Embodyment was a
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music that features lyrics focusing on matters of Christian faith, often with an emphasis on Jesus, typically performed by self-proclaimed Christian individuals. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Ch ...
band from
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region. ...
. The group formed in 1992 and were first known by the name Supplication where they originally played
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 ...
, later turning to
deathcore
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...
with the release of their debut album ''
Embrace the Eternal
''Embrace the Eternal'' is the debut album by the Christian metal band, Embodyment. Coming three years after their primarily death metal demos, the album blends their original death metal style with metalcore sounds. The lyrics speak to their Ch ...
'', which in turn is credited as one of the earliest deathcore releases of all time. Following their debut full-length the band would completely abandon all their extreme metal elements thereafter, pursuing instead an
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
style with their album ''
The Narrow Scope of Things
''The Narrow Scope of Things'' is the second album by the Christian rock band Embodyment. It is the first album not to feature original vocalist Kris McCaddon or rhythm guitarist James Lanigan. It is also the first to completely abandon the ban ...
'' and subsequently became lighter with each proceeding album.
The band frequently performed shows with touring acts such as
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 Johnso ...
,
Zao,
Training for Utopia
Training for Utopia, also stylized as TFU, was an American metalcore band active from 1996 to October 2000.
History
The band first signed with Tooth & Nail Records and was later moved to Solid State Records, the Tooth & Nail imprint that pro ...
,
P.O.D.
P.O.D., an initialism for Payable on Death, is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992 and based in San Diego, California. The band's line-up consists of drummer and rhythm guitarist Wuv Bernardo, vocalist Sonny Sandoval, bassist Traa ...
and
No Innocent Victim
No Innocent Victim, or N.I.V., is a Christian hardcore punk band on Facedown Records. The band was formed in 1992 in San Diego, California.DaRonco, MikeNo Innocent Victim Biography, AllMusic. Retrieved June 28, 2015 They released two albums, an ...
.
History
Embodyment started out as a
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 known as Supplication, with the lineup of Andrew Godwin on lead guitars, Jason Lindquist on vocals, Kevin Donnini on bass, and Jason Donnini on drums.
However, quickly thereafter, Jason Domini quit the band and ran away from home. Lindquist knew Mark Garza from school and asked him to play drums. Garza joined the band with the stipulation that his friend Taylor Smith joined the band on rhythm guitars and vocals.
After recording their debut demo, ''Persistent Sin'', the band changed their name to Embodyment. Smith would leave the band with
Kris McCaddon
Kris McCaddon was the second guitarist for the metalcore band, Society's Finest and lead guitarist for Demon Hunter. He was also the vocalist for the bands Embodyment and The Famine.
History
McCaddon's career started in 1994 when he joined th ...
joining on as vocalist.
The band had the opportunity to play with bands such as
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 Johnso ...
,
P.O.D.
P.O.D., an initialism for Payable on Death, is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992 and based in San Diego, California. The band's line-up consists of drummer and rhythm guitarist Wuv Bernardo, vocalist Sonny Sandoval, bassist Traa ...
,
No Innocent Victim
No Innocent Victim, or N.I.V., is a Christian hardcore punk band on Facedown Records. The band was formed in 1992 in San Diego, California.DaRonco, MikeNo Innocent Victim Biography, AllMusic. Retrieved June 28, 2015 They released two albums, an ...
,
Zao, and
Focal Point
Focal point may refer to:
* Focus (optics)
* Focus (geometry)
* Conjugate points, also called focal points
* Focal point (game theory)
* Unicom Focal Point, a portfolio management software tool
* Focal point review, a human resources process for ...
by this time. The band had recorded and released their second demo known as ''Corrosion of the Flesh''.
A self-titled demo would be released soon there after. Jason Stinson of
Overcome showed Brandon Ebel of
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a Christian rock record label founded by Brandon Ebel in California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington where it is situated today. It is home to many well-known musical acts, including Underoat ...
the band's demo, which led to their signing.
They signed to
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian metalcore record label, an imprint of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore punk and heavy metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, ...
in 1997 for their debut album, ''
Embrace the Eternal
''Embrace the Eternal'' is the debut album by the Christian metal band, Embodyment. Coming three years after their primarily death metal demos, the album blends their original death metal style with metalcore sounds. The lyrics speak to their Ch ...
'', where they switched to a
deathcore
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...
style. The album contains mostly new material but also new versions of a couple of the old demos. Solid State later distributed a collection of the early Embodyment death metal demos titled ''
993-1996' in addition to releasing a previously unreleased track by the band called “Halo of Winter” on the label’s compilation album, “This Is Solid State Vol. I”.
After kicking vocalist
Kris McCaddon
Kris McCaddon was the second guitarist for the metalcore band, Society's Finest and lead guitarist for Demon Hunter. He was also the vocalist for the bands Embodyment and The Famine.
History
McCaddon's career started in 1994 when he joined th ...
out, Sean Corbray joined the band and introduced a markedly different vocal style to the band, evidenced on the followup to ''
Embrace the Eternal
''Embrace the Eternal'' is the debut album by the Christian metal band, Embodyment. Coming three years after their primarily death metal demos, the album blends their original death metal style with metalcore sounds. The lyrics speak to their Ch ...
'', titled ''
The Narrow Scope of Things
''The Narrow Scope of Things'' is the second album by the Christian rock band Embodyment. It is the first album not to feature original vocalist Kris McCaddon or rhythm guitarist James Lanigan. It is also the first to completely abandon the ban ...
''.
This album was the band's first step away from any of the heavier metal subgenres. Instead, their sound on the album was adjusted to alternative metal with hard rock influences and featured actual singing and some screamed vocal parts rather than any form of death metal vocals.
