Unexpect
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Unexpect |
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Unexpect (often capitalized uneXpect, unexpecT[1], UnexpecT) is an avant-garde extreme metal band from Montreal, Canada featuring a unique amalgamation of different styles of music, including black metal, death metal, thrash metal, progressive metal, melodic heavy metal, classical music, dark cabaret, opera, medieval music, jazz, funk, electro, ambient, noise, gypsy music, and circus music.
The band's debut album, Utopia, was independently released. The band only had word of mouth and the Internet to market the work. With unorthodox distribution and online support, the album sold successfully.[2]
History
From their beginning in 1996, unexpecT saw their share of line-up changes, as only three members from this period are still in the band: Artagoth, SyriaK and Exod (who was the drummer at the time under the moniker 'Lunorin'). Unexpect then recorded their first full-length album entitled Utopia in 1998, which was later released in 1999. This first offering was critically acclaimed by many countries around the world, even with little distribution, and with the internet as their only support. A new era began for unexpecT with the release of their new EP entitled _We, Invaders in November 2003. This EP was released on the Canadian label Galy Records. They then signed with New York-based The End Records and the band's second album In a Flesh Aquarium was released on August 22, 2006 in North America. ChaotH introduced his trademark 9-stringed bass during a Galy Records show on June 4, 2005. Unexpect has finished mixing their 3rd full-length album, however they do not yet have a release date.[3] It is expected to be released sometime in 2011 by The End Records.
Winners of the 7th annual Independent Music Awards Vox Pop vote for best Hard Rock/Metal Album "In a Flesh Aquarium".
Tours
In 2006, Unexpect finished their Canadian and U.S. tour with Augury, with some dates also playing with such bands as The Gathering and Giant Squid. They have also played with bands like Sodom, Finntroll, Kataklysm, and Green Carnation. Unexpect were supposed to open for the Swedish blackened death metal band Dissection during their last U.S. tour at B. B. King's club in New York City, but the show was cancelled due to Dissection's inability to obtain entrance into the country. Unexpect played on September 3rd, 2006 at the Emerging Music Festival in Rouyn-Noranda, Abitibi-Témiscamingue. More recently, the band has opened up for power metal act Sonata Arctica and death metal act Nile with thrash metal band Warbringer as well as playing the Heavy MTL festival on June 21, 2008 along with the likes of Overkill, 3 Inches of Blood, Mastodon and Iron Maiden. Unexpect also headlined the Flight of the Valkyries festival in St. Paul, MN in June of 2008.[1] In 2009 the band accompanied Dream Theater, Opeth and Bigelf on the inaugural Progressive Nation European tour.[citation needed]
Members
Current members
- Syriak (ex-Magister Dixit) – vocals, guitar (1996- )
- Artagoth – vocals, guitar (1996- )
- ChaotH – bass guitar (2001- )
- Leïlindel – vocals (2001- )
- Landryx – drums (2004- )
- Blaise Borboën-Léonard – violin (2007- )
Previous members
- Exod – keyboards, sampling (1996-2002 as Drummer, 2002-2010)
- Le Bateleur – violin (1996-2006)
- Elda – vocals (1996-2001)
- Zircon – bass guitar (1996-2001)
- Merzenya – keyboards (1996-2001)
- Dasnos – drums (2003)
- Anthony Trujillo – drums (2002)
Discography
- Utopia (1999, self-released)
- wE, Invaders EP (2003, Galy Records; distributed by The End Records)
- In a Flesh Aquarium (2006, The End Records)