Common Dead

Last updated

Common Dead
Origin Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres Thrash metal, melodic death metal, groove metal [1]
Years active2009–2013 [2]
Labels Independent
MembersA.P. Laurenson

Common Dead was an American thrash/groove metal band and stage name [3] of recording artist A.P. Laurenson. [4] [5] The band was considered part of the new wave of American heavy metal. [6] [7]

Contents

History

Common Dead is classified as melodic death metal [8] by various sources, although the band touches on melodic thrash metal, [8] groove metal, and alternative metal influences. Laurenson was the band's sole proprietor and performed all instrumentation for all recorded efforts. He played lead/rhythm guitar and vocals for live occasions. [9]

Common Dead debuted with a self-titled album in 2009. [10] In an interview with Metal-Rules.com, [4] Laurenson commented that the band revolves around a melodic guitar influence and raw, forthright vocals. A four-track EP was released in January 2011 entitled Interim Flesh, which experimented with industrial metal influences [11] not typical of the band's style. The EP scored warm praise from critics. [12] [13]

The band released an album Diatribe in February 2012. It was met with generally positive reviews from numerous sources. [9] [14] [15] [16] Three music videos were released for the album. One titled "Critical Mass" was broadcast on Underground Video TV. [17] [18] [19] [20] The following year, the album Allegorize was released. [21]

Metal Underground posted an interview after a raw mix for a Fear Factory cover came out on YouTube. Common Dead recorded a cover for "Flashpoint" as one instrumentalist. They also announced that new members would be joining the band for live performances. [22] A break in activity was confirmed in 2013 as Laurenson moved towards other projects, including work under his natural name. [23] [24]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kittie</span> Canadian metal band

Kittie is a Canadian heavy metal band from London, Ontario, formed in 1996 by guitarist Fallon Bowman and sisters Mercedes and Morgan Lander, on drums and vocals/guitars, respectively. Tanya Candler completed the band's early line-up on bass. The Lander sisters have remained the band's sole constant members. Collectively, their material released via independent record labels has sold over two million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">At the Gates</span> Swedish melodic death metal band

At the Gates is a Swedish death metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. The band was a major progenitor of Gothenburg-style melodic death metal alongside In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. Prior to their first disbandment in 1996, At the Gates released four albums, ending with and including Slaughter of the Soul (1995), which has been seen as a landmark in the mid-1990s Swedish death metal scene. After reuniting for a one-off tour in 2008, the band reformed once again in 2011, and they have since released three more albums: At War with Reality (2014), To Drink from the Night Itself (2018) and The Nightmare of Being (2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalmah</span> Finnish melodic death metal band

Kalmah is a Finnish melodic death metal band from Pudasjärvi that formed in 1998. In less than a year after its formation, Kalmah was signed by Spinefarm Records. The word "kalmah" is Karelian and could be translated as "to the grave" or "to the death".

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

Dissection was a Swedish extreme metal band from Strömstad, formed in 1989 by guitarist, vocalist and main songwriter Jon Nödtveidt and bassist Peter Palmdahl. Despite a number of lineup changes, Dissection released The Somberlain in 1993 and Storm of the Light's Bane in 1995, before splitting up in 1997 due to Nödtveidt's imprisonment for complicity in the murder of Josef Meddour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carcass (band)</span> British extreme metal band

Carcass are an English extreme metal band from Liverpool, formed in 1985. The band have gone through several line-up changes, leaving guitarist Bill Steer and bassist-vocalist Jeff Walker as the only constant members. They broke up in 1996, but reformed in 2007 without one of their original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons. To date, the band have released seven studio albums, two compilation albums, four EPs, two demo albums, one video album, and six music videos.

