Primus is an American funk metal band formed in El Sobrante, California in 1984. The band is currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by drummer Jay Lane, though the latter two departed the band at the end of 1988. Featuring LaLonde and Alexander, Primus recorded the live album Suck on This in 1989, followed by four studio albums: Frizzle Fry, Sailing the Seas of Cheese, Pork Soda, and Tales from the Punchbowl. Alexander left the band in 1996, replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia, and Primus went on to record the original theme song for the TV show South Park and two more albums, Brown Album and Antipop, before declaring a hiatus in 2000.
Lake of Tears is a Swedish heavy metal band originally formed in 1994, generally considered to play gothic metal/gothic rock and doom metal. However, their sound has expanded to include psychedelic rock and progressive rock elements. The band broke up in 2000 amid creative differences, but reunited in late 2003, releasing the acclaimed album Black Brick Road. They released their eighth studio album, Illwill, in April 2011. In 2014 they released their first live album, By the Black Sea.
Ancient is a Norwegian black metal band from Bergen, formed in 1992. The band released six full-length albums released by Metal Blade Records to date and a variety of mini-albums, EPs and special releases. Ancient used to have the classic raw black metal sound, similar to Darkthrone's works. Beginning with The Cainian Chronicle, they moved towards a more Nordic/atmospheric black metal sound, akin to Emperor and a cleaner production. After a period of turmoil concerning their line-up, they went on to add gothic-style instruments such as violins, a female vocalist, and synthesizers to their music.
Kittie is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in London, Ontario in 1996. All of their material has been released through independent record labels, which to date includes six studio albums, one video album, four extended plays, thirteen singles, and thirteen music videos. "Kittie" was chosen as the band name because the name "seemed contradictory."
Barathrum is a Finnish black-doom metal band, formed in 1990. The band's name is Latin for pit or abyss. The first letters of their eight full-length albums spell "HEIL SOVA" - referring to the band's frontman, Demonos Sova, who is the only original member of the band. Their music is stylistically similar to early black metal acts such as Venom and Celtic Frost. Their lyrics deal with occult and religious themes.
Mors Principium Est(Latin for "death is the beginning") is a Finnish melodic death metal band formed in 1999.
Madder Mortem is a Norwegian progressive metal band. They were originally formed by siblings Agnete and BP M. Kirkevaag in 1993 as a doom metal/gothic metal band as Mystery Tribe, but changed the name to Madder Mortem in 1997.
Psycroptic is an Australian technical death metal band formed in Hobart in 1999. Mainstay members are Dave Haley on drums and his brother Joe Haley on guitar. Their lead vocalist, Jason Peppiatt, joined in 2004. In 2008 they signed to Nuclear Blast. As of February 2019, the band have released seven studio albums. They have undertaken Australian national tours supporting international acts, Incantation, Decapitated, Origin and Misery Index. Psycroptic have also toured Europe with Nile and with Deicide. In February 2019, the band started a co-headlining tour alongside Aversions Crown and support bands Within Destruction, Hadal Maw and Hollow World across Europe. They will also headline an upcoming 2019 tour in the United States in support of their most recent album As the Kingdom Drowns.
Fleurety is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band. The band was formed in 1991 by Svein Egil Hatlevik and Alexander Nordgaren.
Bride was an American Christian metal band formed in the 1980s, by brothers Dale and Troy Thompson. During the band's peak years it was known for covering a wide range of musical styles and remains popular in places like Brazil. Their song "Same 'Ol Sinner" is on the Digital Praise PC game Guitar Praise.
Horna is a Finnish black metal band that formed in 1993. The band has appeared on over thirty releases including splits, demos, EPs and albums since 1995, which have been released through numerous record labels.
Damaged was an Australian deathgrind band from Ballarat, Victoria, active from 1989 to 2004.
Crematory is a gothic metal band formed in Mannheim, Germany in 1991.
Gutworm were a British extreme metal band from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England, formed in 1999.
Shade Empire is a Finnish symphonic black metal band, formed in 1999 in the city of Kuopio.
Mortem is a death metal band formed in 1986 in Lima, Peru. They are the first Peruvian metal band to have toured Europe and the United States. Mortem’s musical style is firmly rooted in the death metal, black metal and thrash metal of the nineteen-eighties. Mortem's characteristic heavy sound is defined through slow and sinister death metal alternated with fast and aggressive counterparts. Frantic tremolo picking in the style of early Possessed and Death built on passionate rhythmic percussion topped with wailing atonal and melodic guitar solos comprise a potent mix which lives up to the principle of death metal technique to craft pounding ritualistic and spirited death metal. Vocals are forged from guttural rasps and often develop into high shrieks while lyrics deal mainly with the occult and anti-Christianity.
Tuff is an American glam metal band formed in 1985 in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, by guitarist Jorge Manos (DeSaint), bassist Todd Chaisson (Chase), and included guitarist David Janssen, drummer Chris Louthan, and vocalist Michael Meyers (Cordet). This incarnation of Tuff was prior to taking on its "Glam" image, and the music was significantly "heavier". This little documented lineup actually played in the local Phoenix market for roughly a year, at such clubs as opening for various National Acts, including Flotsam and Jetsam.
Vaakevandring was a Norwegian unblack metal band that was active from 1996 to 2007. The name in Norwegian is a reference to the resurrection of Jesus. Vaakevandring played symphonic black metal with influences from Norwegian folk music.
Asguard was a Belarusian heavy metal band from Mogilev, active between 1997 and 2009. Their music contains elements of melodic death metal, gothic metal and industrial metal.
Reid Laurence "Larry" LaLonde, also known as Ler LaLonde, is an American musician best known as the guitarist for Primus, a position that he has served since 1989, where he is known for his experimental accompaniment to the bass playing of bandmate Les Claypool. Previously, he played guitar for the groups Possessed, Blind Illusion, No Forcefield, and the Frank Zappa tribute band "Caca". He also has collaborated more recently with artists such as Serj Tankian and Tom Waits.
