Behold... The Arctopus

Infobox musical artist
Name = Behold... The Arctopus


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Origin = Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genre = Avant-garde metal
Years_active = 2001–present
Label = Black Market Activities
Associated_acts = Dysrhythmia
Orthrelm
Indricothere
Byla
Infidel?/Castro!
Krallice
Blotted Science
Direwolf
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Current_members = Mike Lerner Colin Marston Charlie Zeleny
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Behold... The Arctopus is an experimental metal band from Brooklyn, New York, United States.

Biography

Behold... The Arctopus was formed by Colin Marston and Mike Lerner, who had been playing guitar together for over a year-and-a-half by the time they found a drummer. Their demo "We Need a Drummer" (on which a drum machine was used) was picked up by drummer Charlie Zeleny. Zeleny met Lerner and Marston and impressed the duo. He was immediately asked to join the band. [http://wc03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:ajfqxqealdae allmusic.com] ]

Behold... The Arctopus is currently signed to Black Market Activities for its first album, entitled "Skullgrid", which was released on October 16th, 2007.cite web|title = Behold... The Arctopus on Metal Blade|url=http://www.metalblade.com/english/artists/beholdthearctopus/releases.php|accessdate = 2007-10-02] The band went on tour with Genghis Tron and The Dillinger Escape Plan to support the album, but it was cut short by an injury of one of the members of The Dillinger Escape Plan.cite web|title = Genghis Tron website|url=http://www.genghistron.com/main.shtml|accessdate = 2007-10-02] To help them recoup financial losses from that tour, Between the Buried and Me have taken the band on their current headlining tour, supported by August Burns Red.

tyle

Behold... The Arctopus play instrumental music inspired by both metal and 20th century classical music. This technical and progressive style is executed on a regular electric guitar and drum kit but involves a 12-string Warr guitar, an instrument that covers the range of a bass and guitar and is generally played by tapping.

Influences on their music range from heavy metal, fusion to classical music, amongst other genres. Influential heavy metal bands include Cynic, Ulver, Death, Neurosis, Darkthrone and Meshuggah, Voivod and Gorguts. The following composers have influenced the band: Béla Bartók, Luciano Berio, Arnold Schoenberg and Krzysztof Penderecki.

Marston has explained the Behold... The Arctopus' recording process in an interview: "The songs written by one member were all scored out on paper and learned by the band. The first couple songs only had a few notated parts, the majority being written on the instrument and never written down. The trend has definitely been going more towards writing everything out." [ [http://gorexridden.tripod.com/interview/behold_int.html Marston Interview] ]

Discography

*2002: "We Need a Drummer" (digital, MP3.com)
*2003: "Arctopocalypse Now... Warmageddon Later" (3" CD, Self-Released)
**Re-released by Epicene Sound Systems later in 2003
*2005: "Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning" (CD and vinyl, Troubleman Unlimited, Epicene Sound Systems)
*2006: Split with Orthrelm (CD and vinyl, Crucial Blast Records, Eyes of Sound)
*2006: "Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning" (reissue) (CD, Black Market Activities)
*2007: "Memphis 3-6-06" (DVD, s.l.a.p.)
*2007: "Skullgrid" (CD and vinyl, Black Market Activities)

Members

* Colin Marston – Warr guitar
* Mike Lerner – guitar
* Charlie Zeleny – drums

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/beholdthearctopus Official MySpace page]
* [http://www.metalblade.com/english/artists/beholdthearctopus/bio.php BTA at Metal Blade Records]
* [http://wc03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:ajfqxqealdae BTA at All Music Guide]

References