Byzantine (band)

Last updated

Byzantine
Origin Charleston, West Virginia, U.S.
Genres Groove metal, progressive metal, thrash metal
Years active2000–2008, 2010–present
Labels Prosthetic, Metal Blade
MembersChris "OJ" Ojeda
Brian Henderson
Ryan Postlethwait
Matt Bowles
Past membersTony Rohrbough
Chris "Cid" Adams
Michael "Skip" Cromer
Matt Wolfe
Jeremy Freeman
Sean Sydnor
James Stewart

Byzantine is an American heavy metal band from Charleston, West Virginia, [1] that was formed in 2000. As of March 2016, the band consists of frontman and co-founder Chris "OJ" Ojeda (guitar, vocals), Brian Henderson (guitar), Matt Bowles (drums) and Ryan Postlethwait (bass). The band has released three studio albums on Prosthetic Records along with two independent albums. Byzantine is known for its unique sound and modern, "forward thinking" musical style which explores different musical territories and song structures.

Contents

The band split on January 26, 2008, one day after the release of their third album, due to various circumstances, but reunited in 2010. [2] In March 2016, Metal Blade Records announced that they had signed the band to a worldwide deal and that they would be releasing a new album in July 2017.

History

Byzantine was formed in the spring of 2000 [3] by bassist Chris "Cid" Adams, lead guitarist Tony Rohrbough, drummer Jeremy Freeman, and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Chris "OJ" Ojeda after their former bands, New Family and Temper, disbanded. [3] Byzantine wrote four songs, then seven more songs were written, and 2000–2001 Demos was recorded and self-released in 2001. Soon after, Byzantine became a part of the local West Virginian heavy metal scene. [3]

Subsequently, the band recruited local musician Matt Wolfe as a drummer. Ten songs featuring Wolfe were recorded in 2003 at Broadmoor Studios in Huntington, West Virginia and were released as The Broadmoor Demo, arousing the interest of Lamb of God's drummer Chris Adler. Byzantine then had a short East Coast tour with Lamb of God. This tour helped them obtain new fans and a deal with Prosthetic Records. [3]

Soon after Byzantine released their debut album The Fundamental Component in February 2004, which introduced the band's trademark sound. Subsequently, Byzantine toured with Lamb of God and Shadows Fall as well as playing the main stage of New England Metal and Hardcore Festival in 2004 (and later in 2006). [3] Chris "Cid" Adams was soon fired, and Byzantine returned to the studio to record their second album in 2005: ...And They Shall Take Up Serpents , with Tony Rohrbough taking over bass duties in the studio. The album received high praise both abroad and domestically. [3]

A 2007 fan-oriented DVD titled Salvation, featuring exclusive material, scenes, in-studio clips, interviews, the uncut version of the "Jeremiad" music video and the performance of the never-before released "Cradle Song", increased the band's popularity. [3] On January 22, 2008, the band's third studio album Oblivion Beckons was released. [4] The band announced its break up one day after the release. [2]

In March 2010, the band reunited and played local shows around West Virginia. The band members insisted that they had returned with the intention of carrying on Byzantine. However, it was announced on August 17, 2010, that original guitarist and founding member Tony Rohrbough would leave with the group. Brian Henderson then filled his role. [5]

On January 26, 2012, it was announced the band was reunited with original lead guitarist Tony Rohrbough and had plans to record another album, which was to be self-funded. [6] On February 26, 2013, their self-titled album was released. Bassist Michael "Skip" Cromer left the band due to finding religion. [7]

On May 29, 2014, it was publicized that Byzantine would be recording their fifth album that September when producer Jay Hannon returned to West Virginia with new guitarist Brian Henderson and new bassist Sean Sydnor. [8] On April 7, 2015, the studio album To Release Is to Resolve was released independently by Byzantine for the second time.

In March 2016, the band announced on media that they had signed a four-record contract with metal powerhouse label Metal Blade Records. [9] It was announced that the band would begin recording in late summer 2016 for a spring 2017 release. The band finally entered the studio, once again working with Producer Jay Hannon. Byzantine recorded at Byzantine Studios and 7 over 8 Studios. The release date of The Cicada Tree was pushed from spring to June 2 and ultimately was released on July 28, 2017. [10] Byzantine then set out on their 1st true North American tour from mid September to October 2017, in support of thrash metal band Sacred Reich. Byzantine also introduced a new level of crowd interaction as a Tier on their Pledge Music drive. They gave 1 fan the option to buy a tier that allowed them to pick 75% of that night's set list. The Byz Boss was well received by concert goers.

