Unexpect
| Unexpect | |
|---|---|
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Unexpect on the Progressive Nation European tour in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Montréal, Québec, Canada |
| Genres | Avant-garde metal |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | The End, Galy Records |
| Website | www.unexpect.com |
| Members |
Syriak Artagoth ChaotH Leïlindel Landryx Blaise Borboën-Léonard |
| Past members |
Exod Le Bateleur Elda Zircon Merzenya Dasnos Anthony Trujillo |
Unexpect (often capitalized uneXpect, unexpecT,[1] or UnexpecT) is an avant-garde extreme metal band from Montréal, Canada featuring a unique amalgamation of different metal subgenres like progressive, technical death, black and melodic heavy metal, and of other styles of music including classical, dark cabaret, opera, jazz, funk, electro, ambient, noise, 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] They released their two following albums via The End Records, before returning to independent releases.
History
From their beginning in 1996, unexpecT saw their share of line-up changes, as only two members from this period are still in the band: Artagoth and SyriaK. Unexpect then recorded their first full-length album titled 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 titled _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 released their 3rd full-length album, Fables of the Sleepless Empire, on May 31, 2011. Pre-order copies were signed by the band. Brick-and-mortar sales of the album are not planned, and at the moment it appears that it will only be sold online.[3]
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 3, 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 2008. In 2009 the band accompanied Dream Theater, Opeth and Bigelf on the inaugural Progressive Nation European tour.
Members
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Current members
Session members |
Former members |
Discography
- Utopia (1999, self-released)
- _wE, Invaders EP (2003, Galy Records; distributed by The End Records)
- In a Flesh Aquarium (2006, The End Records)
- Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011, self-released)[4]