Pagan (band)

Last updated

Pagan
Origin Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres Heavy metal, disco, punk rock
Years active2013–2020
Labels Hassle
Past members
  • Nikki Brumen
  • Xavier Santilli
  • Dan Bonnici
  • Matt Morasco

Pagan were an Australian band from Melbourne, Victoria formed in 2013. Their music merges the sounds of black metal, disco and punk rock. Their track "Heavy Repeater" peaked at number one on Triple J's punk/metal chart. [1]

Contents

The band announced their decision to break up in January 2020, following a final show. [2]

History

Pagan were formed in 2013 as a reaction against the Melbourne metalcore scene, which the members believe to be too limiting, both stylistically and culturally. [3] [4] Santilli, Bonnici and Morasco had been playing music in bands for around twenty years prior to the forming the band, and Brumen has been playing for half a decade. [5] In March 2015, they released their debut self-titled EP. [6] The EP included the single "Heavy Repeater", which reached number one on Triple J's punk/metal chart soon after. [7]

On 6 July 2018, they released their debut album Black Wash through Hassle Records. [8] [9] In August 2018, they headlined a tour of Australia. [10] [11] In November and December 2018, the band headlined a tour of the U.K. and Europe with support from Phoxjaw, Old Blue Last and Mother's Ruin. [12] During this time, the track 'Imitate Me' reached the top spot of the Kerrang! Rock Chart. [13] In May 2019, they toured the U.K., playing festivals such as Slam Dunk Festival and The Great Escape Festival, and opened for Microwave on their European headline tour. [14] After returning from tour, bassist Dan Bonnici had his bass and a remote power supply stylized after the band's logo stolen from his car outside his home in Melbourne. [15] In September 2019, they toured Australia in support of the Amity Affliction. [16]

On 12 January 2020, the band announced their decision to break up after one farewell show. [2] The show, at the John Curtin Bandroom in Melbourne, sold out on the day tickets went on sale - leading the band to add a second show the night before at The Workers Club. Vocalist Nikki has since gone on to join Norwegian punk band Blood Command.

Musical style

The band's music took from genres such as punk rock, disco, black metal and metalcore. [17] [3] In an article for Kerrang!, they were described as a merger between the sounds of Marmozets, Møl and Employed to Serve. [17] David James Young, writing for Tone Deaf, said they were "either the most accessible or melodic band on a heavy bill or the heaviest band on a mixed rock bill – there is never any in-between". [18] They have been categorised as death–disco, [19] blackened punk ’n’ roll, [3] punk rock, [20] hardcore punk [10] and heavy metal. [1] They self-describe their music as "blackened rock 'n' roll". [21]

Members

Discography

Albums
EPs

Related Research Articles

Avenged Sevenfold American heavy metal band

Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Synyster Gates, bassist and backing vocalist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman.

Skindred Welsh heavy metal band

Skindred are a Welsh reggae metal band formed in Newport, Wales in 1998. Their musical style mixes heavy metal, alternative rock, and ragga. The band also integrate elements of punk rock, hardcore punk, reggae, dancehall, jungle, ska, hip hop, drum and bass, dubstep, and various other influences into their music. They are well known for their energetic and involving live performances, and have won several awards including "Best Live Band" at the 2011 UK Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards and the "Devotion Award" at the 2011 Kerrang! Awards.

Creeper (band) English rock band

Creeper are an English rock band from Southampton. Formed in 2014, the group originally featured vocalist Will Gould, guitarists Ian Miles and Sina Nemati, bassist Sean Scott and drummer Dan Bratton. The band independently released their self-titled debut EP in 2014, before signing with Roadrunner Records and issuing a follow-up, The Callous Heart, the next year. At the end of 2015, Nemati was replaced by Oliver Burdett and touring keyboardist/vocalist Hannah Greenwood became an official member of the band. A third EP, The Stranger, was released in 2016 and reached the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart top ten.

