This section contains information of unclear or questionable importance or relevance to the article's subject.(January 2010) |
Psyopus | |
---|---|
Also known as | Stranglefuck |
Origin | Rochester, New York, United States |
Genres | Avant-garde metal, mathcore |
Years active | 2002–2010, 2012 |
Labels | Metal Blade Black Market Activities |
Members | final lineup: Christopher Arp Jason Bauers Adam Frappolli Fred Decoste |
Past members | Greg Herman Brian Woodruff Brian Kelly Lee Fisher Corey Barnes Jon Cole Harrison Christie Michael Horn Matt Dalberth Brent Glover |
Website | www.myspace.com/psyopus Official MySpace |
Psyopus (sometimes written as PsyOpus) was an American mathcore band from Rochester, New York.
Formed in 2002, the band is noted for the unorthodox and extremely technical guitar techniques of Christopher Arp, often referred to as "Arpmandude", because he mainly uses one technique, tapping. To get endorsement deals from various guitar and amp companies, Arp had to send a live video of himself playing to prove that he could play as fast as he does. Arp considers Psyopus a technically proficient band: "I understand people not understanding us so by default the music comes across as noise but, the music makes sense to us all too much and every 16th note was scrutinized." [1] Regarding learning to play guitar, Arp says: "I learned to play guitar in my bedroom. I got my first guitar in eighth grade. I bought Metallica tablature books, Megadeth books, guitar magazines, didn’t do homework, and just played guitar all night." [2]
The band released their 2nd album Our Puzzling Encounters Considered in February 2007. The techniques Arp uses have made it even more difficult to receive any endorsement. Arp himself said, "Mesa Boogie has not done very much to sponsor me because I do too much of this," as he raised his guitar by the whammy bar shaking it up and down. The band released their third studio album Odd Senses , on February 17, 2009.
The band entered an extended hiatus in 2010. In 2011, Christopher Arp posted several videos of himself on YouTube explaining the history and eventual hiatus of Psyopus. [3] The hiatus may have been interrupted in 2012 when a photo appeared on Arp's Facebook page showing him with Michael Van Munster and Ike Schultz. A comment on the photo by long-time Psyopus producer, Doug White, showed that he was working with the three in the studio.
In October 2012, 'Metal Injection' revealed that Psyopus would reunite with three of the four original members: Chris Arp, Adam Frappolli, Fred Decoste—with drummer Jason Bauers, who was a member until the hiatus. [4]
On July 17, 2015, a YouTube account named The Infamous Arpmandude posted a video titled 5/21/2013 Chris Arp Imogen's Puzzle and Lecture at the U of R. In the hour and ten-minute video, Arp playing Imogen's Puzzle Pt. 2, and afterward talk about himself, his experiences playing guitar, and gives a quick rundown on the history of Psyopus. He also explains that Psyopus is no longer an active band due to frustrations and hardships. [5]
Cinderella was an American rock band formed in 1983 in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The band emerged in the mid-1980s with a series of multi-platinum studio albums and hit singles whose music videos received heavy MTV rotation and popularity. Cinderella initially had a glam metal sound throughout the late 1980s before shifting into a more blues rock-based sound during the early to mid 1990s.
Stone Sour was an American rock band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1992. The band performed for five years before disbanding in 1997. They reunited in 2000 and since 2015, the group has consisted of Corey Taylor, Josh Rand (guitar), Christian Martucci (guitar), Johny Chow (bass) and Roy Mayorga (drums). Longtime members Joel Ekman and Shawn Economaki left the band in 2006 and 2011, respectively. Former lead guitarist Jim Root left in 2014. The band has been on an indefinite hiatus since 2020.
Extol are a metal band from Bekkestua, Norway that was formed in 1993. The band is known for playing a variety of different styles of metal which include progressive metal, death metal, black metal and thrash metal.
Mushroomhead is an American heavy metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in the Cleveland Warehouse District, the band is known for their avant-garde sound and horror film-inspired imagery which features masks and costumes as well as their unique live shows usually performed at smaller venues.
