Acrimony
Encyclopedia
Acrimony was a British
stoner metal band who were active during the 1990s. Releasing their debut album in 1994, they are regarded as the pioneers of stoner metal in the United Kingdom
, and an important influence upon the scene. Although the band never achieved mainstream success, during their career they received much critical acclaim – they were nominated for the Kerrang!
Best Newcomer award and earned top review ratings. Acrimony have maintained a cult following in the British metal scene, their records reportedly selling for vast sums as collectors items. Allmusic described their musical style as "typical mid-'90s stoner rock" that "combined Black Sabbath
's heavy metal riffery, Hawkwind
's space rock excursions, and Blue Cheer
's fuzzed-out psychedelic feedback with extreme doses of volume .... particularly reminiscent of desert metal gods Kyuss
."
before the outfit disbanded, then he went on to form the Dukes Of Nothing with other ex-Iron Monkey members and members of Orange Goblin
. Lee 'Roy' went on to form Swansea-based crust
/trampcore, power violence six-piece Black Eye Riot along with Stu and Dorian. Darren and Mead formed The 9ine and Mead has his own trance
project Yeti. As of 2008, Stu, Mead, Darren and Dorian have re-grouped and are currently writing tracks, although they're reported to be "different" to Acrimony. They are currently reformed with the new name Sigiriya. Lee 'Roy' Davies now plays in heavy merchants LIFER.
Former members
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
stoner metal band who were active during the 1990s. Releasing their debut album in 1994, they are regarded as the pioneers of stoner metal in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and an important influence upon the scene. Although the band never achieved mainstream success, during their career they received much critical acclaim – they were nominated for the Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
Best Newcomer award and earned top review ratings. Acrimony have maintained a cult following in the British metal scene, their records reportedly selling for vast sums as collectors items. Allmusic described their musical style as "typical mid-'90s stoner rock" that "combined Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
's heavy metal riffery, Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
's space rock excursions, and Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer was an American psychedelic blues-rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009...
's fuzzed-out psychedelic feedback with extreme doses of volume .... particularly reminiscent of desert metal gods Kyuss
Kyuss
Kyuss is a rock band, originally from Palm Desert, California. After forming in the late 1980s and releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums, and one last split EP in 1997 with...
."
Present day
Since their split in 2001, Stu O'Hara went on to play guitar in Iron MonkeyIron Monkey (band)
Iron Monkey was a sludge metal band that formed in Nottingham, England in 1994. The original members were Justin Greaves , Johnny Morrow , Jim Rushby , Steve Watson and Doug Dalziel...
before the outfit disbanded, then he went on to form the Dukes Of Nothing with other ex-Iron Monkey members and members of Orange Goblin
Orange Goblin
Orange Goblin are a stoner metal band from the United Kingdom that formed in 1995. The band's lineup currently consists of singer Ben Ward, guitarist Joe Hoare, bassist Martyn Millard, and drummer Chris Turner.-History:...
. Lee 'Roy' went on to form Swansea-based crust
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
/trampcore, power violence six-piece Black Eye Riot along with Stu and Dorian. Darren and Mead formed The 9ine and Mead has his own trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
project Yeti. As of 2008, Stu, Mead, Darren and Dorian have re-grouped and are currently writing tracks, although they're reported to be "different" to Acrimony. They are currently reformed with the new name Sigiriya. Lee 'Roy' Davies now plays in heavy merchants LIFER.
Band members
- Dorian "Dexter" Walters – vocals
- Stuart O'Hara – guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Matthew Lee "Roy" Davies – guitar
- Paul "Mead" Bidmead – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Darren Ivey – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Former members
- David "Dai" Jones - Bass
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | Notes |
| 1994 | Hymns To The Stone | Godhead Records | Debut album |
| 1997 | Tumuli Shroomaroom Tumuli Shroomaroom Tumuli Shroomaroom is the second full length studio album from Welsh stoner rock/doom band Acrimony. It was released in 1997 on Peaceville Records, and is the follow-up to their 1994 Godhead Records release, Hymns To The Stone... |
Peaceville Records Peaceville Records Peaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England... |
Reissued in 2007 on Leaf Hound Records Leaf Hound Records Leaf Hound Records is a Japanese record label specializing in 60s and 70s inspired stoner/doom metal. The label takes its name from the 70s hard rock band Leaf Hound. Leaf Hound Records has released material from Japanese bands such as Church of Misery and Sonic Flower, US bands such as Blood... |
| 2007 | Bong On - Live Long! | Leaf Hound Records Leaf Hound Records Leaf Hound Records is a Japanese record label specializing in 60s and 70s inspired stoner/doom metal. The label takes its name from the 70s hard rock band Leaf Hound. Leaf Hound Records has released material from Japanese bands such as Church of Misery and Sonic Flower, US bands such as Blood... |
Compilation album |
EPs and Singles
| Year | Title | Label | Notes |
| 1992 | A Sombre Thought | None | EP, self-released |
| 1993 | Solstice Sadness | Shiver Records | EP |
| 1995 | The Acid Elephant | Godhead Records | EP, later included on Bong On - Live Long! |
| 1996 | Motherslug | Game Two Records | Split-single with Iron Rainbow |
| 2003 | Acrimony/Church of Misery | Game Two Records | Split-EP with Church of Misery Church of Misery is a doom metal band from Tokyo, Japan. Church of Misery's style melds early-era Black Sabbath style doom with psychedelic rock.-History:Most songs by Church of Misery are about serial killers and mass murderers... , later included on Bong On - Live Long! |
Compilation appearances
- 1996 – "Earthchild Inferno" on Dark Passages Volume II
- 1997 – "Bud Song" on Burn One Up
- 1998 – "Find The Path" on Stoned Revolution
- 1998 – "O Baby" on Peaceville X
- 1999 – "Tumuli Shroomaroom" on Rise 13: Magick Rock Volume 1Rise 13Rise 13: Magick Rock Vol. 1 is a compilation CD of stoner rock and doom metal bands; including Goatsnake, Orange Goblin, Sheavy, Spirit Caravan, and Unida...
- 2001 – "Satellite 19" on 21st Century Media Blitz Volume II
- 2003 – "And The Story EndsImaginations from the Other SideImaginations from the Other Side is the fifth studio album by Blind Guardian that was released in 1995. The atmosphere of this album is darker in comparison to their earlier works, such as Battalions of Fear, which had a relatively happy tone...
" on Tales From the UnderworldTales From the UnderworldTales From the Underworld is a tribute album for Blind Guardian by various metal bands.-Track listing:# Dead Poets Society - The Last Candle# Salamandra - A Past and Future Secret# Acrimony - And the Story Ends# Blackened - Another Holy War...
: A Tribute to Blind Guardian
External links
- Official Acrimony website
- Acrimony on Leaf Hound Records
- Acrimony at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- [ Acrimony] at Allmusic
- Acrimony at ArtistDirectARTISTdirectFounded in 1994, Artistdirect, Inc. is an online digital media entertainment company. It owns several websites including Artistdirect.com, UBL.com and the Artistdirect Network...
- Acrimony at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...
- Acrimony at MusicMightMusicMightMusicMight, formerly Rockdetector is a rock music website which provides artist and product information through a global website and an ongoing book series...
- Acrimony on BBC Wales