Alchemist (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Alchemist

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Img_capt = Adam Agius live at Metal for the Brain, 2006
Img_size =
Landscape = yes
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Canberra, Australia
Genre = Progressive metal
Death metal
Heavy metal
Years_active = 1987-present
Label = Relapse
Chatterbox
Shock
Lethal
Displeased
Associated_acts = Exceed
URL = [http://www.alchemist.com.au www.alchemist.com]
Current_members = Adam Agius
John Bray
Rodney Holder
Roy Torkington
Nick Wall
Past_members = Scott Chivers
Andrew Meredith
Murray Neill
Nick Paddon-Row
James Preece

Alchemist is an Australian heavy metal band from Canberra. The band is one of the best known Australian heavy metal actsFact|date=May 2008, renowned for their unique combination of death metal, progressive rock, psychedelic, Eastern, Aboriginal and electronic influences. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:abftxq9ald6e allmusic ((( Spiritech > Overview ))) ] ] [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fcfixqw0ldte allmusic ((( Organasm > Overview ))) ] ] [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dxftxqraldfe allmusic ((( Austral Alien > Overview ))) ] ]

History

Formation and early years (1987-1992)

Alchemist was formed in 1987 by Adam Agius (lead vocals/guitar) as a death metal act. The band released a demo the same year entitled "Eternal Wedlock". The band's style was raw and undeveloped, and began to evolve with the addition of new drummer Rodney Holder in 1989. The following year, the line-up of Agius, Holder, Andrew Meredith (guitar) and James Preece (bass) recorded a second demo. The demo showed the beginning of the band's experimentation with avant-garde arrangements and psychedelic influences inspired by the likes of Pink Floyd and Frank Zappa. Another demo was produced in 1991, with Preece having being replaced by John Bray. Alchemist also performed at the first Metal for the Brain festival in Canberra. The band would be the only group to feature at every occasion. The track "Escapism" from the demo recording was featured the following year on the Roadrunner (Australia) compilation album "Redrum". The album also included other rising metal acts of the time, including Sadistik Exekution, Allegiance, and Shihad.

Label, "Jar of Kingdom", "Lunasphere" albums, recording and affiliate troubles (1992-1996)

In 1992, Roy Torkington joined Alchemist in place of Meredith. By this time the demos had created enough interest for them to be approached by Austrian label Lethal, who released the first album "Jar of Kingdom" the next year. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:09foxq90ldse~T1 allmusic ((( Alchemist > Biography ))) ] ] The album was recorded in Sydney and featured an eclectic mixture of death metal, grindcore and psychedelia. Two songs featured vocals from Michelle Klemke, a friend of Agius' mother. According to the notes accompanying the 2005 compilation album "Embryonics", Agius lost his voice during the recording. The band was unsatisfied with the sound of the album and eventually re-mastered and re-released it in 1999. Alchemist was also dissatisfied with Lethal's handling of "Jar of Kingdom" and soon parted ways with them. After releasing "Jar of Kingdom", the band went on their first tour, supporting German thrash legends Kreator, followed by Pungent Stench, Fear Factory and finishing off with England's Bolt Thrower. [http://www.alchemist.com.au/html/time93.htm Alchemist Timeline - Year 1993 ] ]

During 1994, Alchemist recorded a promotional tape to shop to record companies [http://www.alchemist.com.au/html/time94.htm Alchemist Timeline - Year 1994 ] ] and a version of the Venom song "Black Metal" for a Swedish tribute album called "The Promoters of the Third World War: A Tribute to Venom"; the track appears nowhere else and this album is now a highly sought-after item. The band also began work on its next album, titled "Lunasphere", it was released in 1995 by Melbourne label Shock Records through its subsidiary Thrust. "Lunasphere" showed a further development of Alchemist's unusual style, adding Eastern motifs and keyboards [http://www.alchemist.com.au/html/disc-luna.htm Alchemist - Discography - Lunasphere ] ] to its already diverse style. The track "Garden of Eroticism" was added to the Triple J compilation album "This Is Twelve" (ABC/EMI) in 1996 and both this song and "Yoni Kunda" remain live staples. The group supported the release of "Lunasphere" with a heavy touring schedule [http://www.alchemist.com.au/html/time95.htm Alchemist Timeline - Year 1995 ] ] that included several shows with joint UK/Australian ambient act Deathless, a slot on the Sydney leg of the 1996 Big Day Out supporting bands Cathedral, Paradise Lost as well as Fear Factory a second time. [http://www.alchemist.com.au/html/time96.htm Alchemist Timeline - Year 1996 ] ] They also had a live-to-air appearance on the Triple J metal program "Three Hours of Power" where two songs from this session would later be included on the "Embryonics" compilation album in 2005. Also during the year, pioneering Canberra death metal band Armoured Angel disbanded. The band's drummer Joel Green handed over the running of the festival to Holder, who with the rest of Alchemist was responsible for the event for the next decade.

