Isis
Formed: 1997
From:
Boston,
MA,
United States
Last Known Status: Active
Background
Isis is a doom-fusion group from Los Angeles, CA (US). They have borrowed from and helped to evolve a sound pioneered by the likes of Neurosis and Godflesh, creating heavy music consisting of lengthy songs that focus on repetition and evolution of structure. As such, a great range of musical labels are used to describe their sound, including avant-garde metal, post-metal and experimental rock.
Several sessions of experimentation in origin town Boston, Massachusetts led friends Aaron Turner (guitar/vocals; also the owner of Hydra Head Records and its subsidiary, HH Noise Industries), Jeff Caxide (bass guitar), Chris Mereschuk (electronics/vocals) and Aaron Harris (drums) to form Isis in late 1997. As Turner states, "Isis formed as a result of the dissatisfaction with past bands of the founding members [Aaron Harris, Jeff Caxide, Aaron Turner, and Chris Mereschuk]. None of us were happy with what we were doing musically at the time, two of us lived together, we had similar tastes and similar record collections." Isis released a demo and their first EP, Mosquito Control, in 1998, with this line-up. After an East Coast tour in the summer of 1998 where they were joined by Randy Larsen of Cable on guitar, Mereschuk left the band. Jay Randall (now of Agoraphobic Nosebleed) soon replaced him, working on Red Sea (1999). However, his stay would not last; this ultimately led to the addition of Bryant Clifford Meyer of The Gersch as well as former Cast Iron Hike guitarist Mike Gallagher in 1999. After releasing their debut full-length entitled Celestial and its sister EP, SGNL>05 (on Neurot Recordings), in 2000, Isis gained national underground attention in the metal/hardcore scene through tours with Cave In and Neurosis.
Turner has gone on record saying "I like the idea of preserving at least a little shred of mystery and making the band to be more an entity—without hopefully sounding too pretentious — as a work of art [than a traditional rock band]".There is a definite attitude that art and music are interchangeable and synonymous to the band; he feels that "the songwriting and the artwork come from the same place".This logic relates to visual and aural aspects as well as overt intellectualisation, through literary references and driving philosophies.Books such as Don Quixote, House of Leaves, Labyrinths and the philosophies of Jeremy Bentham all play a role in shaping the themes of Isis' releases.
There is an overt intention of progressing heavy music present in Isis' output; a desire to further the intellectual cause that pushes them forward.This is evident within the clear progression of their sound from release to release, their influence on heavy music, and their acceptance in art circles where other metal bands are not so readily embraced. Their stated goal is "not to break away from the scene that [they] came from, but to expand upon it". Publications such as Terrorizer attest to how Turner has completed his goal, explaining that "Aaron Turner has loosened hardcore from its geographical roots, and in the process created an intimate, yet immeasurable vision all of his own". Turner has complained that "metal in general has long been unjustly maligned as solely the province of knuckle-dragging meatheads...That said, there's never been a group of musicians like there is now, who are helping to advance the form."
Latest Isis News
Below is our complete Isis news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Note: We began associating news directly with bands in late 2003. Therefore, earlier band news may not be listed on this page.
Displaying records 81 - 87 of 87 1 2 3 4 5 Last
Dysrhythmia Announce New Bassist
Philadelphia-based instrumental trio Dysrhythmia have announced the addition of bassist Colin Marston (also currently of Behold... The Arctopus), replacing Clayton Ingerson. Marston joins Dysrhythmia members Jeff Eber (drums) and Kevin Hufnagel (guitar).
Dysrhythmia will be teaming up with Isis and These Arms Are Snakes for a string of dates beginning December 3 at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA.
On the topic of the addition of Marston as well as the forthcoming live dates, Hufnagel stated, "We are psyched to be able to perform again so soon since the line-up change. Colin has been doing an amazing job learning the old material, and his contributions to the new Dysrhythmia songs have already been quite substantial."
Dysrhythmia tour dates:
Nov. 27 - New York, NY - Knitting Factory (w/ Early Man)
Dec. 02 - New Haven, CT - Cafe Nine
Dec. 03 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East (w/ Isis, These Arms Are Snakes, Tim Hecker)
Dec. 04 - Binghamton, NY - Black Azul Studios (w/ Dance-A-Tron, If Man Is Five)
Dec. 05 - Philadelphia, PA - North Star (w/ Isis, These Arms Are Snakes)
Dec. 06 - Washington, DC - Black Cat (w/ Isis, These Arms Are Snakes)
Dec. 07 - Wilmington, NC - Soapbox Laundrolounge (w/ Gollum)
Dec. 08 - Carrboro, NC - Cats Cradle (w/ Isis, These Arms Are Snakes)
Dec. 09 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn (w/ Isis, These Arms Are Snakes)
Dec. 10 - Richmond, VA - MacCormack's Irish Pub (w/ Black Heart Valentine)
Dysrhythmia's as-yet-untitled follow up to 2003's "Pretest" is expected to see a 2005 release date via Relapse.
