METALLIAN - Esoteric

December 7th, Anno 21

Epistemological Despondency - 1994 - Aesthetic Death
The Pernicious Enigma - 1997 - Aesthetic Death
Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum - 2004 - Season Of Mist
The Maniacal Vale - 2008 - Season Of Mist
Paragon Of Dissonance - 2011 - Season Of Mist
Esoteric Emotions – The Death Of Ignorance – 2017 - Aesthetic Death
A Pyrrhic Existence – 2019 – Season Of Mist

Members

Vocals

Lychgate, Self Hypnosis>>GREG CHANDLER>>Lychgate, Self Hypnosis

Guitar

Stuart - Simon - Absolution>>Gordon Bicknell>>Absolution, Hivemind – Pantheist, Lychgate, Self Hypnosis>>GREG CHANDLER>>Pantheist, Lychgate, Self Hypnosis - Steve Peters - Jim Nolan – Imindain, Camel Of Doom, Self Hypnosis, Iota Draconis>>KRIS CLAYTON>>Camel Of Doom, Self Hypnosis, Iota Draconis, - Grimsteed, Misanthropic Existence>>SIMON WALCROFT>>Grimsteed, Misanthropic Existence

Bass

Bryan Beck - Chalice, Mournful Congregation, Pantheist>>MARK BODOSSIAN>>Pantheist

Drum

Darren Earl - Helgrind, Moss, Pantheist>>Andy Semmens>> Syven, Pantheist, Syven - JOE FLETCHER

Keyboard

Olivier Goyet

History & Biography

These UK doom mongers formed in July of 1992 and released the 82-minute long Esoteric Emotions - The Death of Ignorance the year after. In June of 1994 they entered the studio and recorded a debut double-CD for the Aesthetic Death label. The released featured six songs and 90 minutes of music. Stuart and Darren left the band. A tour of Germany was interrupted due to a guitarist's injury. The band also suffered a last minute withdrawal by support band Bal Sagoth. The second double-album was 115-minutes long. Another tour of Germany was nearly cancelled with the departure of Simon. Fortunately Greg was able to add guitars to his duty. A MCD called Metamorphogenesis followed in 1999. Unfortunately the band has often resorted to a drum machine in the last few years.

The next release was 2004's Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum featuring four songs in the form of a full-length. The album featured the services of new recruits Andy Semmens (drums), Mark Bodossian (bass) and Olivier Goyet (keyboards). Europeans were treated to the band live in 2004.

The group recruited drummer Joe Fletcher in early 2007, but was still searching for a new guitarist following the departure of Steve Peters. The band initially distributed the Maniacal Vale independently. In 2010 Esoteric announced that guitarist Jim Nolan had recently joined the band as a successor to the recently departed Kris Clayton. The band was writing and rehearsing new material for its sixth album, which it would begin recording later that year at the Priory Recording Studio. They were still looking for a permanent replacement for keyboard player Olivier Goyet. Esoteric's Paragon Of Dissonance was out in November, 2011 through Season Of Mist. Esoteric’s Esoteric Emotions – The Death Of Ignorance was out through Aesthetic Death. It was a re-release of the band’s demo. The gang began recording its seventh full-length album at singer and guitarist Greg Chandler's Priory Recording Studio in Birmingham on the 11th of April 2019. Simon Walcroft joined in 2020.

The band announced 30th birthday show in June 2022. Opening the event in London were Consecration and the electronic/psychedelic and ambient sounds of Lysergene. A concert at Cernunnos Rock Festival in Italy in July 2022 was cancelled. No reason was offered. The band was touring Europe supporting Saturnus in 2022. Maniacal Pyrrhonism Tour of Australia in June/July 2023 was next. 2024 began with a show at ORGIVM SATANICVM III in Norway. The group was touring the USA, with Vacant Eyes and then with Chthe'ilist, and playing at the Maryland Deathfest in 2024. The band was also booked to play in Canada for the first time.

Reviews

ESOTERIC - SUBCONSCIOUS DISSOLUTION INTO THE CONTINUUM - SEASON OF MIST
It has been too long since England's Esoteric produced new music and the longer one listens, nay, soaks in Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum the more one wonders why and simultaneously understands the necessity for it. This band and this album are the soundtrack to everything that is infernal, hellish, wretched, forlorn and dissonant. When people throw an adjective like 'ambient' around upon referring to bands other than Esoteric, they have either not heard this outfit or are shortchanging the readers. This album is deep, slow and heart-wrenchingly painful. It is the soundtrack to the process of the body's cells being engulfed by cancer. It is the dearth of knowledge embedded in an atom. It is the depth of the abyss and the zenith of despair. If music could ever be described as profound, the subconscious Dissolution... would be its poster boy. This is the band that could make a mockery of the traditional definition of the power chord if it cared enough. Drench this music in open water and all the seas and oceans will turn into a maelstrom. This is doom metal to doom them all. - Ali "The Metallian"

Interviews

Esoteric