Panic! at the Disco American rock solo project

Panic! at the Disco is the solo project of American musician Brendon Urie. It was originally a pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 by childhood friends Urie, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, and Brent Wilson. They recorded their first demos while they were in high school. Shortly after, the band recorded and released their debut studio album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005). Popularized by the second single, "I Write Sins Not Tragedies", the album was certified triple platinum in the US. In 2006, founding bassist Brent Wilson was fired from the band during an extensive world tour and subsequently replaced by Jon Walker. The band's second album, Pretty. Odd. (2008), was preceded by the single "Nine in the Afternoon". That album marked a significant departure from the sound of the band's debut. Ross and Walker, who favored the band's new direction, departed because Urie and Smith wanted to make further changes to the band's style. Ross and Walker subsequently formed a new band, the Young Veins, leaving Urie and Smith as the sole remaining members of Panic! at the Disco.

Bring Me the Horizon British rock band

Bring Me the Horizon are a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardist Jordan Fish. They are signed to RCA Records globally and Columbia Records exclusively in the United States.

Alestorm Scottish pirate-themed heavy metal band

Alestorm is 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.

Architects (British band) British metalcore band

Architects are a British metalcore band from Brighton, East Sussex, formed in 2004 by twin brothers Dan and Tom Searle. The band now consists of Dan Searle on drums, Sam Carter on vocals, Alex Dean on bass, and Adam Christianson and Josh Middleton on guitars. They have been signed to Epitaph Records since 2013.

<i>Sinners Never Sleep</i> 2011 studio album by You Me at Six

Sinners Never Sleep is the third studio album by English rock band You Me at Six. It was released on 3 October 2011 through Virgin Records. While touring in support of their second studio album Hold Me Down (2010), the band wrote slow-tempo material and heavy-sounding songs. Between March and May 2011, they recorded with producer Garth Richardson at Sunset Sound and The Sound Factory in Los Angeles, California. Partway through the process, vocalist Josh Franceschi suffered a panic attack, which resulted in him being hospitalized and the band losing time in the studio. Described as an alternative rock and pop rock album, Sinners Never Sleep was a departure from the pop punk sound of their previous releases.

Bury Tomorrow

Bury Tomorrow are a British metalcore band formed in 2006 in Southampton, Hampshire, England. The band is composed of six members; lead vocalist Daniel Winter-Bates, bassist Davyd Winter-Bates, drummer Adam Jackson, lead guitarist Kristan Dawson, who replaced founding guitarist Mehdi Vismara in 2013, rhythm guitarist Ed Hartwell, and keyboardist and vocalist Tom Prendergast, who both replaced Jason Cameron in 2021. Bury Tomorrow have released six studio albums, their most recent being Cannibal, released on 3 July 2020.

Beartooth (band) American hardcore punk band

Beartooth is an American hardcore punk band formed by Caleb Shomo in Columbus, Ohio, in 2012. They have been signed to Red Bull Records since 2013. Their debut EP Sick was released on July 26, 2013, followed by their debut full-length album Disgusting on June 10, 2014. Their second album Aggressive was released on June 3, 2016. Their third album Disease was released on September 28, 2018. Their fourth album Below was released on June 25, 2021.

All Hail the Yeti is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, United States. Formed in 2006, the ensemble has released three studio albums entitled All Hail the Yeti, Screams From a Black Wilderness and Highway Crosses.

Knocked Loose American heavy hardcore band

Knocked Loose is an American hardcore punk band from Oldham County, Kentucky, formed in 2013 and currently signed to Pure Noise Records. The band released its first studio album, Laugh Tracks, in September 2016 through Pure Noise Records.

Blood Youth

Blood Youth are an England hardcore punk band formed in Harrogate in 2014. They have released three studio albums, two EPs and a short-form documentary produced by Kerrang!. The current line-up consists of guitarist Chris Pritchard, bassist Matt Hollinson, drummer Brad Ratcliffe and lead vocalist Harry Rule.

Lotus Eater were a Scottish heavy metal band from Glasgow. Playing a style that puts a heavy emphasis on rhythm and downtuning, they have been cited by publications such as NME and Metal Hammer as helping to lead the new wave of heavy music in Britain alongside groups like Loathe and Holding Absence.