Embodyment's third and final album for Solid State, ''
Hold Your Breath'', continued in the direction seen on ''The Narrow Scope of Things'' toward more alternative and hard rock stylings. ''Hold Your Breath'' was Embodyment's first album that featured no screamed vocals, only singing vocals. Embodyment's last album, ''Songs for the Living'', was much the same, showing even less of the dwindling metal influence heard on ''Hold Your Breath''.
Embodyment had shopped the ''
Songs for the Living
''Songs for the Living'' is the fourth and final album by the Christian rock band Embodyment. This album continues in the direction of the band's lighter sound, and is the biggest departure from the band's extreme metal roots, and contains prom ...
'' material around as an ''Industry Demo'', looking for a new label, but after finding being given the idea that there was more interest than there was, they released it as an album on
XS Records.
The label was being operated by former
Puller vocalist Mike Lewis and Living Sacrifice guitarist and vocalist
Bruce Fitzhugh
Bruce Fitzhugh is the second and best known lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of Arkansas's Christian metal band Living Sacrifice. The lead vocalist role was left to Bruce shortly after the departure of former lead Darren Johns ...
, who the band had much involvement with in their earlier years.
Around this time, Garza departed from the band, as he needed to stay home rather than continue to go out on tour.
Embodyment disbanded in early 2004 after having partially written a follow up record. According to Godwin, the band was becoming burnt out on the constant touring and even the musical style at the time.
Andrew Godwin, Mark Garza, and Kris McCaddon, most of the lineup of the original Embodyment, have since formed
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 ...
, a band that returns to the members' metal roots.
Godwin would also go on to perform in
Pyrithion
Timothy Peter Lambesis (born November 21, 1980) is an American musician and producer, best known as the founding member and lead vocalist of American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. He also had a solo/side thrash metal project in tribute to ac ...
and his own solo project Hope Deferred.
Garza would go on to work in Constant Seas, Lhoist, and recently joining Living Sacrifice as a live member for their 30th anniversary.
In February 2011, the band released a five-song EP, ''Forgotten'', consisting of un-released songs from the ''Songs for the Living'' era.
Members
Final lineup
* Sean Corbray – vocals (1999–2004)
* Derrick Wadsworth – bass (2000) rhythm guitar (2000–2002), drums (2002–2004)
* Jason Lindquist – vocals (1992–1994), rhythm guitar (1994–1997, 2000), bass (2000–2004) (Hope Deferred)
* Andrew Godwin – lead guitar (1992–2004) (ex-
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 ...
,
Pyrithion
Timothy Peter Lambesis (born November 21, 1980) is an American musician and producer, best known as the founding member and lead vocalist of American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. He also had a solo/side thrash metal project in tribute to ac ...
, Hope Deferred
)
Previous members
*
Kris McCaddon
Kris McCaddon was the second guitarist for the metalcore band, Society's Finest and lead guitarist for Demon Hunter. He was also the vocalist for the bands Embodyment and The Famine.
History
McCaddon's career started in 1994 when he joined th ...
– vocals (1994–1999) (ex-The Famine, ex-
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 ...
, ex-
Society's Finest
Society's Finest is a metalcore band from Dallas, Texas. Their first full-length album, '' The Journey...So Far'', was released on Solid State Records in May 2000. Due to member changes and personal matters the band took a break from touring a ...
)
* Taylor Smith – rhythm guitar, vocals (1992–1994)
* James Lanigan – rhythm guitar (1994–1999)
* Kevin Donnini – bass, backing vocals (1992–1998)
*
Mark Garza
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 ...
– drums (1992–2003) (ex-The Famine, Lhoist, Constant Seas)
;Timeline
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bar:Mark from:start till:01/01/2003 color:Drums
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Embrace the Eternal
''Embrace the Eternal'' is the debut album by the Christian metal band, Embodyment. Coming three years after their primarily death metal demos, the album blends their original death metal style with metalcore sounds. The lyrics speak to their Ch ...
'' (1998, Solid State, Reviews:
HM Magazine',
')
* ''
993-1996' (1999, Independent)
* ''
The Narrow Scope of Things
''The Narrow Scope of Things'' is the second album by the Christian rock band Embodyment. It is the first album not to feature original vocalist Kris McCaddon or rhythm guitarist James Lanigan. It is also the first to completely abandon the ban ...
'' (2000, Solid State, Reviews:
The Phantom Tollbooth')
* ''
Hold Your Breath'' (2001, Solid State, Reviews:
Jesus Freak Hideout')
* ''
Songs for the Living
''Songs for the Living'' is the fourth and final album by the Christian rock band Embodyment. This album continues in the direction of the band's lighter sound, and is the biggest departure from the band's extreme metal roots, and contains prom ...
'' (2002, XS Records, Reviews:
Jesus Freak Hideout')
* ''Forgotten EP'' (2011, Reviews:
Jesus Freak Hideout')
Demos
* ''Persistent Sin'' (tape under the band name "SUPPLICATION") - 1993
* ''Corrosion Of The Flesh'' - 1994
* ''Embodyment'' (3-song demo) - 1996
* ''Industry Demo'' (an early version of ''Songs for the Living'') - 2002
Non-album tracks
* "Halo of Winter" from ''
This is Solid State Vol. 1'' (1998)
* "Breaking News", "And Then Some", "Spilling Over", "The Answer", and "Hindsight", all released online in 2003 and 2004 as parts of what would have been Embodyment's fifth full-length record.
* As of 2011, these five never-before-released songs have been officially released on Apple iTunes and Amazon.com, under the album title "Forgotten".
References
{{Authority control
Christian alternative metal groups
Christian rock groups from Texas
Culture of Arlington, Texas
Heavy metal musical groups from Texas
Musical groups established in 1993
Musical groups disestablished in 2004
1993 establishments in Texas
Solid State Records artists
American deathcore musical groups