Gorguts
Encyclopedia
Gorguts is a technical death metal
band from Sherbrooke, Quebec
, Canada
. The band's only constant member is Luc Lemay.
. Their first album, Considered Dead
, featured guest appearances by James Murphy (a guitar solo on "Inoculated Life") and Chris Barnes
(backing vocals on "Bodily Corrupted", "Rottenatomy", and "Hematological Allergy").
In 1993, they released their second album, which was more experimental and technical, titled The Erosion of Sanity
. After the release however, Roadrunner decided to drop them. Subsequently, the band went into hiatus for five years, with many fans believing that they had broken up.
Then Lemay, the only remaining original member, returned in 1998 on Olympic Records with a new line-up consisting of Steeve Hurdle (guitar); Steve Cloutier (bass); and Patrick Robert (drums). This lineup released the album Obscura
, to great acclaim.
After Obscura, guitarist Steeve Hurdle left and was replaced by Dan Mongrain
of tech death
band Martyr, and drummer Patrick Robert was replaced by Steve MacDonald. Gorguts' next and final album was From Wisdom to Hate
, released in 2001. This album is stylistically a mix between the earlier albums and Obscura. Lemay, the primary songwriter on the album, experimented more with the use of sounds, rather than notes, in riffs, such as the opening riff of the album, on the song "Inverted" which uses a combination of pick-slides, pick tapping and traditional picking. However the album was in general much more straight-ahead and brutal than Obscura, with longer and faster blast beat sections, and more atonal guitar solos from the newly added guitarist.
Steve MacDonald, who had a history of recurrent depression
, committed suicide in 2002, which eventually led to the split-up of Gorguts in 2005. Steeve Hurdle formed Negativa and asked Luc to join in; an EP
was released by this band. As of December 2008, a demo track of Gorguts featuring guitar and programmed drums which was previously unheard by the public, surfaced online, and Lemay himself confirmed an upcoming reunion featuring Colin Marston
, Kevin Hufnagel
and John Longstreth. While the new Gorguts has been performing live and writing new material, Lemay stated that the band would not be entering the studio until the "late fall" of 2010 with a release date sometime in 2011.
Compilations
Live albums
Demos
Former members
Technical death metal
Technical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal that focuses on complex rhythms, riffs and song structures. Technical experimentation in death metal began in the late '80s and early '90s by bands such as Death, Atheist and Cynic...
band from Sherbrooke, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The band's only constant member is Luc Lemay.
History
Gorguts were formed in 1989 by Luc Lemay (vocals and guitar), Sylvain Marcoux (guitar), Éric Giguère (bass) and Stephane Provencher (drums). They released their first demo, ...And Then Comes Lividity, in 1990 which led them to be signed to Roadrunner RecordsRoadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
. Their first album, Considered Dead
Considered Dead
-2006 Reissue:-Personnel:*Luc Lemay: Guitar , Vocals, Design, Concept.*Sylvain Marcoux: Lead Guitar*Eric Giguere: Bass*Stephane Provencher: Drums...
, featured guest appearances by James Murphy (a guitar solo on "Inoculated Life") and Chris Barnes
Chris Barnes (musician)
Chris Barnes is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a death metal vocalist recognized for his very low guttural vocals and explicitly violent lyrics...
(backing vocals on "Bodily Corrupted", "Rottenatomy", and "Hematological Allergy").
In 1993, they released their second album, which was more experimental and technical, titled The Erosion of Sanity
The Erosion of Sanity
-2006 Re-release:-Personnel:*Luc Lemay: Vocals, Guitars, Piano*Sylvain Marcoux: Guitars*Eric Giguere: Bass*Stephane Provencher: Drums, Percussion-Production:*Produced By Colin Richardson & Gorguts*Assistant Engineer: Luc Pellerin*Mixing: Colin Richardson...
. After the release however, Roadrunner decided to drop them. Subsequently, the band went into hiatus for five years, with many fans believing that they had broken up.
Then Lemay, the only remaining original member, returned in 1998 on Olympic Records with a new line-up consisting of Steeve Hurdle (guitar); Steve Cloutier (bass); and Patrick Robert (drums). This lineup released the album Obscura
Obscura
Obscura is the third album by Gorguts. It is seen as one of metal's most technical and complex albums, consisting of many experimental and dissonant melodies, and strange rhythms.- History :...
, to great acclaim.