Musical style, influences and lyrical themes

Byzantine plays progressive thrash, which was compared by Decibel Magazine to Testament and Megadeth, with power groove moves comparable to Meshuggah or Lamb of God, and occasional clean vocals. [11] [12] The band's former record label, Prosthetic Records, has also compared them to Pantera. [3] Byzantine plays technical metal and retro-minded Bay Area thrash. [13] [14] Their music has been described as simultaneously melodic and aggressive. [11] [13] Byzantine also occasionally incorporates instrumental parts in their songs and spoken word vocals. [13] The guitar solos alone move from fast parts to progressive to jazz. [14] The band also uses acoustic guitar and tribal-esque drum beats. [14]

Byzantine plays very modern metal, exploring different musical territories or song structures, [12] and has been labeled as a "forward-thinking" band. [15] [16] Growing up in West Virginia has helped Byzantine develop a unique sound. [17] "We are quite alienated from any big scene", explains Ojeda. "Therefore, we tend to think for ourselves a lot more when writing material." [17]

The Gauntlet states "The Fundamental Component is characterized by long songs, melodic thrash and Tony Rohrbough's scathing guitar solos while still embracing technical chaos and the violent groove of bassist Chris Adams and drummer Matt Wolfe." [17] Byzantine singer/guitarist Chris Ojeda says "I think we have a knack for achieving a good balance of chaos and melody". [17] Liz Ciavarella from Metal Maniacs magazine uses formulations such as "Scrupulous time-shifts and strategically-placed off-beats; forever infectious grooves, breakdowns (Thrashdowns?) and ceaseless experimentation that end in intricate catchy Metal mantras" to describe Byzantine's style.

Byzantine frontman Chris Ojeda, who plays guitar while singing, is considered to be in the tradition of James Hetfield, Dave Mustaine, Max Cavalera, Mikael Akerfeldt, and Chuck Schuldiner. [17]

Lyrically the band is influenced by such bands as Meshuggah, Carcass and Opeth and focuses on problems indigenous to their home, such as religion in American society. [3] [17]

Band members

Current members

Former members

Timeline

Byzantine (band)

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Demos

Other

The band was featured on two tribute albums in which they recorded an exclusive cover song for each.

Videography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nile (band)</span> American death metal band

Nile is an American death metal band from Greenville, South Carolina, formed in 1993. The band's current lineup consists of founding member Karl Sanders, George Kollias (drums), Brian Kingsland, Dan Vadim Von, and Zach Jeter. The band is known for their dedicated lyrical and musical style, which is inspired by Egyptology and works of H. P. Lovecraft. Since its formation, the band has released nine studio albums, two compilations, three extended plays, two demos, three singles, and five music videos. Their latest studio album, Vile Nilotic Rites, was released on November 1, 2019, through Nuclear Blast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prong (band)</span> American heavy metal band

Prong is an American heavy metal band formed in New York City in 1986. The band is fronted by guitarist/vocalist Tommy Victor, Prong's sole constant member. To date, they have released 13 studio albums, one live album, four EPs, one DVD and one remix album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Possessed (band)</span> American death metal band

Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Jeff Becerra's growled vocals, they are often called the first band in the death metal genre, and paved the way for the 1980s Bay Area thrash metal scene, along with Metallica, Exodus, Testament and Death Angel. The band is also notable for featuring future Primus member Larry LaLonde, who was the guitarist for Possessed from 1984 to 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nothingface (band)</span> American metal band

Nothingface was an American nu metal band from Washington, D.C., formed in 1994. Their best-known and most prolific line-up consisted of Matt Holt (vocals), Tom Maxwell (guitar), Bill Gaal (bass) and Chris Houck (drums). They disbanded in 2004, only to reform the following year, reuniting with Gaal and Houck, and then disband four years later. In 2017, Holt died from a degenerative disease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark Tranquillity</span> Swedish melodic death metal band

Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are considered one of the pioneering acts of the Gothenburg metal scene, which also includes bands such as In Flames and At the Gates - regarded as the Gothenburg fathers in the film entitled Out of Nothing: A DT Documentary released by Century Media, which was filmed in their home town in April 2009. After a nearly three-decade long collaboration of four founding members frequent lineup changes between 2016 and 2021 have left only vocalist Mikael Stanne as an original member, together with long-time keyboardist Martin Brändström.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DragonForce</span> British power metal band

