Cypher (Perth Band)

Cypher is a three piece instrumental band from Perth, Australia.

Infobox musical artist
Name = Cypher

|200px
Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Flagicon|AUS Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Genre = Post Rock/Instrumental
Years_active = 1998–present
Label = Unit 6 Records
URL = [http://www.cypher.net.au Unofficial website]
Current_members = Sebastian Parsons
Alec Monger
Sam Pugsley

Past_members = Mark Cossom
Rob Agostini
Karli Rob
Ian Roberston|

Music

Cypher have been variously classified as Post Rock, Space Rock, Noise and Shoegaze. Although their music can contain elements of any of these categories, they don't fall into any specific one.

Their sound is often characterised by multiple delay effects on the guitar, causing a 'wall of sound'. The guitar and bass riffs are often repeated at great length, ebbing and flowing in volume and intensity. The songs can be quite long, sometimes exceeding 15 minutes in length. Live, the band often performs at loud volumes.

Band history

Formed in 1998 as a five piece, the original line-up included Mark Cossom (guitar) and Rob Agostini (vocals). This line-up played several performances and recorded a single in 1998 before Mark and Rob left the band amicably. Their departure caused the style of the music to become focused around longer songs with fewer sections, which gradually built up from quiet beginnings into overpowering crescendos and back down again.

The band (now a three piece) released their debut album "Whats a World Without Laughter" in 1999. Some songs on the album utilised keyboards, so in order to perform the songs live, the band recruited Karli Rob on keyboards.

An album of remixes and some new material was released in 2000. The band performed a small number of performances before Karli left and was replaced on keyboards by Ian Roberston. More performances followed, included a slot on RTRFM's annual fund raiser 'In the Pines' during which the band were noted for their use of a whipper snipper as an instrument and cooking pancakes onstage for the crowd during their set.

From the end of 2003, the band experienced a hiatus until re-emerging as the current three piece line-up at the end of 2005. An album of previously recorded material "Life Changing Sunnies" was released in late 2006.

Current line-up

*Sebastian Parsons - guitar
*Alec Monger - bass
*Sam Pugsley - drums

Discography

*"Hi Monica" / "Aquatic Song" (single) (1998)
*"Whats a World Without Laughter" (LP) (1999)
*"Remixes" (EP) (2000)
*"Life Changing Sunnies" (LP) (2006)

External links

* [http://www.cypher.net.au Official Band Site]