Minsk (band)

Last updated
Minsk
Origin Peoria, Illinois, United States
Genres Doom metal, post-metal, sludge metal
Years active2002–present
LabelsAt a Loss, Relapse
MembersChristopher Bennett
Timothy Mead
Aaron Austin
Zac Livingston
Ryan Thomas
Sanford Parker
Past membersAnthony Couri
Drew McDowell
Brian Barth
Jared Madigan
Dustin Addis
Jeff Hyde
Kevin Rendleman
Website www.thesoundofminsk.com

Minsk is an extreme metal band from Peoria, Illinois founded in 2002. Self-described as "psychedelic metal", their songs tend to start out as slow and simple, and become heavy and complex towards the end. Their sound draws from doom metal, hardcore punk, ambient and noise music, with a highly psychedelic attitude achieved through tribal drum patterns, thick layers of synthesizers and keyboards, and echoing vocals. They are named after the capital of Belarus. The idea of survival through suffering is a recurring theme in the lyrics and musical style. In fact, regarding the origin of their name, their official biography states: "Drawing its nominal inspiration from a remote Belarusian city nestled deep amidst the in-betweens of the East and the West, a city that has been burned to the ground on several occasions only to be rebuilt like a Phoenix rising from its ashes." [1] The sounds and atmospheres they evoke in their songs are complex and psychedelic. [2]

Contents

Biography

Minsk was formed in 2002 between the cities of Peoria and Chicago. They soon produced a demo CD entitled Burning, released by Lisa Falzone Recordings around the time of a United States tour and appearance at the Templars of Doom Festival in 2004. [3] In late 2004, Minsk was featured on the compilation If It Plays…, which consisted solely of artists in the Peoria region (hence the title). [4]

The band's first full-length album, Out of a Center Which Is Neither Dead nor Alive , was recorded in late 2004 and released in 2005 on At a Loss Recordings, following appearances at the South by Southwest and Emissions from the Monolith festivals. During the recording of the album, Drew McDowell left the band leaving them without a bassist. Sanford Parker, a big fan of Minsk and the guitarist for doom metal band Buried at Sea, who was producing the album at the time, decided to join Minsk as a full-time bassist to replace McDowell and also resumed his production work. Soon after Parker joined, founding member and guitarist Dustin Addis left, leaving the band to record Out of a Center Which Is Neither Dead nor Alive as a four piece, with Cristopher Bennett solely in charge of guitar duties. To support the album's release, the band embarked on a nationwide tour supporting many popular metal artists, notably Brutal Truth, High on Fire, Boris, Sunn O))), and Pig Destroyer. [3]

Following the tour, Minsk prepared to record their second album, The Ritual Fires of Abandonment , which was released February 2007 through Relapse Records who signed them immediately because of their growth in popularity and positive reception of their debut. [5] After its release, Minsk went on another United States tour in support, reappearing at the South by Southwest and Emissions from the Monolith festivals in addition to several east coast stops. The band released their 3rd LP, With Echoes in the Movement of Stone , on Relapse Records in 2009.

After 6 years of silence, Minsk finished recording their upcoming fourth album, The Crash and the Draw which was released via Relapse Records in North America on April 7, 2015, April 3, 2015 in Germany, Benelux and Finland and April 6, 2015 in the UK and rest of the world. This album was captured by the band alongside Sanford Parker at Earth Analog in Tolono, mixed by Parker and Minsk at Hypercube in Chicago, and mastered by Collin Jordan at The Boiler Room in Chicago with additional vocal tracking by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio in Oakland, California and further tracking, editing, and mixing by Kevin Rendleman at Trash Rocket Audio and Aaron Austin at We Know Who You Are, both in Peoria. The record includes cover artwork by Orion Landau. [6]

Discography

Studio albums

Splits

Compilation appearances

Members

Current members

Previous members

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dying Fetus</span> American death metal band

Dying Fetus is an American death metal band from Greater Upper Marlboro, Maryland, formed in 1991. Various lineup changes throughout the years have left John Gallagher as the sole remaining original member, as well as the band's driving force. According to Gallagher, the band name was chosen while the members were young and was intended to be offensive. To date, Dying Fetus has released nine studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blind Illusion</span> American progressive thrash metal band

Blind Illusion is an American progressive thrash metal band from Richmond, California. The band’s original line-up formed in 1978 by lead guitarist and songwriter Mark Biedermann. Since Blind Illusion’s inception the band has had several line-up changes, with Biedermann remaining the only constant member. Blind Illusion is also notable for featuring Les Claypool and Larry LaLonde, both later of Primus, who performed bass and guitar respectively on their 1988 debut album The Sane Asylum.

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

Repulsion is an American grindcore band from Flint, Michigan, founded in 1984.

Morgion was an American doom/death metal band from Orange County, California, United States. Morgion was formed in 1990 by Dwayne Boardman (guitars), Jeremy Peto, Mike Davis (guitars) and Rhett Davis (drums). The band recorded their debut “Rabid Decay” demo in 1991, followed by the “Travesty” 7" in 1993. With the addition of Bobby Thomas (guitars) and Ed Parker (keyboards) in 1994, Morgion recorded what would become Among Majestic Ruin, licensed for release to Relapse Records in 1996. In 1995, Gary Griffith joined Morgion as a replacement for Parker on keyboards. In 1998, Thomas departed and Griffith took on both guitar and keyboard duties. Morgion then wrote and recorded Solinari; released by Relapse Records in 1999. After being shelved by Relapse Records because they didn't know how to promote the band and Jeremy Peto (bass/vocals) leaving, Morgion took a hiatus to recoup. 2002 saw the band moving forward with Justin Christian on bass and an album partnership with Dark Symphonies. Cloaked by Ages, Crowned in Earth, the final album, was released in April 2004. Morgion toured Europe on the Doomination Tour, during that tour they decided it would be their last and Morgion would be no more. Despite their name being on the US Doomination Tour, Morgion did not play any shows. Rhett and Justin went as roadies for the other bands, Gary and Dwayne did not go. 2004 saw the official end of Morgion.