DragonForce are a British power metal band from London. The band was formed in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman, and are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced sound. The band themselves refer to their music as "extreme power metal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In Flames</span> Swedish heavy metal band

In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by guitarist Jesper Strömblad in Gothenburg in 1990. Their lineup has changed several times, with vocalist Anders Fridén and guitarist Björn Gelotte being the only consistent members since 1995. Alongside At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity, In Flames has pioneered the genres known as Swedish death metal and melodic death metal, and as of 2008, has sold over two million records worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Black Dahlia Murder (band)</span> American melodic death metal band

The Black Dahlia Murder is an American melodic death metal band from Waterford, Michigan, formed in 2001. Their name is derived from the 1947 unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short, often referred to as Black Dahlia. Currently, the band consists of lead vocalist Brian Eschbach, bassist Max Lavelle, drummer Alan Cassidy, and guitarists Brandon Ellis and Ryan Knight. The Black Dahlia Murder has undergone various lineup changes, with Trevor Strnad and Eschbach remaining the only constant members, until the former's death in 2022, which then saw Eschbach take over lead vocals and Knight replacing him on rhythm guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epica (band)</span> Dutch symphonic metal band

Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band, founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen after his departure from After Forever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destruction (band)</span> German thrash metal band

Destruction is a German thrash metal band formed in 1982. They have been credited as one of the "Big Four" of the German thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator, Sodom and Tankard. In addition to helping pioneer black metal, Destruction was part of the second wave of thrash metal in the mid-to-late 1980s, along with American bands Testament, Sacred Reich, Death Angel and Dark Angel. For most of the 1990s, the band was not signed to a record label and self-produced their albums until they signed a contract with Nuclear Blast in the early 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Agony Scene</span> American metal band

The Agony Scene is an American heavy metal band from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Formed in 2000, the group currently consists of lead guitarist Chris Emmons, vocalist Mike Williams, and rhythm guitarist Brian Hodges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jag Panzer</span> American power metal band

Jag Panzer is an American power metal band from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Draconian (band)</span> Swedish gothic metal band

Draconian is a Swedish gothic metal band formed in Säffle in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Becoming the Archetype</span> American heavy metal band

Becoming the Archetype is an American heavy metal band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1999. They have released six albums on Solid State Records. Dichotomy, which was released in November 2008, sold around 2,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The CD debuted at No. 18 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the top 100 of the Billboard 200. The band was part of the new wave of American heavy metal. After 2012's I Am, the band went on an indefinite hiatus. In 2022, however, the band reunited with the lineup of Jason Wisdom, Seth Hecox, and Brent “Duck” Duckett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sword</span> American heavy metal band

The Sword was an American heavy metal band from Austin, Texas. Formed in 2003, the band was composed of vocalist and guitarist John D. Cronise, guitarist Kyle Shutt, bassist Bryan Richie and drummer Santiago "Jimmy" Vela III for most of its tenure. Originally signed to Kemado Records, the group released their debut album Age of Winters in 2006, the material for which had been largely written by Cronise prior to the band's formation. Gods of the Earth was released two years later, giving the group its first entry on the US Billboard 200 chart when it reached number 102.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volbeat</span> Danish rock band

Volbeat are a Danish rock band formed in Copenhagen in 2001. They play a fusion of rock and roll and heavy metal. Their current line-up consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Michael Poulsen, drummer Jon Larsen, and bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen. The band is signed to Dutch label Mascot Records and has released eight studio albums and one DVD. Their second album Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil received platinum status, and their 2010 release Beyond Hell/Above Heaven was subject to widespread international critical acclaim, receiving triple platinum in Denmark and Austria, double platinum in Sweden, platinum in Canada, 5x Gold in Germany, and gold in both Finland and the United States. Volbeat's most recent studio album, Servant of the Mind, was released in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All That Remains (band)</span> American metalcore band

All That Remains is an American metalcore band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1998. They have released nine studio albums, a live CD and DVD, and have sold over a million records worldwide. The group currently consists of vocalist Philip Labonte, rhythm guitarist Mike Martin, and lead guitarist Jason Richardson, with Labonte being the last remaining original member. In spite of this, the band's line-up had remained consistent from the release of 2008's Overcome until 2015's The Order of Things, spanning four albums. This line-up changed, however, in September 2015, when long-time bassist Jeanne Sagan left the band, with Patrick taking her place, and then again in February 2019, when the band confirmed that Jason Richardson would be joining the band to replace the deceased lead guitarist and original member, Oli Herbert. In 2021, Aaron Patrick parted ways with All That Remains to focus on his other band, Bury Your Dead. Patrick would be replaced in 2022 by Matt Deis.

