*shels

Last updated

*shels
OriginLondon, England
California, USA
Genres Progressive rock, post-rock, alternative metal, shoegazing, post-metal
Years active2003–present
LabelsShelsmusic
Website http://www.shelsmusic.com

*shels is a British-American rock group, [1] formed in 2003. The band have been described as a supergroup of the British underground music scene, as they have, at various times, featured former members of bands including Mahumodo, Eden Maine and Fireapple Red. [2] [3]

Contents

History

The band was formed in 2003 by singer/songwriter Mehdi Safa and drummer Tom Harriman, after the break-up of their former band Mahumodo. [4] *shels took their name from the 1999 Mahumodo EP, entitled Shels. [5] They released an EP, Wingsfortheirsmiles, [6] in 2004 on Shelsmusic, a record label founded by Safa in 2000. [4] The band released their debut full length studio album, Sea of the Dying Dhow on 18 June 2007, [3] in partnership with Undergroove records. [2] The album attracted positive reviews from critics, [7] [8] [9] culminating in it being named one of the top albums of 2007 by Rock Sound magazine. [10] The band toured the UK in June and July of the same year in support of the album, performing with various groups such as Bossk and The Ghost of a Thousand. [3] The tour included a performance at GuilFest, where the band share a stage with My Vitriol and Zico Chain. [11]

The band's second EP, Laurentian's Atoll , was then released in November 2007. This was composed of remastered versions of the three tracks from Wingsfortheirsmiles, four new recordings and an extended version of "water", from Sea of the Dying Dhow. [6] The band embarked on a second UK tour in November 2008, which included a performance at Damnation Festival, where they shared a stage with the likes of Cathedral and Carcass. [12] Their second full-length, entitled Plains of the Purple Buffalo , [1] [2] was released on 27 June 2011.

Band members

While all music and releases have been written by Mehdi Safa, live performances have featured a number of different artists performing with the band. Vocalist Mehdi Safa said in an interview with Rock Sound, "The whole point of *shels is that it is very free, It is not really a band in the traditional sense, we can have people from other bands come in and play certain shows. It is set up to be a very free vehicle. There is a core of who is involved, but you can compare it to The John Williams Orchestra. It has a core but the line-up changes around that core". [13]

The line-up for the band's 2007 tour included: [13]

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep Purple</span> English rock band

Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1967. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally formed as a psychedelic rock and progressive rock band, they shifted to a heavier sound with their 1970 album Deep Purple in Rock. Deep Purple, together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, have been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies". They were listed in the 1975 Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band" for a 1972 concert at London's Rainbow Theatre and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim "Ripper" Owens</span> American heavy metal singer

Timothy S. "Ripper" Owens is an American heavy metal singer who currently performs with KK's Priest, Spirits of Fire, the Three Tremors and A New Revenge. He first gained attention as the lead singer of Judas Priest and then Iced Earth. He took the nickname "Ripper" from the Judas Priest song "The Ripper" during his time in the tribute band British Steel.

Aereogramme were a Scottish alternative rock band from Glasgow, formed in 1998, consisting of Craig B., Iain Cook, Campbell McNeil (bass) and Martin Scott (drums). Prior to their split in 2007, the band released four studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Will Destroy You</span> American post-rock band

This Will Destroy You is an American post-rock band from San Marcos, Texas, formed in 2004. They typically compose lengthy atmospheric instrumental pieces, featuring layers of effects-laden guitar and a heavy usage of dynamics. Their fourth album Another Language, released in 2014, entered the Billboard Heatseekers Album Chart at number 7.

Mahumodo was an experimental hardcore/post-hardcore band from the UK formed by Mehdi Safa in 1997. They recorded four EPs: 'Shels', 'Bythewaters', 'Aprils' and '*Waves', all released on their own label, Shelsmusic. The band received critical praise for both their live shows and EPs, with comparisons to American acts Deftones, Will Haven and Tool.

Eden Maine were an English metalcore/avant garde metal band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, formed in 1999. As of September 2005, they are on an indefinite hiatus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ghost of a Thousand</span>

The Ghost of a Thousand were an English five-piece punk rock band from Brighton, England.

Twin Zero are a British progressive rock band, formed in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Maine (band)</span> American rock band

The Maine is an American rock band from Tempe, Arizona. Formed in 2007, the group consists of lead vocalist, guitarist and pianist John O'Callaghan, lead guitarist Jared Monaco, bass guitarist Garrett Nickelsen, drummer Patrick Kirch, and rhythm guitarist Kennedy Brock. The band is joined by touring member Adam Simons, as of 2018, who plays keys, rhythm and lead guitar as well as percussion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel P. Carter</span> British musician and radio DJ

Daniel Philip Carter is a British musician and radio DJ. He is the former singer and guitarist for hardcore punk band Hexes, the former bassist for A, the former lead guitarist for alternative rock band Bloodhound Gang and current guitarist for metal group Krokodil. Carter is also the host of BBC Radio 1's Rock Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo Killers</span> American rock band

Buffalo Killers are an American rock band comprising guitarist and vocalist Andrew Gabbard, bass guitarist and vocalist Zachary Gabbard and drummer Joseph Sebaali. The band was formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2006 following the dissolution of Thee Shams, of which the trio were members. Buffalo Killers were quickly signed by Alive Records and their self-titled debut album was released in October 2006; Buffalo Killers drew the attention of Chris Robinson, who invited the band to open a string of dates for The Black Crowes in 2007. Buffalo Killers' second album, Let It Ride, was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and released in July 2008.