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

Pentagram is an American doom metal band from Alexandria, Virginia, noted as one of the pioneers of heavy metal, and the sub-genre of doom metal in particular. As such, they are considered one of the "big four of doom metal," alongside Candlemass, Saint Vitus, and Trouble.

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

Vile is an American death metal band, formed in 1996 in Concord, California by guitarist-producer Colin E. Davis and singer Juan Urteaga, recruiting the rest of the band from the ranks of disbanded groups such as Lords of Chaos, Entropy, Sporadic Psychosis and Thanatopsis. Vile toured the United States and Europe several times since their inception in 1996 including with Cannibal Corpse in 2004. Their most recent tour was of Japan in December 2013.

"Hurry On Sundown" is a 1970 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was the band's first record release, issued as a single in the UK on 26 June 1970, being an edit of the version that appeared two months later on the debut album Hawkwind. The song is inspired by Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell's version of "Hurry Down Sunshine ", written by Mary Fix and Will Shade, originally recorded in 1934 and issued on the album Blues Before Sunrise.

<i>Desolate North</i> 2006 studio album by Celestiial

Desolate North is the debut studio album by the funeral doom metal band Celestiial, first released by Bindrune Recordings on June 6, 2006. It comprises the five tracks from Celestiial's demo, Ashen, combined with three more tracks recorded separately. It was written, performed and recorded entirely by Tanner Anderson, the member of Celestiial, and was never written to be an album or to be performed. The Bindrune CD release is out-of-print, but Desolate North is still available digitally and in LP-format, the latter having been released by music distributor Handmade Birds in 2011.

Twilight is an American black metal supergroup formed in 2005 and originally commissioned by the Swedish underground label Total Holocaust Records. Members of the band are all a part of well known projects within the black metal genre or otherwise including Xasthur, Leviathan, Krieg, Isis, Nachtmystium, Draugar, Minsk, The Atlas Moth and Sonic Youth.

Abysmal Dawn is an American death metal band from Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toxic Holocaust</span> American thrash metal band

Toxic Holocaust is an American thrash metal band from Portland, Oregon.

Unearthly Trance is a sludge metal/doom metal trio from Long Island composed of guitarist-vocalist Ryan Lipynsky, bassist Jay Newman, and drummer Darren Verni. They were formed in 2000 and have released material on leading labels of the genre like Southern Lord, Rise Above Records and Relapse Records to which they are still signed today. They are also considered by critics one of the leading acts in the doom metal scene and shared tours with notable bands such as Sunn O))), Pelican, Electric Wizard, The Melvins and Morbid Angel. Their fifth album, V, was released by Relapse Records on September 27, 2011, and was produced by Sanford Parker, leader of fellow Relapse label mates and post-metal experimentalists Minsk. Ryan Lipynsky also fronts the black metal act The Howling Wind and experimental hardcore unit Pollution. All three members played in Serpentine Path with Tim Bagshaw, formerly of Electric Wizard and Ramesses.

Embalmer is an American death metal band from Cleveland, Ohio.

<i>With Echoes in the Movement of Stone</i> 2009 studio album by Minsk

With Echoes in the Movement of Stone is the third studio album by American doom metal band Minsk, released on May 26, 2009, through Relapse Records.

Inevitable End are a Swedish death metal band from Jönköping, who are signed to Relapse Records.

Weapon was a Canadian black/death metal band formed by frontman Vetis Monarch in Calgary, Alberta in 2003.

<i>Out of a Center Which Is Neither Dead nor Alive</i> 2005 studio album by Minsk

Out of a Center Which Is Neither Dead Nor Alive is the debut full-length album by Chicago-based post-metal band Minsk. Produced by Sanford Parker, the album was released in 2005 on At a Loss Recordings.

U.S. Christmas is a psychedelic rock band from Marion, North Carolina, founded in 2002. After Neurosis guitarist/vocalist Scott Kelly heard their debut album Salt The Wound, he signed the band to Neurot Recordings, the label he owns with fellow Neurosis members. Their sound features elements of Americana, sludge metal, psychedelic rock, space rock and folk.

Windhand is an American doom metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, in 2008. Currently signed to Relapse Records, Windhand released their most recent album, Eternal Return, in October 2018.

Alex Poole is an American multi-instrumentalist musician from Nashville, Tennessee. Poole has prolifically contributed to the black metal genre, having led or contributed to a number of bands, including Chaos Moon, Manetheren, Krieg, Skáphe, Martröð, and Gardsghastr. He has also played live with a number of bands to fill in for missing guitarists or bassists over the years.

References

  1. ↑ Belcher, Tony (2008-08-15). "Minsk - Out Of A Center Which Is Neither Dead Nor Alive". Tartarean Desire. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
  2. ↑ "Minsk | Free music, tour dates, photos, videos". Myspace.com. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
  3. 1 2 3 "Minsk --- Artist Biography". Relapse Records. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  4. ↑ "V/A "If It Plays…"". Thinker Thought Records. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  5. ↑ "Minsk interview". Lords of Metal. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  6. ↑ "MINSK: Long-Running Sound Alchemists To Release First Full-Length In Six Years This Spring Via Relapse Records". relapse.com . Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  7. ↑ "Old news update at thesoundofminsk.com". 2003-08-21. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  8. ↑ "Old news update at thesoundofminsk.com". 2004-07-20. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  9. ↑ "Old news update at thesoundofminsk.com". 2003-10-02. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
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.