Baroness (band)
Encyclopedia
Baroness is a band from Savannah
, Georgia
whose members grew up together in Lexington
, Virginia
.
/metal
band Johnny Welfare and the Paychecks. Singer John Baizley creates the artwork for all Baroness albums, and has done artwork for other bands and labels such as Darkest Hour, The Red Chord
, Vitamin X
, Skeletonwitch
, Sounds of the Underground
, Kylesa
, Kvelertak
, Black Tusk (Band)
, Daughters
, Torche
, Pig Destroyer
, and the Magrudergrind
/Shitstorm
split grindcore
CD on Robotic Empire
.
From 2004 to 2007, Baroness recorded and released three EP
s, named First
, Second
and A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk
(aka Third), with the third one being a split album with Unpersons.
was released on September 4, 2007. and met positive reception. Heavy metal
magazine Revolver
named it Album of the Year. On December 1, 2007, Baroness performed at New York City's Bowery Ballroom
. On September 20, 2008, the band announced via MySpace
Brian Blickle would be parting ways, while also introducing a new guitarist named Peter Adams, also of Virginia-based band Valkyrie
.
Throughout 2007–9, Baroness toured and shared the stage with many bands including Converge
, The Red Chord
, High on Fire
, Opeth
, Coheed and Cambria
, Coliseum
, Mastodon
, Minsk
and Clutch
.
, to record their second full length album, Blue Record
, produced by John Congleton
(The Roots, Explosions in the Sky, Black Mountain, The Polyphonic Spree). It was released via Relapse Records
on October 13, 2009.
In February and March 2010 Baroness played in the Australian Soundwave Festival, alongside bands such as Clutch, Isis
, Meshuggah
, Janes Addiction and Faith No More
, and toured Japan in March 2010 with Isis.
Baroness have toured with many other prominent bands, such as supporting Mastodon
on their US headlining tour in April–May 2010, Deftones
for August–September 2010. In addition, Baroness was selected as one of two support acts (the other being Lamb of God
) for Metallica
on their tour of Australia and New Zealand in late 2010.
Baroness also performed at Coachella
and Bonnaroo in 2010.
Past members
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
whose members grew up together in Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Formative years
Baroness formed in mid-2003, founded by former members of the punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
/metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Johnny Welfare and the Paychecks. Singer John Baizley creates the artwork for all Baroness albums, and has done artwork for other bands and labels such as Darkest Hour, The Red Chord
The Red Chord
The Red Chord is an American grindcore band from Revere, Massachusetts, formed in 1999. The band is made up of vocalist Guy Kozowyk, guitarist Mike "Gunface" McKenzie, and bassist Greg Weeks. The band gained a fanbase with its 2002 debut album Fused Together in Revolving Doors. The second album,...
, Vitamin X
Vitamin X
Vitamin X or VX is a hardcore punk and thrashcore band from Amsterdam, Netherlands that was formed in 1997. They are named as one of the best and most important hardcore punk bands going. Their unique sound is characterized by furious hardcore punk mixed with turbo-charged thrash, 70's rock riffage...
, Skeletonwitch
Skeletonwitch
Skeletonwitch is an American heavy metal band from Athens, Ohio formed in 2003. The band currently consists of drummer Dustin Boltjes, vocalist Chance Garnette, bassist Evan Linger, and guitarists Nate Garnette and Scott Hedrick...
, Sounds of the Underground
Sounds of the Underground
The Sounds of the Underground tour was a festival-like tour that rivaled Ozzfest in its first year of existence .The tour features extreme metal and metalcore, and hardcore bands. The existence of this tour, which was held in national arenas, was to attract the rising interest of metal, hardcore,...
, Kylesa
Kylesa
Kylesa is a metal band that was formed in Savannah, Georgia. Their music incorporates experimentalism with sludgy 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...
, Kvelertak
Kvelertak
Kvelertak is a six-piece rock & roll band from Stavanger, Norway. All lyrics are written in Norwegian, the band's native language, and concerning Norse mythology/Viking folklore...
, Black Tusk (Band)
Black Tusk (band)
Black Tusk is an American heavy metal power trio from Savannah, Georgia. The band was formed in 2005, when its members were all living on the same street...
, Daughters
Daughters (band)
Daughters is an American grindcore/mathcore/noise rock band formed in 2001 in Providence, Rhode Island after the demise of Providence-based As the Sun Sets. Daughters have four releases including their self-titled EP, Canada Songs LP Hell Songs and last album Daughters . The band has re-released...
, Torche
Torche
Torche is a band from Miami, Florida, whose sound is often described as stoner metal, or sludge metal.-Biography:The group was formed in 2004 by Steve Brooks , Juan Montoya , Jonathan Nuñez and Rick Smith Torche is a band from Miami, Florida, whose sound is often described as stoner metal, or...
