Isis performing live at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA. Visible from left to right are: Michael Gallagher, Jeff Caxide, Aaron Turner, Bryant Clifford Meyer. Visible in the back is drummer Aaron Harris. |
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| Releases | ||
|---|---|---|
| ↙Studio albums | 5 | |
| ↙Live albums | 5 | |
| ↙Compilation albums | 1 | |
| ↙EPs | 5 | |
| ↙Singles | 2 | |
| ↙Video albums | 1 | |
| ↙Music videos | 4 | |
Isis was an American post-metal band, active from 1997 active until their disbandment in 2010. They released five full-length albums, five extended plays (EPs), five live albums, two singles and have collaborated with other artists on numerous other projects.
Isis was formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in late 1997 by Aaron Turner (guitar/vocals; also the owner of Hydra Head Records), Jeff Caxide (bass guitar), Chris Mereschuk (electronics/vocals) and Aaron Harris (drums).[1] They released a demo and their first EP, Mosquito Control, in 1998, with this lineup. The roster was fairly fluid around the release of the 1999 EP The Red Sea, until the recruitment of Bryant Clifford Meyer of The Gersch and former Cast Iron Hike guitarist Michael Gallagher in 1999. Isis remained with this lineup until their dissolution. Isis' debut full-length, Celestial, and its sister EP, SGNL>05, were released in 2000.
In 2002, Oceanic was released to critical acclaim,[2][3][4] and was the subject of a series of four vinyl reinterpretations by various contemporary artists; the series was consolidated into an Ipecac Recordings release, entitled Oceanic: Remixes & Reinterpretations.[5] Growth in stature necessitated relocation to Los Angeles in 2003.[6] Panopticon was released in 2004, to further critical plaudits and an album of the year award from Rock Sound.[7][8][9] It was also the band's first entry into the charts, peaking at number 47 in the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart.[10]
Their next record, In the Absence of Truth, was released by Ipecac on October 31, 2006. This full-length charted more successfully, peaking at number six in Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart;[10] however, critical reception was not particularly warm and the band themselves have expressed disappointment with the album.[11][12] "Holy Tears" and "Not in Rivers, but in Drops" were released from the album as singles in 2008, along with a limited-edition vinyl compilation box set entitled Shades of the Swarm later in the year. Their final full-length, Wavering Radiant, was released in 2009 and marked the band's first entry in the Billboard 200, peaking at 98;[10] it also saw international commercial exposure, seeing entry into the charts of the United Kingdom, Germany and Norway.[13][14][15] Isis split up in June 2010, just before the release of a split EP with Melvins.[16] Their entire back-catalogue of live releases saw digital re-release in mid-2011,[17] and two compilations are lined up in the wake of Isis' dissolution; however, neither compilation has seen release as of 2011.[18]
Contents |
| Year | Album details | Chart positions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Indie [10] |
US Heat [10] |
US Rock [10] |
US Taste [10] |
US [10] |
UK [13][19] |
UK Rock [20] |
GER [15] |
NOR [14] |
||
| 2000 | Celestial[21]
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | Oceanic[22]
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | Panopticon
|
47 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | In the Absence of Truth
|
20 | 6 | — | 12 | — | 184 | — | — | — |
| 2009 | Wavering Radiant
|
10 | — | 14 | 7 | 98 | 190 | 17 | 96 | 37 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||||||||
| Year | Release details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Demo[23]
|
|
| 1998 | Mosquito Control[24]
|
|
| 1999 | The Red Sea
|
This release includes all material from the 1998 demo.[25] |
| 1999 | Sawblade
|
Tour-only limited edition release. 200 handmade CD-Rs and 250 copies of the vinyl edition were pressed.[26][27] |
| 2001 | SGNL>05
|
This release is effectively an "extension" of Celestial.[28] |
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "Holy Tears"[29]
|
In the Absence of Truth (2006) |
"Not in Rivers, But in Drops"[29]
|
| Year | Album details | Recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Live.01[30]
|
|
Live.02[31]
|
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| 2005 | Live.03[32]
|
|
| 2006 | Live.04[33]
|
|
| 2009 | Live.05[34]
|
| Year | Album details | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Split with Pig Destroyer
|
Split EP | Isis contribute only one song; a Godflesh cover.[35] |
| 2004 | Oceanic: Remixes & Reinterpretations
|
Cover album | Consists of remixes of tracks from Oceanic, contributed to by a variety of artists. Originally released as a series of four 12" LPs on Robotic Empire.[36] |
| 2005 | We Reach: The Music of the Melvins
|
Tribute album | Isis and Agoraphobic Nosebleed collaborate to cover the track "Boris" for this tribute to the Melvins.[37] |
| 2006 | In the Fishtank 14
|
Split album | Part of the "In the Fishtank" series, where two artists are given a limited recording time and compose in the studio. This release is a collaboration with Scottish band Aereogramme.[38] |
| 2008 | Shades of the Swarm
|
Box set | LP box set of all of Isis' full-length albums and EPs up to and including In the Absence of Truth, produced in commemoration of their 10 year anniversary. Limited to 600.[39] |
| 2010 | Split with Melvins
|
Split EP | Split EP with Melvins containing two Isis songs recorded during the Wavering Radiant sessions.[40] |
| Album | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Panopticon (2004) | "In Fiction" | Josh Graham[41] |
| In the Absence of Truth (2006) | "Holy Tears" | Dominic Hailstone[42] |
| "Not in Rivers, But in Drops" | Sera Timms[43] | |
| Wavering Radiant (2009) | "20 Minutes / 40 Years" | Matt Santoro[44] |
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Clearing the Eye
|
Features live videos (including an entire live performance), the "In Fiction" music video, photo galleries, lyrics for all songs featured, a complete discography, and a 20-page booklet.[29] |
General
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