tability, "Spiritech", "Organasm" albums, re-releases and new label (1996-2000)

Alchemist began recording "Spiritech" in late 1996. After enduring a problematic recording process, the band handed production over to D.W. Norton, the guitarist with Melbourne band Superheist and the part-owner of Back Beach Studios in Rye, Victoria. "Spiritech" introduced more electronic elements as well as tribal rhythms and heavy sampling into the band's "oeuvre" and opened with the sprawling nine-minute "Chinese Whispers" that remains a particular favorite for group and fans alike.

In 1999, the band's next project was an EP that featured as its title track a version of "Eve of the War", the opening piece from the 1978 production, "Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds". Josh Nixon from Canberra doom metal band, Pod People featured as a guest guitarist. The EP also included live versions of "Yoni Kunda" and "Chinese Whispers", an electronica remix of "Yoni Kunda" retitled as "Koni Yunda" and two "Jar of Kingdom" tracks, "Brumal: A View from Pluto" and "Worlds within Worlds." These last two were a precursor to the band's re-release of "Jar of Kingdom" the following year. This re-release included some new overdubs as the album's original master tapes were damaged, and included the 1991 demo in its entirety. This release completed their contractual obligation to Shock Records and Alchemist began to shop for a new local deal as well as international distribution. The group's albums had attained a heavy cult following in parts of Europe, particularly in the Netherlands, but they had not had European representation since their failed association with Lethal. In the meantime, Alchemist toured with Entombed and Pitchshifter.

Late in 1999, a new Alchemist track called "Austral Spectrum" appeared on a compilation of Australian metal called "Under the Southern Cross" and issued by Sydney label Chatterbox Records (with whom the band had just signed for Australian release). A slightly different version of the song then appeared on the "Organasm" album, again recorded with D.W. Norton in Rye and released in early 2000. To promote "Organasm", Alchemist undertook a three-month Australian tour during autumn. Billed as "World War Three", the tour also featured Sydney thrash bands Cryogenic and Psi.Kore, both of whom had also just released CDs. "Organasm" featured a warmer sound and a focus on tighter songwriting with tracks embellished even more by duelling slide guitars, keyboards and samples. Dutch label, Displeased Records was offered European distribution of the album and Relapse Records handled the US release.

Touring and "Austral Alien" album (2000-2005)

Following 2000's Metal for the Brain, Alchemist went off the road for more than a year to work on the next album. "Austral Alien" was released by Chatterbox on 12 May 2003, immediately following a short run of Australian dates with progressive death metal band, Opeth. This latest album saw a much mellower side to Alchemist, with highly polished production and a heavily electronic sound. Citing the influence of the rock band Midnight Oil, the lyrics of the semi-conceptual album focused on environmental issues affecting their country, specifically the impact of man on the ecology. At this point, Alchemist added a fifth member, Nick Wall, to provide samples during live shows. Several "Austral Alien" songs received some airplay on Triple J and late in the year the album was released worldwide by Relapse.

In late 2004, Alchemist embarked on their first tour outside of Australia. They appeared at the Power Prog Festival in the Netherlands in October alongside Strapping Young Lad, Katatonia and others before heading out on a tour with Cult of Luna and Textures. [ [http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=9571 Metal News - Textures To Tour UK w/ Alchemist & Cult Of Luna ( Metal Underground . com ) ] ] Because of these commitments, Metal for the Brain was held off until February, 2005. In the same month Alchemist won their first Australian Heavy Metal Music Awards, with "First Contact" awarded Best Video Clip, and Agius awarded Best Keyboardist. [ [http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=12034 Metal News - Australian Heavy Metal Music Awards Winners ( Metal Underground . com ) ] ]

"Embryonics" and "Tripsis" (2005-Present)

A compilation album was announced in June, 2005, entitled "Embryonics", which was released in late October. It covered material recorded between 1990 and 1998, including tracks from the first three albums, the 1998 EP release and demo songs. Bonus tracks included two of the songs recorded on the radio in 1996. The band also announced a companion DVD release due for 2006, however it is yet to be released.

