Cipher (band)
Encyclopedia
Cipher is an American hardcore punk
, metalcore
band that formed in 1996 in Long Beach
, New York. Cipher's original line-up consisted of Moe Mitchell (vocals), Danny Bobis (drums), Chris Fry (guitar) and Krys Maniecki (bass).
Later releases became progressively pointed in their political critiques and complex in their musical structure. The release of the EP "Protoculture" marks a distinct change in artistic direction for Cipher. The four song recording was the first time Cipher put together a compilation of work written for the express purpose of being released as a unit. The outcome was a treatment on race, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, spiritual indecision, and the role of the individual in changing her/his reality.
Cipher has released three demos (Serial, 99 cent Demo, 2) , one EP (Protoculture), one 6 inch EP (Burnt Halos), and one music video (for "Reaching Higher States" off the Antidote album). The band has become highly regarded in the Hardcore underground as a consistent voice of radical political dissent and musical experimentation. In 2003 the band was featured in James Spooner's cult classic documentary Afropunk. In 2005 Cipher released their first non-DIY, nationally distributed release, "Children of God's Fire." Children of God's Fire has gone on to become an emblematic record in the band's history and an influential record, seen as a needed departure from the apolitical recordings popular in mainstream heavy music.
Since their 2005 release "Children of God's Fire" the band had several line-up changes with the exception of founding members Danny Bobis and Maurice Mitchell.
In 2010, the band released their second major release, "The Joyous Collapse". The record is Cipher's attempt at chronicling the internal contradictions and struggles of daily life, our many overlapping identities, and the many forms of oppression we encounter in society.
The band embarked on a 48 date DIY Summer Tour from the east coast to the west coast of North America in order to support the effort. The Band suffered many hardships during this tour notably from their van breaking down along the way.
On July 24, 2011, founding member Danny Bobis went missing while surfing in Indonesia.
Tragically, on July 28, 2011 after 4 days of searching Bobis' body was found.
Cipher has since been on hiatus pending further detail.
themes. These records provide insights into Cipher's future political leanings but are notably unrefined in their execution. Although never explicitly a "straightedge band", all four original band members either identified as straightedge or led a drug free lifestyle, independent of straightedge culture and politics. To this day both Danny Cipher and Moe Cipher continue to lead striaghtedge / drug free lifestyles. Although not explicitly a "vegan or vegetarian band", three of the four original band members were either vegan or vegetarian. To this day Moe Cipher maintains a vegan lifestyle. In 1998 Cipher's music took on a distinctly revolutionary racial consciousness and an explicitly anti-racist bent. By 2000 Cipher's politics had become more oppositional in nature and more urgent in its push for dramatic social change
. At this point, Cipher's politics had matured to a balanced challenge of race, class, and gender in contemporary society. The most noticeable shift in this period of Cipher's political development was a pronounced gender critique. This enhanced feminist critique is most noticeable on songs like "Woman," featured on Antidote. By 2005 Cipher had adopted on a "total-liberation" ethos, exposing a need for total social upheaval in order to develop a new society that respected the autonomy of all living beings, human and animal as well as the Earth's environment. Cipher's political message promotes animal liberation
although not all the current members of Cipher are vegan. This represents a continuation of the politics Cipher had in its inception when most members were vegan or vegetarian. Additionally, their understanding of a revolutionary future would not necessitate all humanity to align under ridged guidelines of behavior. Cipher suggests a path to total liberation in stages. An initial stage would require organizing with people where ever they are in their political consciousness. Such a posture relies on points of commonality and solidarity rather than points of difference.
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...
, metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band that formed in 1996 in Long Beach
Long Beach, New York
Long Beach is a city in Nassau County, New York. Just south of Long Island, it is located on Long Beach Barrier Island, which is the westernmost of the outer barrier islands off Long Island's South Shore. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 33,275...
, New York. Cipher's original line-up consisted of Moe Mitchell (vocals), Danny Bobis (drums), Chris Fry (guitar) and Krys Maniecki (bass).
History
The band's earliest demo releases came out when the group were all High School Juniors. These releases were marked by a noticeably more metallic and progressive musical bent than their contemporaries in the Long Island Hardcore scene. Another distinct element of Cipher's sound was Moe Ciphers vocals which were expressed as rhythmic, staccato yells rather than screams which drew some comparisons to Hip hop. Cipher's music addressed socio-political activism, hardcore scene politics and identity.Later releases became progressively pointed in their political critiques and complex in their musical structure. The release of the EP "Protoculture" marks a distinct change in artistic direction for Cipher. The four song recording was the first time Cipher put together a compilation of work written for the express purpose of being released as a unit. The outcome was a treatment on race, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, spiritual indecision, and the role of the individual in changing her/his reality.