<i>Oblivion Beckons</i> 2008 studio album by Byzantine

Oblivion Beckons is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Byzantine. It was released on January 22, 2008. According to vocalist Chris "OJ" Ojeda, the band "stripp[ed] down some things like the vocals for a more aggressive style and ... [went] out on a limb on some other things [they] have never tried before." Ojeda also described Oblivion Beckons as being the band's most varied album. The album reached #8 on CMJ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleshgod Apocalypse</span> Italian symphonic death metal band

Fleshgod Apocalypse is an Italian symphonic death metal band. Formed in 2007, the group resides in Perugia and are currently signed to Nuclear Blast. They have released five full-length albums.

Oblivion is an American technical death metal band from the Bay Area formed in 2007. They have released three albums, one demo and several music videos. Members of Oblivion have previously performed in several notable metal bands such as Antagony, All Shall Perish, Hacksaw to the Throat, Alchemicon, Feast and Fractals. Another notable aspect of Oblivion is the fact that one member has a doctorate degree in music and is a university professor, while another has a doctorate in mathematics. Currently, the band is signed to Unique Leader and will release multiple albums through the label. A reissue of their debut album, Called to Rise, was released on October 15, 2013.

References

  1. ↑ "Byzantine Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "BYZANTINE Is 'No Longer A Functioning Band'". Blabbermouth.net. Archived from the original on April 21, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Byzantine Biography". Prosthetic Records. Archived from the original on April 30, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2008.
  4. ↑ "BYZANTINE: 'Oblivion Beckons' Release Date Announced". Blabbermouth. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2008.
  5. ↑ "BYZANTINE: Reunited Byzantine Parts Ways with Guitarist, Announces Replacement". Blabbermouth. Archived from the original on August 20, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Reunited BYZANTINE Preparing To Record New Studio Album". Blabbermouth. January 27, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  7. ↑ Pasbani, Robert (June 26, 2013). "BYZANTINE Bassist Finds Religion, Quits BYZANTINE". Metal Injection. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Byzantine To Record Fifth Studio Album". Metal Underground. May 29, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Byzantine signs worldwide deal with Metal Blade Records". metalblade.com. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Byzantine "The Cicada Tree"". Metalblade.com. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  11. 1 2 D. Shawn Bosler. "Byzantine And They Shall Take Up Serpents". Decibel Magazine. Archived from the original on May 6, 2006. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
  12. 1 2 Keith Bergman. "Byzantine Oblivion Beckons". Blabbermouth. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
  13. 1 2 3 Nick Green. "Byzantine Oblivion Beckons". Decibel Magazine. Archived from the original on May 22, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
  14. 1 2 3 Scott Alisoglu. "BYZANTINE …And They Shall Take Up Serpents". Blabbermouth. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
  15. ↑ "BYZANTINE Is 'No Longer A Functioning Band'". Blabbermouth. Archived from the original on April 21, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
  16. ↑ "BYZANTINE To Unveil Two New Songs Next Week". Blabbermouth. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Byzantine Bio". The Gauntlet. Retrieved May 1, 2008.
  18. ↑ "Byzantine warns fans about "new" album".
  19. ↑ "NO CLEAN SINGING » AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: BYZANTINE'S "SOUL ERASER"". nocleansinging.com. January 11, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  20. ↑ Byzantine – "The Agonies" OFFICIAL VIDEO (HD 2015). YouTube. April 17, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Watch the Intense New Byzantine Video for "The Agonies" – MetalSucks". MetalSucks. April 16, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Byzantine Tackles Prescription Drug Addiction in 'The Agonies' Video: Exclusive – Billboard". Billboard. April 15, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Byzantine premiere You Sleep, We Wake video". Metal Hammer. April 23, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Exclusive Video Premiere: Byzantine, "Justinian Code"". Metal Sucks. June 23, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  25. ↑ Metal Blade Records (May 17, 2017), Byzantine "New Ways to Bear Witness" (OFFICIAL VIDEO in 4k) , retrieved May 18, 2017
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.