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
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">Hawkwind</span> English rock band

Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard rock, progressive rock and psychedelic rock. They are also regarded as an influential proto-punk band. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes.

The Obsessed is an American heavy metal band from Potomac, Maryland, led by Scott "Wino" Weinrich. The band combines elements of doom metal, stoner rock, and punk rock. Formed in 1980, they recorded a few demos and played a handful of live shows until they first split up in 1986 when Weinrich joined as lead vocalist for Saint Vitus, but reformed four years later. After releasing three albums, the Obsessed broke up for a second time in 1995. After briefly reuniting for some shows in 2012 and 2013, the Obsessed announced their third reunion in March 2016.

Thergothon was a Finnish doom metal band which lasted from 1990 until 1993 and pioneered the funeral doom subgenre. They only released one demo, Fhtagn nagh Yog-Sothoth (1991), and one album, Stream from the Heavens (1994). Their sound was extremely slow and dirge-like in long pieces, which combined heavy guitar riffs, extremely deep death grunts and sparse lead guitar melodies. The band disbanded a year before the release of the album and its members focused on other projects.

Mortician is an American death metal band from Yonkers, New York, founded in 1989. They have released most of their albums since the House by the Cemetery EP on Relapse Records, but have released their latest album on their own label, Mortician Records. They have toured several times through America and Europe. The band is heavily inspired by horror movies, which is expressed in the lyrics, the artwork, and the use of samples throughout their discography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daylight Dies</span> American melodic death-doom band

Daylight Dies is a melodic death-doom band from North Carolina, United States.

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

Monstrosity is an American death metal band formed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, during the 1990s in the Florida death metal. The original lineup featured Corpsegrinder, who later found greater success as the frontman and singer of Cannibal Corpse.

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 a 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 heavy metal band from Alexandria, Virginia, most famous 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. The band was prolific in the underground scene of the 1970s, producing many demos and rehearsal tapes, but did not release a full-length album until re-forming in the early 1980s with an almost completely new line-up. Throughout the band's history, the only constant member has been vocalist Bobby Liebling. The revolving line-up of Pentagram has featured many well-respected musicians in the local doom metal scene, with members spending time in other acts such as the Obsessed, Place of Skulls, Internal Void, Spirit Caravan, among many others. The band's current line-up consists of Liebling (vocals), Matt Goldsborough (guitar), Greg Turley (bass), and "Minnesota" Pete Campbell (drums).

Dolorian is a doom metal band from Oulu, Finland. Their early recordings are viewed as prime examples of blackened doom metal. Later recordings mixed dark ambient music with the traditional doom metal style.

Genghis Tron is an American four-piece cybergrind band formed in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States, and latterly based in Brooklyn, New York and San Francisco, California. The band signed to Relapse Records after releasing two recordings on Crucial Blast. The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2010, but returned in 2020 and soon after announced a new album, Dream Weapon, in March 2021.

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 and Sonic Youth.

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

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.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hooded Menace</span> Finnish death-doom band

Hooded Menace are a Finnish death-doom band formed in Joensuu in 2007 by guitarist Lasse Pyykkö, who had previously performed in a death metal band named Phlegethon.

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 black metal bands including Chaos Moon, Manetheren, Krieg, Skaphe, Martrod, 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.