After ten years of successfully organising Metal for the Brain, Alchemist laid the festival to rest, playing the final event on 4 November 2006. [http://www.themetalforge.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=667 The Metal Forge interview, October 28, 2006] Holder, now based in Brisbane, moved on to organise the 20-band Abducted Metal Horror Festival held in July, 2007. In May of that year Alchemist completed work on their next album "Tripsis", which the band declared to be a return to the earlier sound of "Lunasphere" and "Spiritech". It was released in September for Australia and in October for other areas, with a limited edition being produced on coloured vinyl (375 copies on red/black vinyl, 125 copies on blue/white vinyl) via The Viking Records. To coincide with the release of "Tripsis", Alchemist headlined the European ProgPower event and played selected other dates. In July 2008 the band played at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium as part of their European tour. In October 2008, Alchemist will return to Australia to tour with Meshuggah.

Discography

Albums

Infobox Discography
Type = studio
Name = "Jar of Kingdom"
Released = 1993
Label = Lethal
Producer = Brett Stanton
Format = CD
Chart position =
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from Album =
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Infobox Discography
Type = studio
Name = "Lunasphere"
Released = 1995
Label = Thrust / Shock
Producer = Alchemist and John Hresc
Format = CD
Chart position =
Certification =
Sales =
Singles =
from Album =
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Infobox Discography
Type = studio
Name = "Spiritech"
Released = 1997
Label = Thrust / Shock
Producer = Alchemist and John Hresc
Format = CD
Chart position =
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from Album =
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Infobox Discography
Type = studio
Name = "Organasm"
Released = 2000
Label = Chatterbox, Displeased, Relapse
Producer = D.W. Norton
Format = CD
Chart position =
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from Album =
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Infobox Discography
Type = studio
Name = "Austral Alien"
Released = 2003
Label = Chatterbox, Relapse
Producer = D.W. Norton
Format = CD
Chart position =
Certification =
Sales =
Singles =
from Album =
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Infobox Discography
Type = studio
Name = "Tripsis"
Released = 2007
Label = Chatterbox, Relapse
Producer =
Format = CD
Chart position =
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from Album =
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Demos and EPs

Infobox Discography
Type = ep
Name = "Eternal Wedlock"
Released = 1987
Label =
Producer = Alchemist
Format = Demo cassette
Chart position =
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from Album =
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Infobox Discography
Type = ep
Name = "Demo '90"
Released = 1990
Label =
Producer = Alchemist
Format = Demo cassette
Chart position =
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Infobox Discography
Type = ep
Name = "Demo '91"
Released = 1991
Label =
Producer = John Hresc
Format = Demo cassette
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from Album =
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Infobox Discography
Type = ep
Name = "Promo 94"
Released = 1994
Label =
Producer = Martin Sheppard
Format = Promo cassette
Chart position =
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from Album =
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Infobox Discography
Type = ep
Name = "Eve of the War"
Released = 1998
Label = Thrust / Shock
Producer = D.W. Norton
Format = CD
Chart position =
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from Album =
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Infobox Discography
Type = ep
Name = "Promo 99"
Released = 1999
Label =
Producer = Alchemist
Format = Promo CD
Chart position =
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from Album =
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Compilations

Infobox Discography
Type = compilation
Name = "Jar of Kingdom Re-Release 99"
Released = 1999
Label = Thrust / Shock
Producer = Brett Stanton, John Hresc
Format = CD
Chart position =
Certification =
Sales =
Singles =
from Album =
Writer =
Tracks =
Other info =

Infobox Discography
Type = compilation
Name = Embryonics
Released = 2005
Label = Chatterbox, Relapse
Producer = Brett Stanton, John Hresc, D.W. Norton
Format = CD
Chart position =
Certification =
Sales =
Singles =
from Album =
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Tracks =
Other info =

Band line-up

Current members

* Adam Agius − vocals, Guitar, Keyboards (1987−Present)
* John Bray − Bass guitar, Keyboards (1991−Present)
* Rodney Holder − drums (1988−Present)
* Roy Torkington − Guitar (1992−Present)
* Nick Wall − Live samples (2003−Present)

Former members

* Andrew Hall − Drums (1987−89)
* Andrew Meredith − Guitar (1990−92)
* James Preece − Bass guitar (1989−91)
* Scott Chivers - Bass guitar (1987−89)
* Murray Neill − Vocals (1987−88)
* Nick Paddon-Row − Drums (1987)

ee also

* Metal for the Brain
* Australian heavy metal

External links

* [http://www.alchemist.com.au Alchemist official Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/alchemistau Alchemist] at MySpace
* [http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=4&id=9961 Interview with Roy Torkington]
* [http://www.savioursofrock.com/interviews/interviewalchemist.htm Interview at Saviours of Rock]
* [http://www.ice-vajal.com/ Ice-Vajal.com] Alchemist interview Nov. 2007

References