, Pig Destroyer
Pig Destroyer
-Biography:The band formed in 1997 with vocalist J. R. Hayes , guitarist Scott Hull , and drummer John Evans. Evans was later replaced by Brian Harvey...
, and the Magrudergrind
Magrudergrind
Magrudergrind is an American powerviolence and grindcore band formed in 2002. They have released numerous splits and two full length albums. Since its inception the band has toured Europe and North America multiple times, Puerto Rico, Japan, and South East Asia, along with Misery Index, Unholy...
/Shitstorm
Shitstorm
A Shitstorm is a vulgar dysphemism for a chaotic and unpleasant situation. The term may specifically refer to:*Shitstorm, a band on the Robotic Empire record label*"Shitstorm," a song by Murder Squad from their 2003 album Ravenous, Murderous...
split grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
CD on Robotic Empire
Robotic Empire
Robotic Empire is an American record label based out of Richmond, Virginia. They specialize in hardcore punk, metalcore, and alternative rock. Some of the most popular bands signed to the label over the years have been pg.99, City of Caterpillar, Crowpath, The Red Chord, Circle Takes the Square,...
.
From 2004 to 2007, Baroness recorded and released three EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s, named First
First (Baroness album)
First is the first official recording by the metal band Baroness . The art work was done by Baroness singer John Baizley .-Track listing:All songs written by Baroness, lyrics by John Baizley.# "Tower Falls" - 7:09# "Coeur" - 3:18# "Rise" - 6:30...
, Second
Second (Baroness album)
Second is the second official recording by the metal band Baroness . It was recorded in one session, with the exception of the vocals. The art work was done by Baroness singer John Baizley .-Track listing:All songs written by Baroness...
and A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk
A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk
A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk is a split LP by Baroness, and Unpersons. It is also known as "Baroness - Third". The art work was done by Baroness singer John Baizley.-Track listing:All Baroness songs written by Baroness, lyrics by John Baizley....
(aka Third), with the third one being a split album with Unpersons.
Red Album
Baroness started recording their first full-length album on March 2007. The Red AlbumRed Album (Baroness album)
Red Album is the first LP released by the progressive metal band Baroness. Red Album was named Album of the Year by heavy metal magazine Revolver...
was released on September 4, 2007. and met positive reception. Heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
magazine Revolver
Revolver (magazine)
Revolver is a bi-monthly rock and heavy metal magazine published by Future US. Before covering heavy metal, rock & hard rock solely, it was a more mainstream oriented magazine. The magazine is structured in a manner similar to publications such as Spin while covering many avenues within the heavy...
named it Album of the Year. On December 1, 2007, Baroness performed at New York City's Bowery Ballroom
Bowery Ballroom
The Bowery Ballroom is a music venue in the Bowery section of New York City. The structure, at 6 Delancey Street, was built just before the Stock Market Crash of 1929. It stood vacant until the end of WWII, when it became a high-end retail store. The neighborhood subsequently went into decline...
. On September 20, 2008, the band announced via MySpace
MySpace
Myspace 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....
Brian Blickle would be parting ways, while also introducing a new guitarist named Peter Adams, also of Virginia-based band Valkyrie
Valkyrie (band)
-Biography:Driven by brothers Jake and Pete Adams, Valkyrie draws from pre-metal style to create a rich and earthy stoner metal sound. They formed in summer 2002 as a three-piece consisting of vocalist/guitarist Jake Adams, bassist Eric Seaman, and drummer Luke Shafer. In 2004 Jake's brother Pete...
.
Throughout 2007–9, Baroness toured and shared the stage with many bands including Converge
Converge (band)
Converge is an American band from Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and metal since 1990, Converge has helped to define many of the elements of the metalcore genre.-Description:...
, The Red Chord
The Red Chord
The Red Chord is an American grindcore band from Revere, Massachusetts, formed in 1999. The band is made up of vocalist Guy Kozowyk, guitarist Mike "Gunface" McKenzie, and bassist Greg Weeks. The band gained a fanbase with its 2002 debut album Fused Together in Revolving Doors. The second album,...
, High on Fire
High on Fire
High on Fire is a stoner metal band from Oakland, California, that was formed in 1998. Matt Pike, the band's frontman and founder, previously played guitar for the influential stoner doom band Sleep.-History:...
, Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria is an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York. Formed in 1995, the group incorporates aspects of progressive rock, punk rock, metal and post-hardcore....
, Coliseum
Coliseum (band)
Coliseum is a punk rock band that formed in 2003. They released their latest album, House with a Curse, through Temporary Residence in June 2010.Exclaim! named "House with a Curse", as the No. 6 Punk Album of 2010.-History:...
, Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
, Minsk
Minsk (band)
Minsk is a doom metal/post-metal band from Peoria, Illinois founded in 2002. They are signed to Relapse Records. Self described as "psychedelic metal", their songs tend to start out as slow and simple, and become heavy and complex towards the end...
and Clutch
Clutch (band)
Clutch is an American rock band from Germantown, Maryland, formed in 1990. The band's first release was an EP entitled Pitchfork, which debuted in October 1990. Their first studio album, Transnational Speedway League, was released three years later in 1993. To date, Clutch has released nine studio...
.
Blue Record
On May 18, 2009 Baroness entered The Track Studio in Plano, TexasPlano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
, to record their second full length album, Blue Record
Blue Record
Blue Record is the second LP released by the heavy metal band Baroness. Blue Record was released on October 13, 2009. It is considered the sister album to the previous album, Red Album...
, produced by John Congleton
John Congleton
John Congleton John Congleton John Congleton (born April 5, 1977 in Lubbock, Texas, United States, is best known as a Grammy-nominated producer/engineer/mixer who made a name for himself in the alternative rock underground via production of his own band, The Paper Chase, and for many other artists...
(The Roots, Explosions in the Sky, Black Mountain, The Polyphonic Spree). It was released via Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
on October 13, 2009.
In February and March 2010 Baroness played in the Australian Soundwave Festival, alongside bands such as Clutch, Isis
Isis (band)
Isis was a Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band, founded in Boston, Massachusetts, with a career spanning from 1997 to 2010...
, Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
, Janes Addiction and Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
, and toured Japan in March 2010 with Isis.
Baroness have toured with many other prominent bands, such as supporting Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
on their US headlining tour in April–May 2010, Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
for August–September 2010. In addition, Baroness was selected as one of two support acts (the other being Lamb of God
Lamb of God (band)
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
) for Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
on their tour of Australia and New Zealand in late 2010.
Baroness also performed at Coachella
Coachella
Coachella may refer to;*Coachella, California*Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival...
and Bonnaroo in 2010.
2011 and new album
On May 23, 2011, the band launched their official websitecitation needed. The first content released on the new page gave hints to work on a new album for 2011 or early 2012.Members
Current members- John BaizleyJohn Dyer BaizleyJohn Baizley is a painter and musician based in Savannah, Georgia. He is notable for his album cover art and t-shirts for artists including Kylesa, Pig Destroyer, Darkest Hour, Daughters, Skeletonwitch, Torche, Cursed, Black Tusk, Kvelertak, Vitamin X, Flight of the Conchords, The Red Chord,...
– guitar, lead vocals (since 2003) - Peter Adams – guitar, vocals (since 2008)
- Summer Welch – bass (since 2003)
- Allen Blickle – drums (since 2003)
Past members
- Tim Loose – guitar (2003–2005)
- Brian Blickle – guitar (2006–2008)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Indie |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Rock |
US Taste |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
||
| 2007 | Red Album Red Album (Baroness album) Red Album is the first LP released by the progressive metal band Baroness. Red Album was named Album of the Year by heavy metal magazine Revolver...
|
– | – | – | – | – |
| 2009 | Blue Record Blue Record Blue Record is the second LP released by the heavy metal band Baroness. Blue Record was released on October 13, 2009. It is considered the sister album to the previous album, Red Album... |
14 | 1 | 15 | 12 | 117 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||||
Split LPs
| Year | Album details | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk is a split LP by Baroness, and Unpersons. It is also known as "Baroness - Third". The art work was done by Baroness singer John Baizley.-Track listing:All Baroness songs written by Baroness, lyrics by John Baizley....
|
Split album Split album A split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively... |
Split record with Unpersons. Sometimes referred to as Third. |
EPs
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | First First (Baroness album) First is the first official recording by the metal band Baroness . The art work was done by Baroness singer John Baizley .-Track listing:All songs written by Baroness, lyrics by John Baizley.# "Tower Falls" - 7:09# "Coeur" - 3:18# "Rise" - 6:30... |
Hyperrealist Records |
| 2005 | Second Second (Baroness album) Second is the second official recording by the metal band Baroness . It was recorded in one session, with the exception of the vocals. The art work was done by Baroness singer John Baizley .-Track listing:All songs written by Baroness... |
Hyperrealist Records |
Singles
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "A Horse Called Golgotha" | Relapse Records |
Compilations
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | First & Second | Hyperrealist Records |
Music videos
| Album | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Red Album (2007) | "Wanderlust" | Joshua Green |
| Blue Album (2009) | "A Horse Called Golgotha" | Joshua Green |