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

Katatonia is a Swedish heavy metal band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström. The band started as a studio-only project for the duo, as an outlet for the band's love of death metal. Increasing popularity led them to add more band members for live performances, though outside of the band's founders, the lineup was a constantly changing, revolving door of musicians throughout the 1990s, notably including Mikael Åkerfeldt of the band Opeth for a period. After two death/doom albums, Dance of December Souls (1993) and Brave Murder Day (1996), problems with Renkse's vocal cords coupled with new musical influences led the band away from the screamed vocals of death metal to a more traditional, melodic form of heavy metal music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadows Fall</span> American metal band

Shadows Fall is an American metal band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1996. Although Shadows Fall has experienced several line-up changes, for most of its recording career, Shadows Fall has been composed of Jon Donais, Matt Bachand, Paul Romanko (bass), Brian Fair, and Jason Bittner (drums).

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

Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. The band comprises vocalist and guitarist Matt Heafy, guitarist Corey Beaulieu, bassist Paolo Gregoletto, and drummer Alex Bent.

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

Amoral was a Finnish heavy metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1997. They played technical, progressive, melodic, hard rock-oriented metal. The band's fourth album was an about-turn, replacing the dominance of quirky death metal with an exemplary display of riff-driven, heavy, yet melodic power groove and the occasional sing-along chorus. Amoral performed extensively in bars, clubs, festivals and other venues in Finland, Europe, Japan, China, Philippines and the US. The band split up in 2017 after 20 years together.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cancer Bats</span> Canadian hardcore punk band

Cancer Bats are a Canadian hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario. To date, they have released seven studio albums and six extended plays; with their most recent LP, Psychic Jailbreak, having been released on 15 April 2022. The band is currently composed of lead vocalist Liam Cormier, drummer Mike Peters and bassist/guitarist Jaye R. Schwarzer. The band are also currently joined by touring guitarist Jackson Landry, following the departure of founding guitarist Scott Middleton in 2021. The members of Cancer Bats have also toured and recorded as a Black Sabbath tribute band under the name Bat Sabbath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suicide Silence</span> American deathcore band

Suicide Silence is an American deathcore band from Riverside, California. The band was established in 2002, and has released seven studio albums, three EPs, and nineteen music videos. They were awarded the Revolver Golden God award for "Best New Talent" in 2009. The group currently consists of guitarists Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun, bassist Dan Kenny, vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida and drummer Ernie Iniguez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alestorm</span> Scottish pirate-themed heavy metal band

Alestorm are a Scottish heavy metal band formed in Perth, Scotland. Their music is characterised by a pirate theme, and as a result, they have been dubbed a "pirate metal" band by many critics and their fanbase. The group currently consists of lead vocalist/keytarist Christopher Bowes, bassist Gareth Murdock, drummer Peter Alcorn, keyboardist/harsh vocalist Elliot Vernon and guitarist Máté "Bobo" Bodor.

<i>We Are the Void</i> Album by Dark Tranquillity

We Are the Void is the ninth studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. It is their first and only album with bassist Daniel Antonsson, who joined in 2008 and left in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Guns (band)</span> English alternative rock band

Young Guns are an English alternative rock band from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The members, working with each other in various musical interests throughout the 2000s, formally formed the band in 2008, and rose to prominence after their debut EP, Mirrors, earned them spots opening live shows for Bon Jovi and Guns N' Roses. Their debut album, All Our Kings Are Dead, on 12 July 2010. Their second album, Bones, was released in February 2012. Their single "Bones" reached no. 1 on the Billboard Active Rock charts in the US in May 2013. Their third album, Ones and Zeros, was released on 9 June 2015. The band's fourth album, Echoes, was released on 16 September 2016.

The Eyes of a Traitor were an English metalcore band from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, formed in the summer of 2006. The band consists of vocalist Jack Delany, drummer Sam Brennan, guitarists Tim George and Matthew Pugh, and bassist Tom Hollings. There have been numerous line-up changes within the band, mainly due to members wishing to pursue education. According to the band, its name derives from a conversation the band members had whilst watching Star Wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claim the Throne</span> Australian metal band

Claim the Throne are a melodic death band with strong folk metal influence, from Perth, Western Australia. In 2008 they released their debut album Only the Brave Return that also included a matching fantasy novel written by the band members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Dreyer</span> American guitarist

Jake Dreyer is an American musician who is the lead guitarist and songwriter for the progressive metal band Witherfall and former lead guitarist for Iced Earth. He was also a touring and session guitarist for the bands Demons and Wizards, White Wizzard, and Kobra and the Lotus.