After Obscura, guitarist Steeve Hurdle left and was replaced by Dan Mongrain
Dan Mongrain
Daniel Mongrain is a co-founder of the Quebec technical metal band Martyr. He composes, sings and plays lead and rhythm guitar...
of tech death
Technical death metal
Technical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal that focuses on complex rhythms, riffs and song structures. Technical experimentation in death metal began in the late '80s and early '90s by bands such as Death, Atheist and Cynic...
band Martyr, and drummer Patrick Robert was replaced by Steve MacDonald. Gorguts' next and final album was From Wisdom to Hate
From Wisdom to Hate
-Line Up:* Luc Lemay - Guitars, Vocals* Daniel Mongrain - Lead Guitar* Steve Cloutier - Bass* Steve MacDonald - Drums...
, released in 2001. This album is stylistically a mix between the earlier albums and Obscura. Lemay, the primary songwriter on the album, experimented more with the use of sounds, rather than notes, in riffs, such as the opening riff of the album, on the song "Inverted" which uses a combination of pick-slides, pick tapping and traditional picking. However the album was in general much more straight-ahead and brutal than Obscura, with longer and faster blast beat sections, and more atonal guitar solos from the newly added guitarist.
Steve MacDonald, who had a history of recurrent depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, committed suicide in 2002, which eventually led to the split-up of Gorguts in 2005. Steeve Hurdle formed Negativa and asked Luc to join in; an 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...
was released by this band. As of December 2008, a demo track of Gorguts featuring guitar and programmed drums which was previously unheard by the public, surfaced online, and Lemay himself confirmed an upcoming reunion featuring Colin Marston
Colin Marston
Colin Marston is an American musician and record producer residing in NYC. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music technology in 2004, and runs The Thousand Caves Recording Studios, located in Woodhaven, Queens, while not on tour with one of his four active...
, Kevin Hufnagel
Kevin Hufnagel
Kevin Hufnagel is an American musician. He is known for fronting the progressive metal band Dysrhythmia, and for being a member of Gorguts.-Byla:*2005: Byla - Byla *2007: Byla + Jarboe - Viscera...
and John Longstreth. While the new Gorguts has been performing live and writing new material, Lemay stated that the band would not be entering the studio until the "late fall" of 2010 with a release date sometime in 2011.
Discography
Studio albums- Considered DeadConsidered Dead-2006 Reissue:-Personnel:*Luc Lemay: Guitar , Vocals, Design, Concept.*Sylvain Marcoux: Lead Guitar*Eric Giguere: Bass*Stephane Provencher: Drums...
(1991) - The Erosion of SanityThe Erosion of Sanity-2006 Re-release:-Personnel:*Luc Lemay: Vocals, Guitars, Piano*Sylvain Marcoux: Guitars*Eric Giguere: Bass*Stephane Provencher: Drums, Percussion-Production:*Produced By Colin Richardson & Gorguts*Assistant Engineer: Luc Pellerin*Mixing: Colin Richardson...
(1993) - ObscuraObscuraObscura is the third album by Gorguts. It is seen as one of metal's most technical and complex albums, consisting of many experimental and dissonant melodies, and strange rhythms.- History :...
(1998) - From Wisdom to HateFrom Wisdom to Hate-Line Up:* Luc Lemay - Guitars, Vocals* Daniel Mongrain - Lead Guitar* Steve Cloutier - Bass* Steve MacDonald - Drums...
(2001) - TBA (2012)
Compilations
- Demo Anthology (2003)
Live albums
- Live in Rotterdam (2006)
Demos
- ...And Then Comes Lividity (1990)
Line-up
- Luc Lemay – vocals, guitar
- Kevin HufnagelKevin HufnagelKevin Hufnagel is an American musician. He is known for fronting the progressive metal band Dysrhythmia, and for being a member of Gorguts.-Byla:*2005: Byla - Byla *2007: Byla + Jarboe - Viscera...
- guitar - Colin MarstonColin MarstonColin Marston is an American musician and record producer residing in NYC. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music technology in 2004, and runs The Thousand Caves Recording Studios, located in Woodhaven, Queens, while not on tour with one of his four active...
- bass - John Longstreth - drums
Former members
- Steve MacDonald – drums
- Steve Cloutier – bass
- Steeve Hurdle – guitar, vocals
- Dan MongrainDan MongrainDaniel Mongrain is a co-founder of the Quebec technical metal band Martyr. He composes, sings and plays lead and rhythm guitar...
– guitar - Patrick Robert – drums
- Sylvain Marcoux – guitar
- Éric Giguère – bass
- Stephane Provencher – drums
- Gary Chouinard - guitar