parodies, and his own original music.
Career
Dines worked as a recording engineer before pursuing YouTube fu ...