Arsis | |
|---|---|
 Arsis performing live in Denmark with founding members James Malone and Mike Van Dyne | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | Technical death metal,melodic death metal |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels | Willowtip,Earache,Candlelight,Nuclear Blast, Negative Existence |
| Members | James Malone Shawn Priest Noah Martin |
| Past members | Mike Van Dyne Ryan Knight Darren Cesca Nathaniel Carter Nick Cordle Justin Shaw Brandon Ellis |
Arsis is an Americandeath metal band fromVirginia Beach, Virginia, formed in 2000. The band is currently signed toNuclear Blast.
Arsis was started by James Malone and Michael "Mike" Van Dyne in 2000, who met while attending theBerklee College of Music inBoston. The nameArsis comes from the musical termarsis and thesis meaning up and down beats. They recorded two demos independently in 2001 and 2002, which were later officially released by Negative-Existence Records in 2007.[1] Arsis signed to Willowtip Records in 2003 and released their highly acclaimed debut album,A Celebration of Guilt, in 2004, which later ranked #50 onDecibel Magazine's "Top 100 Death Metal Albums of All Time" list.[2][deprecated source] This was followed by the release ofA Diamond for Disease in 2005, andUnited in Regret in 2006. During this time, Arsis toured heavily, sharing national stages withSix Feet Under,Full Blown Chaos,Misery Index,Mortician,Incantation,The Chasm,Necrophagist,Cattle Decapitation,Neuraxis,Alarum,Job for a Cowboy,Animosity,Ion Dissonance,Dead to Fall,Misery Signals,The Faceless,All Shall Perish,Napalm Death, andA Life Once Lost, and performed on the main stage at the 2004Maryland Deathfest, the 2006New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, and the First Annual California Metalfest.[3]
The band's main composer, singer/guitarist/songwriter James Malone, wrote and performed all the guitar, vocal, and bass work on the first studio album,A Celebration of Guilt, as well as the follow-up,A Diamond for Disease. Malone also composed and performed a score for the off-Broadway ballet companyBallet Deviare.[4] He has a signature model forWashburn Guitars.[5]
Mike Van Dyne performed drums on all of Arsis' releases and tours up until early 2007, and recorded/toured again with the band from 2009 until 2011. Van Dyne went on to record and perform live with The Final Sleep.[6]
The band signed toNuclear Blast just before original drummer Van Dyne left to pursue a degree in medicine; he was replaced by Darren Cesca. Noah Martin, who played bass onUnited in Regret, and Ryan Knight were also added to the lineup to complete the touring cycle and recordWe Are the Nightmare (2008), their first album with Nuclear Blast. That summer 2008, Arsis played on the Thrash & Burn tour.[7]
Cesca was let go in 2008, with differences in musical direction provided as the reason; he was replaced on tour by Alex Tomlin of Battlemaster and later by Shawn Priest. Martin left the group in the fall of 2008 to return to college. In late 2008, Nick Cordle (guitar) andDavid Kinkade (drums) joined the band, and in December Knight left Arsis to joinThe Black Dahlia Murder.[citation needed]
On March 18, 2009, Malone issued a statement explaining and apologizing for recent tour cancellations and lineup changes, citing personal reasons. Soon after, it was announced that original drummer Mike Van Dyne would return (although due to career commitments, his ability to tour with the band may be limited).[8]
In July 2009, it was announced that work was ongoing for their next record,Starve for the Devil. In September, recording sessions began with Nathaniel Carter performing bass and production being handled again byZeuss. The record was released on February 9, 2010, and landed at No. 13 on the Billboard Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, makingStarve for the Devil the highest charting Arsis album.[9]
In October and November 2009, Arsis toured Europe withBehemoth,DevilDriver, andScar Symmetry on the Neckbreakers Ball Tour.
In January 2010, Arsis released a music video for "Forced to Rock", the first track offStarve for the Devil.
In January and February 2010, Arsis toured the U.S. and Canada withArch Enemy,Exodus, andMutiny Within on the Tyrants of Evil North American Tour.
On March 6, 2010, Arsis performed at the Eye Scream Metal Fest II in Mexico City (the band's first ever performance in Latin America) withSacred Reich,Cynic,Municipal Waste, andDying Fetus. This festival, the Tyrants of Evil Tour, and the Neckbreakers Ball Tour are the only times the fullStarve for the Devil recording lineup performed live.
On May 13, 2010, Noah Martin rejoined the band, despite staying enrolled in college, following the departure of Nathaniel Carter.
In November 2010, the lineup of Malone, Cordle, Martin, and Van Dyne toured Europe extensively withMisery Index,Grave, The Last Felony, and The Rotted, followed by a U.S. headlining tour in December withPowerglove and Conducting from the Grave. During their headlining dates, Arsis performed the 12+ minute track "A Diamond for Disease" in its entirety for the first time ever.[10]
On August 9, 2011, Willowtip Records reissued Arsis' acclaimed debut albumA Celebration of Guilt with two bonus tracks and expanded artwork.[11]
News of demos and samples of a new full-length record starting pouring out in early 2012. Not long after, however, guitarist Nick Cordle left the band to joinArch Enemy.[12] Shortly after that, longtime drummer and founding member Mike Van Dyne departed Arsis to concentrate on his career full-time.[13]
On March 13, 2012, Arsis released a demo song entitled "Choking on Sand" featuring Malone on vocals and both guitars and Noah Martin on bass.[14]
On April 6, Arsis announced Shawn Priest as Mike Van Dyne's replacement and reposted the demo song "Choking on Sand" with Shawn on the recording.[15]
Tracking for the as-of-then still untitled full-length record produced by Mark Lewis began on June 4.[16]Raw video footage from the recording sessions was posted by the band on Facebook on July 19.[17]
On July 27, 2012, the album art and title forUnwelcome were made public.[18]
On December 4, 2012, Arsis released an EP entitledLepers Caress preceding the release ofUnwelcome containing new songs that would be on the full-length record as well as some re-recordings from their earlier catalog.
On April 30, 2013, Arsis releasedUnwelcome.
In 2014, Willowtip Records reissued Arsis'A Diamond for Disease EP andUnited in Regret album with bonus live video tracks and expanded artwork.[19]
In 2015, Arsis supportedSepultura on their 30th Anniversary tour, they were also joined byDestruction and Starkill.[20]
In 2016, Arsis released their pre-production demo which is titled "As Deep As Your Flesh".[21] They also opened up for Scar Symmetry once again on their North American tour alongsideShattered Sun and Painted in Exile.[22]
In November 2018, Arsis releasedVisitant.
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