The Devil's Blood was a Dutch occult rock band from Eindhoven, formed in 2006. Their style is hard rock in the vein of Black Widow, Coven, Black Sabbath, and a plethora of 1970s underground progressive and psychedelic rock. Their sound has been described as "seductive, rather than aggressive" with female vocals, classical guitar leads, analog atmospherics and "vintage satanic hooks".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bleed from Within</span> Scottish heavy metal band

Bleed from Within are a Scottish heavy metal band from Glasgow, formed in 2005. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Scott Kennedy, drummer Ali Richardson, bassist Davie Provan, lead guitarist Craig Gowans, and rhythm guitarist, clean vocalist Steven Jones. The band has released six studio albums and three EPs, with their latest Shrine released on 3 June 2022 through Nuclear Blast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esprit D'Air</span> British-Japanese rock band

Esprit D'Air is a British-Japanese progressive metal band formed in London in 2010 with members from Japan and England. In 2013, the band increased in popularity as their single "Shizuku" became the first playable song in the J-rock category in the video game Rock Band 3 but disbanded in the same year as members went back to Japan. Since reforming in 2016, Kai appoints session musicians and support members, which included some of the original line-up to perform with him on tour.

References

  1. "COMMON DEAD Post New Video Interview, Video Retrospective". BraveWords . April 16, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  2. "Common Dead Going on Hiatus – in Metal News ( Metal Underground.com )". www.metalunderground.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  3. Fisher, Jason. "Common Dead Issues Album Update". The Gauntlet. The Gauntlet. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Williams, Robert (February 20, 2010). "Interview with Common Dead (February 2010)". Metal-Rules.com. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  5. "Billboard: Common Dead". Billboard Music.
  6. "Interview with Common Dead". Metal Rules. February 20, 2010. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  7. "Common Dead: Animalism". MetalBuzz. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
  8. 1 2 "Common Dead Band Info". Spirit of Metal Guide.
  9. 1 2 Greg Pratt (February 22, 2012). "Diatribe Review". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles.
  10. "Common Dead | Album Discography". AllMusic . Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  11. Ken Kopija (Editor in Chief) (January 20, 2011). "Common Dead Release Interim Flesh EP". MetalBuzz. Archived from the original on August 9, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  12. Williams, Robert (January 2011). "Review of Interim Flesh". Metal Rules. Archived from the original on February 12, 2017.
  13. The Metal Forge (January 2011). "Review of Interim Flesh". The Metal Forge. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018.
  14. Bruce Moore (March 12, 2012). "Diatribe (Review)". Pure Grain Audio.
  15. Firuath (February 24, 2012). "Diatribe Review". Metal Underground.
  16. McNamara, Colin (March 10, 2012). "BRUTALISM - Common Dead "Diatribe" - Review". www.brutalism.com. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  17. https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/uvtv-heavy-metal-hardcore/id168075141 [ dead link ]
  18. "Common Dead Critical Mass". Underground Video TV. November 25, 2011. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013.
  19. "Underground Video Television Episode Listing (#16)". Underground Video TV.
  20. "Underground Video TV: Aired Episodes & Podcasts". Underground Video TV.[ permanent dead link ]
  21. Greg Pratt (April 16, 2013). "Allegorize Review". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles.
  22. "Metal Underground Exclusive with Common Dead". Metal Underground. April 9, 2012.
  23. "Common Dead Going On Extended Hiatus". Metal Underground. June 11, 2013.
  24. "Common Dead Streaming Two Full Albums Online". Metal Underground. November 14, 2013.
  25. Ken Kopija (Editor in Chief) (May 20, 2011). "Common Dead iTunes Single". MetalBuzz. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)