Kylesa
Encyclopedia
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 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 (Carl McGinley of Unpersons, from Savannah, and Jeff Porter). Eric Hernandez (of Capsule, from Miami) joined in 2008 to replace Porter and plays on Static Tensions. The dual drum tracks are often panned strongly to the right and left.
, psychedelic rock
, stoner rock
, sludge metal
, and indie rock
. They have three different singers. Kylesa formed in Savannah in 2001, taking their name from "kilesa mara", a Buddhist term denoting delusory mental states.
Guitarist and singer Phillip Cope, bassist Brian Duke and drummer Christian Depken were former members of the Savannah sludge metal act Damad, which had released two albums in the '90s.
Philip Cope has been described as the Savannah "metal scene's godfather." He began playing in hardcore punk groups in the late 1980s, and in 1992 booked groups such as Buzzoven and Neurosis
at a local all-ages club. From 1993 to 2001, Cope played in the group Damad. Pat Mathis of the Passive Fist label said that Damad "established a sound that's stuck-- that whole heavy, doomy Southern kind of metal. When you've got these old punk guys who listen to the Allman Brothers and start a metal band, that's kind of what you get." Damad changed their name to Kylesa in 2001 with the addition of Laura Pleasants, a former native of North Carolina who attended the Savannah College of Art and Design
.
After recording the majority of their first record (S/T on Prank) in May 2001, Kylesa played their first show with Mastodon
and Cream Abdul Babar in Savannah, Georgia on June 2, 2001. On June 6, 2001, Brian Duke died from an epileptic seizure during the course of the night. The band decided to finish the recording in Brian's honor, wrote and recorded two more songs (where local bass player and friend Michael Redmond stepped in and played bass). The self-titled record was released about one year later on Prank Records
when artwork by Pushead
was completed. Prior to the full LP, a single limited 7" was released on Prank also with Pushead art. The Pushead-designed Band Logo from these releases has been used on all the bands merchandise and releases ever since.
Replacing Duke with bassist and singer Corey Barhorst, the band wrote and recorded a split 7" with Memento Mori, on Hyperrealist, and a split full length with Cream Abdul Babar from Florida, on At A Loss Recordings. These records came out immediately following the release on Prank, although they were recorded much later, The long wait for artwork by Pushead delaying the release of the S/T LP. More singles and a placeholder EP, 2004's No Ending 110 Degree Heat Index followed right before Depken left the group.
Kylesa signed with the independent metal label Prosthetic Records
and released their second proper album, To Walk a Middle Course
, in 2005 with drummer Brandon Baltzley.
Following the release of that album, Baltzley left the group, replaced by a pair of drummers, Jeff Porter and Carl McGinley. Kylesa's third album, Time Will Fuse Its Worth
, was released on Halloween 2006. Eric Hernandez replaced Porter and appears on Static Tensions, released in 2009. Two songs on this album were inspired by the shooting of Jason Statts, a Savannah musician. They toured with Mastodon after the release of this album, whose guitarist, Bill Kelliher, said that
Journalist David Peisner of Spin described them as "dark psych-metal titans," practicing an "aggressive [sound], but with a hazy, stoner vibe that suggests a strange amalgamation of Black Sabbath
, Black Flag
, and early Pink Floyd
." As of 2010, they have sold 75,000 albums. In 2010 they signed to the Season Of Mist
records label to release the album Spiral Shadow
on October 26 that year.
Former
Session
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 that was formed in Savannah
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...
. Their music incorporates experimentalism with sludgy
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
riffs, drop-tuned guitars and elements of psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
. 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 (Carl McGinley of Unpersons, from Savannah, and Jeff Porter). Eric Hernandez (of Capsule, from Miami) joined in 2008 to replace Porter and plays on Static Tensions. The dual drum tracks are often panned strongly to the right and left.
Biography
Kylesa is a metal group that borrows elements of crust punkCrust 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...
, psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
, stoner rock
Stoner rock
Stoner rock or stoner metal is a subgenre of heavy metal, combining elements of psychedelic rock, blues rock, traditional heavy metal and doom metal. Stoner rock is typically slow-to-mid tempo and features a bass-heavy sound, melodic vocals, and 'retro' production...
, sludge metal
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
, and indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
. They have three different singers. Kylesa formed in Savannah in 2001, taking their name from "kilesa mara", a Buddhist term denoting delusory mental states.
Guitarist and singer Phillip Cope, bassist Brian Duke and drummer Christian Depken were former members of the Savannah sludge metal act Damad, which had released two albums in the '90s.
Philip Cope has been described as the Savannah "metal scene's godfather." He began playing in hardcore punk groups in the late 1980s, and in 1992 booked groups such as Buzzoven and Neurosis
Neurosis (band)
Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music...
at a local all-ages club. From 1993 to 2001, Cope played in the group Damad. Pat Mathis of the Passive Fist label said that Damad "established a sound that's stuck-- that whole heavy, doomy Southern kind of metal. When you've got these old punk guys who listen to the Allman Brothers and start a metal band, that's kind of what you get." Damad changed their name to Kylesa in 2001 with the addition of Laura Pleasants, a former native of North Carolina who attended the Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah College of Art and Design
SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design, is a private, accredited and degree-granting university with locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, Hong Kong, and Lacoste, France.-History:...
.
After recording the majority of their first record (S/T on Prank) in May 2001, Kylesa played their first show with 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...
and Cream Abdul Babar in Savannah, Georgia on June 2, 2001. On June 6, 2001, Brian Duke died from an epileptic seizure during the course of the night. The band decided to finish the recording in Brian's honor, wrote and recorded two more songs (where local bass player and friend Michael Redmond stepped in and played bass). The self-titled record was released about one year later on Prank Records
Prank Records
Prank Records is a hardcore punk record label based in San Francisco, California. They began in 1995, releasing hardcore punk bands on vinyl and in CD format, with over 90 releases. Started by former Auburn University WEGL 91.1 FM radio DJ, Maximum Rock and Roll columnist and reviewer, former 924...
when artwork by Pushead
Pushead
Pushead is an artist, record label owner, and writer within the hardcore punk and heavy metal field. He has created artwork for many bands, artists, and athletes including Metallica, the The Misfits, Dr. Dre, Travis Barker, and Craig Johnson. He has designed many record covers, T-shirts,...
was completed. Prior to the full LP, a single limited 7" was released on Prank also with Pushead art. The Pushead-designed Band Logo from these releases has been used on all the bands merchandise and releases ever since.
Replacing Duke with bassist and singer Corey Barhorst, the band wrote and recorded a split 7" with Memento Mori, on Hyperrealist, and a split full length with Cream Abdul Babar from Florida, on At A Loss Recordings. These records came out immediately following the release on Prank, although they were recorded much later, The long wait for artwork by Pushead delaying the release of the S/T LP. More singles and a placeholder EP, 2004's No Ending 110 Degree Heat Index followed right before Depken left the group.
Kylesa signed with the independent metal label Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records
Prosthetic Records is a record label specializing in heavy metal recordings. Founded by E.J. Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald both former employees of Columbia Records, in Los Angeles, California in 1998...
and released their second proper album, To Walk a Middle Course
To Walk a Middle Course
To Walk a Middle Course is Kylesa's second full-length album. It was released on March 22, 2005 by Prosthetic Records.-Track Listing:#In Memory - 4:29#Fractured - 2:43#Train Of Thought - 3:29#Motion and Presence - 4:26...
, in 2005 with drummer Brandon Baltzley.
Following the release of that album, Baltzley left the group, replaced by a pair of drummers, Jeff Porter and Carl McGinley. Kylesa's third album, Time Will Fuse Its Worth
Time Will Fuse Its Worth
Time Will Fuse Its Worth is Kylesa's third full-length album. It was released October 30, 2006 by Prosthetic Records.-Track listing:#Intro – 0:34#What Becomes an End – 4:02#Hollow Severer – 4:12#Where the Horizon Unfolds – 4:53...