Damnation Festival is an annual one-day heavy metal music festival currently held at Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester. It was held at Jilly's Rockworld in Manchester from 2005 to 2006 and then University of Leeds from 2007 until 2021. It is organised by Gavin McInally and Paul Farrington.

Bossk are a British post-metal band formed in Ashford, Kent in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chelsea Grin</span> American deathcore/slam band

Chelsea Grin is an American deathcore band from Salt Lake City, Utah. Formed in 2007, the group have released two EPs and seven full-length albums. Since 2018, no founding members remain in the band. Despite not being in the original lineup, bassist David Flinn has been the only constant member on all the group's studio albums.

Rinoa was an English post-metal group, formed in Essex in 2007. Their line-up consisted of vocalist Perry Bryan, guitarists Matthew Holden and Jozef Norocky, bassist David Gumbleton and drummer James May. The band split in November 2010, with most of their members going on to different musical projects.

<i>Sea of the Dying Dhow</i> 2007 studio album by *shels

Sea of the Dying Dhow, released on June 18, 2007, is the first studio album by *shels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxi Violence</span>

Taxi Violence is a South African rock band from Cape Town. The group consists of George van der Spuy (vocals), Jason Ling (bass), Louis Nel (drums), Rian Zietsman (guitar) and Loedi van Renen (guitar/bass). They have released five studio albums: Untie Yourself (2006), The Turn (2009), Unplugged: Long Way From Home (2011), Soul Shake (2013), and Tenfold (2014). They are influenced by bands such as: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Queens of the Stone Age, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Murphy (guitarist)</span> American musician

Michael Aaron Murphy is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist best known for his time with the bands My Ruin and Teenage Time Killers. Murphy's playing style includes elements of classic rock and heavy metal as well as jazz, hardcore punk and thrash dance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Story Untold</span> Canadian rock band

Story Untold is a Canadian rock band based in Laval, Quebec. Founded in 2012, the band signed with Hopeless Records in May 2016. Shortly after signing, they recorded their self-titled EP, then went on tour with Simple Plan and Hit the Lights. Story Untold current line-up included vocalist and main songwriter Janick Thibault and drummer Jonathan Landry. In December 2019, the band left Hopeless Records and now remain as an independent group.

<i>Battle Against Damnation</i> 2018 EP by Lovebites

Battle Against Damnation is the second EP by Japanese power metal band Lovebites. The EP was released in Japan on June 6, 2018 by Victor Entertainment, and in Europe and North America two days later by JPU Records. It reached number 20 on the Oricon chart and number 24 on Billboard Japan.

References

  1. 1 2 "Round Up: *shels". Rock Sound (108): 9. April 2008. Transatlantic rockers *shels want people to send recordings of themselves to appear on their next record 'Plains of the Purple Buffalo'...
  2. 1 2 3 Finney, Graham. "Interview with *shels". planet-loud.com. Retrieved 3 February 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. 1 2 3 "*shels – RS Sponsored Tour!". Rock Sound (98): 10. July 2007. *shels are playing for the first time in the UK across June and July... *shels' line-up includes members of such underground favourites as Mahumodo, Eden Maine and Fireapple Red... also playing the shows will be up-and-coming bands Bossk, Latitudes and Down I Go, with The Ghost of a Thousand... the band's debut album 'Sea of the Dying Dhow' is out on 18 June
  4. 1 2 Sellers, Karl (18 October 2010). "Interview – Mehdi Safa (*shels)". love-it-loud.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  5. ↑ "*shels – New Horizons". Rock Sound (98): 72. July 2007. As the adapted title of an early demo, the name *shels may be familiar to those that followed Mahumodo closely...
  6. 1 2 Kellehar, Rachel (December 2007). "*shels: Laurentian's Atoll [8/10]". Rock Sound (103): 88. ...and three remastered songs from debut EP 'Wingsfortheirsmiles'...
  7. ↑ Dillon, Jared W (21 June 2007). "*shels: Sea of the Dying Dhow". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  8. ↑ McGrath, Ken. "*shels: Sea of the Dying Dhow (Undergroove)". Blistering. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  9. ↑ Kellehar, Rachel (July 2007). "*shels: Sea of the Dying Dhow [9/10]". Rock Sound (98): 90. ...this progressive postrock project has resulted in an album of such cinematic beauty and epic intensity that using words alone to try and describe it feels as impossible as swallowing a mouthful of sand.
  10. ↑ "Top 75 Albums of 2007". Rock Sound (104): 24. 25 December 2007. 35: *shels – Sea of the Dying Dhow (Undergroove)
  11. ↑ "Guilfest 2007 Lineup". virtualfestivals.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  12. ↑ "Damnation Line-up Unravels". Rock Sound (114): 10. October 2008. ...now confirmed for the Rock Sound stage are Cathedral, Carcass, The Mirimar Disaster, Ramesses, *shels and Latitudes.
  13. 1 2 "*shels: New Horizons". Rock Sound (98): 72–73. July 2007.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.