Harkonen | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Tacoma, Washington, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1997–2005 |
| Labels | Hydra Head, Initial, Mind Over Matter |
| Past members | Ben Verellen Matt Howard Casey Hardy Aaron Connell Bill Quinby Chris Vancourt Mike Jones |
Harkonen was an American post-hardcore band from Tacoma, Washington, most active between 1997 and 2005. [4]
Harkonen began around 1997 originally as a five-piece that played noisy hardcore similar to artists such as Deadguy and Kiss It Goodbye. Their formative years were tumultuous and keeping a steady line-up proved difficult. After recording their self-titled single in 1997, the band were reduced to a four-piece following the departure of guitarist Chris Vancourt and vocalist Mike Jones, and it marked the addition of vocalist Aaron Connell (formerly of Grip and Christ and later went on to found Himsa and Iamthethorn). Shortly after releasing their single "Hung to Dry", vocalist Aaron Connell and short-lived guitarist Niehl Brady departed, leaving the band a three-piece, with Ben and Bill taking on the vocal role. Some time after, guitarist Bill Quinby also left and was replaced by Casey Hardy. This lineup of Verellen, Howard and Hardy would prove to be the band's most enduring line-up. [5]
After constantly changing labels and slowly changing their overall sound into a more noise rock outfit (points of reference include Scratch Acid and Nirvana), Harkonen landed on national label Hydra Head Records where they released the Grizz record as well as Shake Harder Boy and their collaboration with These Arms Are Snakes (with whom Verellen lent his guitar skills), Like a Virgin. [6] [4] This gave them more exposure and allowed them to embark on national tours with Isis and other Hydra Head Records bands.
Harkonen also began to lose inspiration around the recording of their final EP, Dancing and the band called it a day sometime in 2005. They recorded several more records prior to their breaking up which were released right around and just after the band disbanded. The band's last show was at the Seattle music festival Bumbershoot in 2005.
Ben Verellen has confirmed in interviews that the band's name was taken from that of the fictitious House Harkonnen from Frank Herbert's Dune series. [7]
Shai Hulud is an American metalcore band formed in Pompano Beach, Florida, in 1995, and later based in Poughkeepsie, New York. The band is named after the giant sandworms in Frank Herbert's novel Dune.
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Dave Verellen is an American singer. He grew up in Tacoma, Washington, and was the vocalist for the influential mathcore band Botch. He has since gone on to play drums for the folk-country band Roy with his brother Ben Verellen. In 2008 he formed the band Narrows with members of Some Girls and These Arms Are Snakes.
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Hydra Head Records was an independent record label specializing in extreme metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner in 1993. It had another imprint, Hydra Head Noise Industries, which specialized in experimental and noise music. Turner announced he was winding the label down in 2012. In 2020, the label removed its catalog from Spotify and returned its album rights back to several artists.
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Jesus Piece is an American metalcore band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 2015. The band signed to Southern Lord Records in 2018 with the release of their debut Only Self. They have since toured with acts such as Code Orange, Knocked Loose, and Ghostemane. Their second studio album, ...So Unknown, was released in 2023.
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