, was released on Halloween 2006. Eric Hernandez replaced Porter and appears on Static Tensions, released in 2009. Two songs on this album were inspired by the shooting of Jason Statts, a Savannah musician. They toured with Mastodon after the release of this album, whose guitarist, Bill Kelliher, said that
Journalist David Peisner of Spin described them as "dark psych-metal titans," practicing an "aggressive [sound], but with a hazy, stoner vibe that suggests a strange amalgamation of 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...
, Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, and early Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
." As of 2010, they have sold 75,000 albums. In 2010 they signed to the Season Of Mist
Season of Mist
Season of Mist is a record label and record distributor with subsidiaries in France and the United States. The record label was founded in 1996 by Michael S. Berberian in Marseille, France. From the start releasing black metal, pagan metal and death metal records, the label moved on to releasing...
records label to release the album Spiral Shadow
Spiral Shadow
Spiral Shadow, Kylesa's fifth full-length album, was released on October 25, 2010, in Europe and October 26, 2010, in the United States by Season of Mist.-Reception:...
on October 26 that year.
Band members
Current- Phillip Cope – vocals, guitars (since 2001)
- Laura Pleasants – vocals, guitars (since 2001)
- Carl McGinley – drums, percussion (since 2006)
- Tyler Newberry – drums, percussion (2007, since 2010)
Former
- Brian Duke – bass, vocals (2001)
- Christian Depken – drums, percussion (2001–2004)
- Brandon Baltzley – drums, percussion (2004–2005)
- Jason Caldwell – drums (July 2005–Nov. 2005)
- Jeff Porter – drums, percussion (2006–2007)
- Eric Hernandez – drums, percussion (2008–2009)
- Corey Barhorst – bass, vocals, keyboards (Sept. 2001–Sept. 2007, Dec. 2008–Sept. 2011)
Session
- Michael Redmond – bass (on Kylesa)
- Javier Villegas – bass (on Static Tensions, touring member 2008)
- Bobby Scandiffio – guitar and crickets (on Time Will Fuse Its Worth)
Studio albums
- KylesaKylesa (album)Kylesa is the eponymous debut album by Kylesa. It was released in June, 2002 by Prank Records and is currently out of print, though it is available for download on iTunes and Amazon.-Track Listing:#No Remorse - 3:03#Ceaseless Becoming - 3:02...
(2002) - To Walk a Middle CourseTo Walk a Middle CourseTo Walk a Middle Course is Kylesa's second full-length album. It was released on March 22, 2005 by Prosthetic Records.-Track Listing:#In Memory - 4:29#Fractured - 2:43#Train Of Thought - 3:29#Motion and Presence - 4:26...
(2005) - Time Will Fuse Its WorthTime Will Fuse Its WorthTime Will Fuse Its Worth is Kylesa's third full-length album. It was released October 30, 2006 by Prosthetic Records.-Track listing:#Intro – 0:34#What Becomes an End – 4:02#Hollow Severer – 4:12#Where the Horizon Unfolds – 4:53...
(2006) - Static Tensions (2009)
- Spiral ShadowSpiral ShadowSpiral Shadow, Kylesa's fifth full-length album, was released on October 25, 2010, in Europe and October 26, 2010, in the United States by Season of Mist.-Reception:...
(2010)
EPs
- Point of Stillness 7" (2002)
- No Ending/110° Heat Index (2004)
- Delusion on Fire (2003)
- Bacteria Sour double 7" (2004)
- Unknown Awareness (2009)
Split releases
- Split with Memento Mori (2002)
- Split with Cream Abdul BabarCream Abdul BabarCream Abdul Babar is one of the longest-standing bands in the Tallahassee scene. The band formed in 1994, combining elements of punk, metal, industrial, and noise to create their brand of experimental rock.-History:...
(2003) - Split with Victims (2009)
External links
- Official Kylesa website
- Kylesa MySpace page
- Kylesa's Vital Stats at Anthem magazine
- Kylesa at Loudside.com
- Article about Kylesa in Stomp and Stammer