<i>Black Flame</i> (album) 2018 studio album by Bury Tomorrow

Black Flame is the fifth studio album by British metalcore band Bury Tomorrow. It was released on 13 July 2018 through Music For Nations and Sony Music. It was produced by Dan Weller.

Blood Command is a Norwegian punk band, formed in Bergen. The band was created by Yngve Andersen, Silje Tombre and Sigurd Haakaas in 2008 and currently consists of Andersen, Haakaas, Simon Oliver Økland, and Nikki Brumen. The band has received praise for their high-energy live shows and their fresh vibrant take on rock music, while receiving extensive praise on their albums from both Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, and others.

Malevolence (band) British band

Malevolence are an English heavy metal band formed in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, in 2010. They have released two studio albums and one EP and established their own record label called MLVLTD Music.

Spiritbox is a Canadian heavy metal band from Victoria, British Columbia. Husband and wife duo guitarist Mike Stringer and vocalist Courtney LaPlante established Spiritbox in 2017. The band's full lineup comprises LaPlante and Stringer, bassist Bill Crook, and drummer Zev Rose. The band's metal style is difficult to pigeonhole into a specific metal music genre and displays an array of styles that draw from a variety of influences and incorporate electronic elements.

Static Dress

Static Dress is an English hardcore punk band from Leeds, West Yorkshire. Formed in 2018, by former Galleries members Olli Appleyard (vocals), Sam Kay (drums) and Tom Black (guitar), along with Connor Reilly (bass). They have released one EP with a companion comic book, eight singles and one video album. In 2021, Kay and Black departed from the group, being replaced by Contrast (guitar) and Sam Ogden (drums).

Wargasm are a British electronic rock duo from London. Formed in 2018 by English musician Sam Matlock and Northern Irish model and photographer Milkie Way, they have released 11 solo singles and three collaborative singles. Alternative Press listed them as a defining part of the 2020s wave of nu metal, and NME listed them as one of 2021's essential emerging artists.

References

  1. 1 2 Peters, Kris (21 September 2016). "[INTERVIEW] Pagan" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 "NEWS: Pagan break up!". 12 January 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Hill, Stephen (23 July 2018). "New Band Of The Week: Pagan" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  4. Tyers, Ben. "Pagan Vocalist Nikki Brumen On What It Means To Be A Woman In The Metal Scene" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  5. Jackson, Thomas (16 April 2019). "INTERVIEW: JOIN THE CULT OF PAGAN" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  6. H, KANE. "Pagan" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  7. "PAGAN RELEASE NEW SINGLE & SCORE NATIONAL SUPPORT SLOT" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  8. "Melbourne newcomers Pagan will release their debut album in July via Hassle Records" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  9. Redrup, Zach (24 May 2019). "INTERVIEW: Pagan (13/05/2019)" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  10. 1 2 Davino, Bianca (13 June 2018). "Pagan have announced a massive Aussie headline tour" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  11. Langford, Jackson (13 June 2018). "Melbourne Punks Pagan Announce First-Ever National Headline Tour" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  12. Weaver, James (4 September 2018). "Pagan announce European tour" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  13. "The Kerrang! Rock Chart, 28 November 2018". Kerrang! . Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  14. "PAGAN ANNOUNCE UK AND EUROPEAN TOUR". Kerrang! . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  15. Redrup, Zach (3 June 2019). "NEWS: Pagan have their gear stolen in Melbourne!" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  16. Brumen, Nikki (10 September 2019). "PAGAN // Nikki's Top Ten Bands Of 2019" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  17. 1 2 "ALBUM OF THE WEEK: PAGAN'S BLACK WASH". Kerrang! . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  18. James Young, David (28 June 2018). "Pagan are metal outcasts – and wouldn't have it any other way" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  19. "WATCH PAGAN PLAY A TINY DIVE BAR SHOW". Kerrang! . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  20. Zelaya, Carlos (6 July 2018). "ALBUM REVIEW: Pagan – Black Wash" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  21. Rats, Pile. "Introducing PAGAN, and their heavy-as-hell new single, Death Before Disco" . Retrieved 27 November 2019.