Kix was an American glam metal and hard rock band formed in 1976, that achieved popularity during the 1980s. Led by front man Steve Whiteman and bassist Donnie Purnell, the band's classic lineup was rounded out by guitarists Ronnie "10/10" Younkins and Brian "Damage" Forsythe and drummer Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant. Kix covered AC/DC, Aerosmith, April Wine, Led Zeppelin, and others before signing with Atlantic Records in 1981. Since peaking in the late-1980s, band members continued to record and tour until their disbandment in 2023.
Motograter is an American nu metal band formed in Santa Barbara, California in 1995. They are best known for their homemade, namesake instrument, designed with industrial cable and guitar pieces that creates a unique bass sound, and painting themselves in tribal-style body paint for live concerts.
Aes Dana is a French Celtic/black metal band, based in Paris, France. The name of the band is Old Irish for "people of the arts".
Assjack is an American heavy metal band led by Hank Williams III and Garrett Bremer. The band is one of the three incarnations of Williams' live show.
Estradasphere was an American experimental band that originated in Santa Cruz, California, during the late 1990s. The band, which in its last incarnation was based in Seattle, consisted of six multi-instrumentalists from a variety of musical backgrounds trained in disciplines ranging from classical music and jazz to heavy metal.
The Amenta are an Australian death metal and industrial metal band formed in 1997 as Crucible of Agony. By 2002 the line-up was Cesium 137 on lead vocals, Diazanon on drums, Ethion on guitar, Endrin on bass guitar and Chlordane on keyboards. In 2009 the line-up had Miehs and Pope joined by Cain Cressall on vocals, Dan Quinlan on bass guitar and Robin Stone on drums. The group has issued three studio albums, Occasus (2004), n0n (2008), and Flesh Is Heir (2013). The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2013, but reunited in 2020.
Carnal Forge are a Swedish band, best classified as thrash metal with some melodic death metal influences. Their name originates from a song on Carcass's album Heartwork.
Dååth is an American death metal band from Atlanta. Their music incorporates styles such as death metal, industrial metal, and some traces of gypsy jazz.
Kylesa is an American heavy metal band that was formed in Savannah, Georgia. Their music incorporates experimentalism with heavy riffs, drop-tuned guitars and elements of psychedelic rock. The group was established in 2001 by the former members of Damad, with the addition of guitar player Laura Pleasants who is from North Carolina. The band has since undergone line up changes; the remaining original members are Phillip Cope and Laura Pleasants. In 2006, the band added two drummers. Eric Hernandez joined in 2008 to replace Porter. The dual drum tracks are often panned strongly to the right and left.
Ideas of Reference is the debut album by Psyopus, released on October 19, 2004.
Arallu is an Israeli extreme metal band. As one of the members of the Jerusalem extreme metal scene, Arallu has "thrived off the seeming contradiction of its location within a 'holy' city."
Little Joy is a Brazilian/American rock supergroup formed in 2007 by Los Hermanos singer/guitarist Rodrigo Amarante, The Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti, and Binki Shapiro. They released Little Joy, their only album, in 2008.
Odd Senses is the third and final album by Psyopus, released on February 17, 2009 via Metal Blade Records.
War from a Harlots Mouth is a German metalcore band from Berlin, formed in 2005. Consisting of vocalist Nico Webers, guitarists Simon Hawemann and Daniel Oberländer, bassist Filip Hantusch, and drummer Paul Seidel, the band is noted for a distinct musical style consisting of infusing many different genres into their songs, such as math metal, death metal, and jazz.
Naglfar is a Swedish melodic black metal band formed in 1992. The group was formed by Jens Rydén and Kristoffer Olivius, originally under the name Uninterred.
Eat Me Raw was an American experimental band, formed in Joplin, Missouri in 2008. The band released two albums and two extended plays. Members of the band were better known for performing as the indie rock band Never Shout Never.