Cipher has released three demos (Serial, 99 cent Demo, 2) , one EP (Protoculture), one 6 inch EP (Burnt Halos), and one music video (for "Reaching Higher States" off the Antidote album). The band has become highly regarded in the Hardcore underground as a consistent voice of radical political dissent and musical experimentation. In 2003 the band was featured in James Spooner's cult classic documentary Afropunk. In 2005 Cipher released their first non-DIY, nationally distributed release, "Children of God's Fire." Children of God's Fire has gone on to become an emblematic record in the band's history and an influential record, seen as a needed departure from the apolitical recordings popular in mainstream heavy music.
Since their 2005 release "Children of God's Fire" the band had several line-up changes with the exception of founding members Danny Bobis and Maurice Mitchell.
In 2010, the band released their second major release, "The Joyous Collapse". The record is Cipher's attempt at chronicling the internal contradictions and struggles of daily life, our many overlapping identities, and the many forms of oppression we encounter in society.
The band embarked on a 48 date DIY Summer Tour from the east coast to the west coast of North America in order to support the effort. The Band suffered many hardships during this tour notably from their van breaking down along the way.
On July 24, 2011, founding member Danny Bobis went missing while surfing in Indonesia.
Tragically, on July 28, 2011 after 4 days of searching Bobis' body was found.
Cipher has since been on hiatus pending further detail.
Politics
Cipher's politics have developed throughout the years. Cipher's early politics were not born out of a coherent ideology. Their earliest recordings include vague anti-authoritarian statements and ruminations on metaphysicalMetaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
themes. These records provide insights into Cipher's future political leanings but are notably unrefined in their execution. Although never explicitly a "straightedge band", all four original band members either identified as straightedge or led a drug free lifestyle, independent of straightedge culture and politics. To this day both Danny Cipher and Moe Cipher continue to lead striaghtedge / drug free lifestyles. Although not explicitly a "vegan or vegetarian band", three of the four original band members were either vegan or vegetarian. To this day Moe Cipher maintains a vegan lifestyle. In 1998 Cipher's music took on a distinctly revolutionary racial consciousness and an explicitly anti-racist bent. By 2000 Cipher's politics had become more oppositional in nature and more urgent in its push for dramatic social change
Social change
Social change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. It may refer to the notion of social progress or sociocultural evolution, the philosophical idea that society moves forward by dialectical or evolutionary means. It may refer to a paradigmatic change in the socio-economic...
. At this point, Cipher's politics had matured to a balanced challenge of race, class, and gender in contemporary society. The most noticeable shift in this period of Cipher's political development was a pronounced gender critique. This enhanced feminist critique is most noticeable on songs like "Woman," featured on Antidote. By 2005 Cipher had adopted on a "total-liberation" ethos, exposing a need for total social upheaval in order to develop a new society that respected the autonomy of all living beings, human and animal as well as the Earth's environment. Cipher's political message promotes animal liberation
Animal Liberation
Animal liberation may refer to:*Animal rights, animals being considered as legal persons**Animal-liberation movement**Abolitionism , an abolitionist approach to animal rights**Veganarchism, a combined theory of animal liberation and anarchism...
although not all the current members of Cipher are vegan. This represents a continuation of the politics Cipher had in its inception when most members were vegan or vegetarian. Additionally, their understanding of a revolutionary future would not necessitate all humanity to align under ridged guidelines of behavior. Cipher suggests a path to total liberation in stages. An initial stage would require organizing with people where ever they are in their political consciousness. Such a posture relies on points of commonality and solidarity rather than points of difference.
Studio albums
- 1996: Recognize
- 1998: Protoculture
- 2001: Antidote
- 2005: Children of God's Fire
- 2010: The Joyous Collapse
Compilation
- Koi Records - Scream for Help! "Punk & Hardcore Bands 4 Gulf Coast Animals" (Vinyl record featuring such bands as Most Precious Blood (band), Cattle DecapitationCattle DecapitationCattle 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...
and H2O (American band)H2O (American band)-Prologue:Prior to the formation of H2O, in the early-mid-1980s, Todd Morse and Rusty Pistachio were part of the speed punk band "Roadside Petz". This band featured Wayne Williams on drums...
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