Antagony
Encyclopedia
Antagony is an American post-metal
and blackened death metal band from Oakland, California
formed in 1999. They have released three albums, each on a different record label. Members of Antagony have went on to form bands such as All Shall Perish
, Suffokate, Oblige, and Hacksaw to the Throat.
band Y.F.H. Founding members Nick Vasallo
, Carlos Saldana, Ben Orum, and Jody Handy combined elements from disparate forms of extreme music: grindcore
, hardcore
, death metal
, tribal drumming and doom
into one sonic experience. They showcased their eclectic mix of styles in their first release, an EP entitled "Expect the Worst", and followed it with their first US tour. With a new drummer (Justin Hughes) their first album "See Through These Eyes", released in 2001, further refined their style. Soon after, Antagony became one of the premier Extreme Metal
groups in the Bay Area underground
performing with such acts as Malevolent Creation
, Incantation
, Excruciating Terror, Pig Destroyer
, Grimple, Dystopia
, Capitalist Casualties
, Cephalic Carnage
, Brujeria
, Vital Remains
, Cattle Decapitation
, Intronaut
, Disgorge, Exhumed
, Obituary
, As I Lay Dying
, and Monstrosity
.
After their Triangle of Hate Tour U.S.A. 2001, with supporting acts End of All and Boof, Antagony fell into a period of inactivity with all of their members directing their energies into other projects.
By the time Antagony resurfaced with a new lineup (Kyle Anderson, Christian Mitchell and Carlos Saldana replacing Ben Orum, Bray Almini, and Cayson Russo) Antagony strived to catch up on time away from the evolving metal scene. Antagony finally released the long-awaited "Rebirth" in 2005, combining material they had wrote since 2001. Although well received by fans and critics, it was a record that should have been released 2 years before.
With their next album, "Days of Night", Antagony wished to shed their previous attempt at appeasing the audience. This was to be their most eclectic recording to date. The album required use of cellos, broken pianos
, choirs, different simultaneous metronome
markings, and several layers of overdubbing
. Musically, this album was a lot more "classically
" structured as well; previously Antagony depended on the use of constant sectional changes to catch listeners off guard. This proved especially effective when performing live and this variation form they put into their early sound definitely influenced their peers. Justin parted ways with Antagony during the recording of the album but performs on 3 of the tracks ("The Truth Will Be Known", "Exhale Her Poison", and "Voyage").
Former members
Post-metal
Post-metal is a music genre, a mixture between the genres of post-rock and heavy metal.Hydra Head Records owner and Isis frontman Aaron Turner originally termed the genre "thinking man's metal", demonstrating that his band was trying to move away from common metal conventions...
and blackened death metal band from Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
formed in 1999. They have released three albums, each on a different record label. Members of Antagony have went on to form bands such as All Shall Perish
All Shall Perish
All Shall Perish is an American deathcore band from Oakland, California, formed in 2002. Currently, the band is signed to Nuclear Blast and have released four full-length albums through the label. Their latest record, This Is Where It Ends was released on July 26, 2011...
, Suffokate, Oblige, and Hacksaw to the Throat.
History
Antagony formed in 1999 amongst the ashes of the 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...
band Y.F.H. Founding members Nick Vasallo
Nicholas Vasallo
Nicholas Vasallo is an Asian-American composer. In 1997, Vasallo graduated from Monte Vista High School in Danville, California, where he began his musical career as an electric guitarist and vocalist in a punk band called Y.F.H.He graduated from California State University, East Bay with a B.A....
, Carlos Saldana, Ben Orum, and Jody Handy combined elements from disparate forms of extreme music: 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....
, hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
, death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, tribal drumming and doom
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
into one sonic experience. They showcased their eclectic mix of styles in their first release, an EP entitled "Expect the Worst", and followed it with their first US tour. With a new drummer (Justin Hughes) their first album "See Through These Eyes", released in 2001, further refined their style. Soon after, Antagony became one of the premier Extreme Metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
groups in the Bay Area underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
performing with such acts as Malevolent Creation
Malevolent Creation
Malevolent Creation is a death metal band originally hailing from Buffalo, New York. Moving to Florida in 1987, they became a part of the emergent local death metal scene, landing a deal with Roadrunner Records...
, Incantation
Incantation (band)
Incantation is an American death metal band that was formed by John McEntee and Paul Ledney in 1989. They are one of the leaders in the New York Death Metal scene along with fellow bands Suffocation and Immolation, even though the band is currently located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.The band has...
, Excruciating Terror, 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...
, Grimple, Dystopia
Dystopia (band)
Formed in Orange County, California in 1991, Dystopia was a sludge metal band, popular in both the heavy metal and crust punk scenes, due in large part to their bleak, misanthropic imagery...
, Capitalist Casualties
Capitalist Casualties
-Discography:*Nuclear National Park demo *The Art of Ballistics EP *Disassembly Line LP *Raised Ignorant EP *split EP with The Dread *split EP with Discordance Axis *split EP with Millions of Dead Cops...
, Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage is an American grindcore band formed in 1992 in Denver, Colorado. The band comprises vocalist Lenzig Leal, guitarists Steve Goldberg and Brian Hopp, drummer John Merryman and bassist Nick Schendzielos...
, Brujeria
Brujeria (band)
Brujeria is an extreme metal band formed in Tijuana, Mexico in 1989. Their name comes from the Spanish word for "witchcraft". Their songs, which are sung in Spanish, are focused on Satanism, anti-Christianity, sex, immigration, narcotics smuggling, politics....
, Vital Remains
Vital Remains
Vital Remains is an American death metal band from Providence, Rhode Island formed in 1988.- History :Created in 1988 by guitarist Paul Flynn, Vital Remains' first line-up consisted of guitarist Butch Machado, vocalist Mike Flynn, bassist Tom Supkow, and drummer Chris Dupont. Searching for better...
, Cattle Decapitation
Cattle Decapitation
Cattle Decapitation is an American deathgrind band from San Diego, California, formed in 1996.-History:Originally founded in 1996, Cattle Decapitation's songs protest the mistreatment and consumption of animals as well as the abuse of the environment. Lyrics may also focus on subjects such as...
, Intronaut
Intronaut
Intronaut is a progressive metal band from Los Angeles, California.Their style, while rooted in metal, is extremely forward-thinking and psychedelic, complete with complex polyrhythms, intense, haunting melodies, and vocal harmonies, combined with progressive and jazzy instrumental breaks.Their...
, Disgorge, Exhumed
Exhumed (band)
Exhumed is an American death metal band from San Jose, California, most recently signed to Relapse Records. They were formed in 1990, when sole remaining founding member Matt Harvey was at the age of 15. Exhumed spent much of the ensuing decade hacking its way through numerous demos, split CDs,...
, Obituary
Obituary (band)
Obituary is an American death metal band formed in 1984 in Tampa, Florida under the name Executioner, then changed the name's spelling to Xecutioner, and later changed their name to Obituary in 1988. The band comprises vocalist John Tardy, drummer Donald Tardy, guitarists Trevor Peres and Ralph...
, As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying (band)
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by Tim Lambesis and having completed their first Line-up in 2001, the band consists of vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, lead guitarist Nick Hipa, rhythm guitarist Phil Sgrosso, and bassist Josh...
, and Monstrosity
Monstrosity (band)
Monstrosity is a death metal band originating from Fort Lauderdale, Florida during the death metal scene of the early 1990s. Vocalist, George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher and drummer, Lee Harrison, were the founders of Monstrosity. Harrison had just left the band Malevolent Creation and George Fisher...
.
After their Triangle of Hate Tour U.S.A. 2001, with supporting acts End of All and Boof, Antagony fell into a period of inactivity with all of their members directing their energies into other projects.
By the time Antagony resurfaced with a new lineup (Kyle Anderson, Christian Mitchell and Carlos Saldana replacing Ben Orum, Bray Almini, and Cayson Russo) Antagony strived to catch up on time away from the evolving metal scene. Antagony finally released the long-awaited "Rebirth" in 2005, combining material they had wrote since 2001. Although well received by fans and critics, it was a record that should have been released 2 years before.
With their next album, "Days of Night", Antagony wished to shed their previous attempt at appeasing the audience. This was to be their most eclectic recording to date. The album required use of cellos, broken pianos
Pianos
Pianos is a two-story bar/restaurant/live music venue in the Lower East Side section of Manhattan at 158 Ludlow Street.Its stage attracts local and national alternative rock groups as well as DJs, though a more typical performance consists of smaller name local and touring acts...
, choirs, different simultaneous metronome
Metronome
A metronome is any device that produces regular, metrical ticks — settable in beats per minute. These ticks represent a fixed, regular aural pulse; some metronomes also include synchronized visual motion...
markings, and several layers of overdubbing
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
. Musically, this album was a lot more "classically
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
" structured as well; previously Antagony depended on the use of constant sectional changes to catch listeners off guard. This proved especially effective when performing live and this variation form they put into their early sound definitely influenced their peers. Justin parted ways with Antagony during the recording of the album but performs on 3 of the tracks ("The Truth Will Be Known", "Exhale Her Poison", and "Voyage").
Band members
Current members- Nick VasalloNicholas VasalloNicholas Vasallo is an Asian-American composer. In 1997, Vasallo graduated from Monte Vista High School in Danville, California, where he began his musical career as an electric guitarist and vocalist in a punk band called Y.F.H.He graduated from California State University, East Bay with a B.A....
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Carlos Saldana – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Ryan Rey – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Luis Martinez – 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
- Ben Orum – guitar
- Jody Handy – drums
- Justin Hughes – drums
- Bray Almini – bass guitar
- Cayson Russo – vocals
- Christian Mitchell – bass guitar
- Kyle Anderson – guitar
- Brian Camara – drums
Discography
Studio albums| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2001 | See Through These Eyes
|
| 2005 | Rebirth
|
| 2009 | Days of Night
|
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Cultivate and Collapse" | Carlos Saldana |
| 2009 | "Days of Night" | Carlos Saldana |