Elysia (band)

Elysia

Elysia is a five piece deathcore band from Sacramento, California. Originally called Elysium's Revenge, the band was started in 2003 while the members were just freshmen and sophomores in high school. Since 2003, they have released two EPs and one full-length album, and have completed two US tours despite almost constant line-up changes. Having settled into a more solid line-up, the band released their latest full length, Lion Of Judas, on June 10, 2008, through Ferret Records.

They have toured and performed alongside many bands, including Arsonists Get All the Girls, Knights Of The Abyss, Catherine, Emmure, Heavy Heavy Low Low, Impending Doom, Killwhitneydead., Suicide Silence and This Is Hell. They also have performed at the Saints & Sinners Festival in 2007. Elysia has close ties with Knights Of The Abyss and Arsonists Get All the Girls; for example, Zak Vargas did guest vocals on Knights of the Abyss's full-length Juggernaut, on the track "Decaying Waste".

History

Formation and early years

Elysia started as Elysium's Revenge, while the band members were still in high school. The band gained notoriety in the Shingle Springs-Cameron Park area with their empty shows at the Shingle Springs Community Center. By the end of 2003, they shortened their name to Elysia and added a second vocalist, who helped them record their first EP. Months later, they pen "Incinerate", a song that has grown to become a staple in their setlist. While popular, the song is often misunderstood. The lyrics are anti-homophobic, although they are often perceived as being uselessly violent. The band cites their immaturity as the cause for this. In the spring of 2004, they record a second EP, with the first occurrence of "Incinerate". The release show for this EP features Suffokate and The Frontline. That summer and fall, they would write their second and third staple song, "Triumph" and "Filthy". "Filthy" would again be misunderstood by many, just as "Incinerate" had been.

Masochist

After being jumped due to their music's immaturity in Phoenix, Arizona, the band decides to write more social and politically conscious songs. Out of these writing sessions comes their first full album, Masochist. Originally planned to be released on the This City Is Burning Records, but problems arose and it become a DIY effort. It is during this time that they start to become more known, touring with killwhitneydead.. Around this time, most of the band graduates, and Kevin Marquez leaves the band to move to San Diego. After several band member changes, they tour along the west coast. In the spring of 2007, the band planned to rerecord the album for a re-release on Tribunal Records, with Jamie King as the producer. However, Joey Rommel, drummer at the time, leaves the band right before they are to go into Castle Ultimate Studios for the recording. Thus, they never re-release the album, although they are on a Tribunal Records sampler. They find drummer Jacob Durrett (now playing drums in Fate) to fill in for a 10 Day tour with Impending Doom and Moria. After returning home they find Steven Sessler to play drums, who is still in the band today. Alex Porte leaves the band in the summer of 2007, less than a month before their first full US tour. With Zak Vargas now the sole original member, the band almost breaks up, but continues due to contractual obligations to perform. They tour with Knights Of The Abyss and Arsonists Get All the Girls, and during the tour get jumped for a second time. In the low point of the band, when they are about to break up, Elysia gets signed to Ferret Records. Elysia signs into a three day mini-tour, and the day it starts Mark Underwood, Alex's replacement, leaves the band. Once again, the fate of the band is at stake, but Zak agrees to continue and they find a replacement guitarist. To save the band, after the mini-tour Zak talks Garrett Gilardi, a highschool friend, into joining the band again, as well as Jon joining the band again as the bassist.

Lion of Judas

Elysia now considers themselves to have a solid line-up, and are not going to break up. In December, 2007, the band sat down to write their second album, Lion of Judas released through Ferret Records. They consider their new music to be "a new era for Elysia, so please do not expect the same band." They were on a tour with This Is Hell, where it concluded with a trip to Salem, Massachusetts where the new album was recorded with Kurt Ballou for a week. They dropped off the tour with Shai Hulud and Full Blown Chaos because of medical issues with Zak. After the tour, it's been unsure if Elysia is still active as signs like the visual contents of their MySpace being removed and Zak declaring on his Blogspot that he wont talk about Elysia anymore.

Musical Style

Elysia's lyrics cover a wide range of topics, from anti-homophobia to women's rights. The band admits that they sometimes have a hard time accurately portraying the meanings they want to put across, mainly because of "immaturity". For example, the lyrical content of "Incinerate" and "Filthy" has had the band criticized. They have also been banned from playing at venues because of their lyric's graphic violent content.

Discography

As Elysium's Revenge

• (2003) - Demo
  1. "Death To A Demon"
  2. "Copulation"

As Elysia

• (2003) - Demo
  1. "Lust Was Heart"
  2. "Killing Grounds"

• (2004) - Killing Grounds EP
  1. "Intro - Catharsis"
  2. "Prayer For The End"
  3. "King Of The Hill"
  4. "Lust Was Heart"
  5. "Killing Grounds"

• (2004) - 04 Demo
  1. "Incinerate"
  2. "Massacre"
  3. "Skirmish"
  4. "Triumph" (added to the demo in 2005)

• (2006) - Masochist
• (2008) - Lion of Judas

Lineup

Current

• Zak Vargas - vocals
• Steven Sessler - drums
• Garrett Gilardi - guitar
• Chris Cain - guitar
• Jon Malinowski - bass, backup vocals

Original (as Elysiums' Revenge)

• Alex Porte - guitar
• Zak Vargas - vocals
• Kevin Marquez - drums
• Andre Vocino - guitar
• Pat Guild - bass

Original (as Elysia)

• Alex Porte - guitar
• Kevin Marquez - drums
• Andre Vocino - guitar
• Justin Chambers - synth/backup vocals
• Jeremy Chavez - bass
• John Sontag - bass
• Stephen Sessler - drums
• Sean Grainger - drums
• Joey Rommel - drums
• Danny Lomeli - guitar
• Mark Underwood - guitar

References

• Complete History Of Elysia, by Zak Vargas and Steven Sessler

External links

• Official Myspace
• Interview @ Shout! Music Webzine