Isis Bring Their Panopticon To Canada
ChartAttack.com has posted the following article on Boston-based band Isis:
Isis always seem to have the coolest sonic goodies to dish out to their growing legion of fans. In the past year, the Boston metal quintet have released a whole whack of limited edition material that has been eagerly snapped up by music lovers across the globe. To date, they've put out a live CD entitled "Live 1" and the first three volumes of their "Oceanic" Remix 12-inches that feature artists such as Mike Patton, Tim Hecker and Dalek offering up their interpretations of all of the tracks from 2002's highly acclaimed "Oceanic" album. The fourth and final volume in the series should be available shortly.
2005 will see Isis heading to Japan in February with Converge and Mastodon. Shortly afterwards they'll embark on their first tour of Australia. Upon their return to the U.S., they're planning on playing a few domestic dates including a performance at SXSW before leaving for a six-week European tour. It's probably safe to assume that the guys will have a new selection of eBay-worthy items by the time these shows roll around.
Isis Canadian Tour Dates:
November 28 Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
November 29 Ottawa, ON @ Babylon
November 30 Montreal, QC @ El Salon
Read the full article at Chart Attack.
Isis Vinyl Releases Delayed
Isis' Oceanic Remixes: Volume 4 and Panopticon 2xLP releases have been rescheduled for a January 04 release date through Robotic Empire.
Converge, Isis, and Mastodon Plan Japanese Tour
Converge, Isis, and Mastodon have announced touring plans over in Japan that will kick off in February of 2005. Dates will be announced soon. Meanwhile Isis has released a live track here from an upcoming Live 12" release.
These Arms Are Snakes And Isis Tour Dates
The first set of dates for the upcoming Isis and These Arms Are Snakes tour has been confirmed. More dates will be announced shortly, but here's the latest:
11/10 Pomona CA @ Glasshouse
11/11 San Diego CA @ The Casbah
11/12 Los Angeles CA @ Troubador
11/13 Venture CA @ The Loft
11/14 San Francisco CA @ Great American Music Hall
11/16 Portland OR @ Meow Meow
11/17 Vancouver BC @ Mesa Luna
11/18 Seattle WA @ Neumo's
11/19 Spokane WA @ Fat Tuesdays
11/20 Boise ID @ The Venue
11/23 Denver CO @ Rock Island
11/26 Chicago IL @ Metro
11/27 Detroit MI @ Magic Stick
11/28 Toronto ON @ Lee's Palace
11/29 Ottowa ON @ Babylon
12/4 New York NY @ Bowery Ballroom
12/6 Washington DC @ Black Cat
Old Man Gloom To Release New Album "Christmas"
The Old Man Gloom Simian Alien Defense League -- comprised of delegates from Cave-In (RCA), Isis (Ipecac Recordings) and Converge (Epitaph) -- delivers its fifth sonic dissertation, Christmas on Tortuga Recordings on Tuesday, August 24th.
Response from fans of OMG and its respective outfits has been unanimously enthusiastic regarding this immense 13-song album that took three years in the making. The wait has certainly been worth it. The songs are so musically diverse, Christmas seems to continually shift moods and styles, while retaining a slinking, syrupy depth throughout. From the crushing force of epic opener "Gift" -- think Meddle-era Pink Floyd meets Isis -- to the flowing effluvium of "Something for the Mrs", to twisted psych of "The Volcano" and art-punk of "'Tis Better to Receive" the album showcases the quintet's incredible talents and mixed palettes. Equal parts Skullflower, Neurosis, Black Dice, Pink Floyd and Mens Recovery Project, OMG's latest edict has something for every fan of unusual and extreme music.
In OMG's typical tounge-in-cheek fashion, Christmas details man's myriad gifts to Mother Nature -- and the incalculable repercussions thereof. Apes and chimps unite to fend off the "rewards" of civilization, but man's capacity for avarice and cruelty knows no bounds. Mass insurrection results in a battle for the ages. Evolution, as they say, is just a theory. But, this much is true: the only good human is a dead human.
Old Man Gloom -- the effigy of Zozobra that is ritually burned in Native American culture to cast off all ill will of the year -- is stuffed this time around with guitarist/vocalist Nate Newton(Converge), bassist/vocalist Caleb Scofield (Cave-In), electronics specialist Luke Scarola, drummer Santos Montano and guitarist/vocalist Aaron Turner (Isis, et al.)
This album would make a fantastic sidebar to coverage of forthcoming releases by Converge and Isis, due this fall.
Agoraphobic Nosebleed to Issue Special Split EP
Agoraphobic Nosebleed will issue a split CDEP with Isis to benefit mutual friend Shuan Luu, who has been diagnosed with brain cancer. The band have set a Spring, 2004 release via Relapse, and this EP will contain some special recordings from ANb and two professionally recorded live versions of ISIS' 'The Beginning and the End' and 'Weight', as well as a remix of the ISIS song "Carry". Both ANb and ISIS wish nothing but the best of luck to Mr. Luu during his time of need.