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Cormorant (band)

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For other uses, see Cormorant (disambiguation).
Cormorant
OriginSan Francisco, California
GenresProgressive metal, progressive black metal
Years active2007–present
LabelsIndependent
MembersArthur von Nagel
Nick Cohon
Matt Solis
Brennan Kunkel
Websitecormorantmusic.com

Cormorant is an American progressive metal band from San Francisco, California, formed in 2007. The group consists of bassist and vocalist Arthur von Nagel, guitarists Nick Cohon and Matt Solis, and drummer Brennan Kunkel. Since its inception, Cormorant has remained intentionally and notably independent, despite reportedly being offered a number of record deals.[1] Cormorant has eluded a specific genre label by incorporating elements of many different styles of music. While somewhat rooted in black metal, the group has been known to incorporate jazz, progressive rock, death metal and folk elements to its music, among others.

Cormorant has released two studio albums and one EP. The band released its debut EP The Last Tree in 2007, and released its latest studio album entitled Dwellings in December 2011.[2]

History

Formation and The Last Tree (2007)

As described by bassist and vocalist Arthur von Nagel in his interview with the popular metal website Heavy Blog is Heavy, the beginnings of Cormorant can be traced to drummer Brennan Kunkel and bassist/vocalist Arthur von Nagel meeting while playing in a thrash metal band together in their late teens. After becoming subsequently bored with the limitations of the project, the two proceeded to make attempts at creating and demoing progressive black metal songs. These demos would form the earliest Cormorant content. Soon after the duo's first ventures, they proceeded to invite Brennan's friend Nick Cohon from high school to the line up. Together, the trio recorded and released The Last Tree EP. Soon after the release of The Last Tree, the band met Matt Solis at an Enslaved show and recruited him as second guitarist. The complete lineup would then dive straight into the writing and recording of Cormorant's debut album, Metazoa.[3]

Metazoa (2009)

Cormorant released its debut album, Metazoa, on September 22, 2009 to critical and universal praise for its varied and unique sound.[4][5] With the Billy Anderson-produced album's success propagated by various metal websites and blogs, Cormorant's independently created debut stood as a DIY and underground success. The success of Metazoa had the band featured in an exclusive feature on the popular website Ultimate Guitar Archive, focusing on the band's DIY success.[6] Cormorant began writing for its second full length album some time after the release of Metazoa.

Dwellings (2011)

The band released Dwellings on December 6, 2011 to further critical and universal praise from both critics and fans alike. Despite the success of Metazoa, it did not receive as much publicity or widespread acclaim as Dwellings did. Highly influential sites such as npr.com, yahoo.com and about.com all listed Dwellings in their end of year favorites list, with NPR including it as the number one metal album of 2011.[7][8][9][10][11] "Dwellings is, far and away, the best metal record of 2011: an emotionally and musically complex album which wrestles with our desperate and sometimes violent attempts to secure a place in history.", says NPR's Lars Gotrich.[12]

Influences

As revealed in various interviews, Cormorant has been known to draw from various different genres, both within and outside of metal. Each of the band's members is known to have very diverse and far reaching musical tastes that lend themselves differently to the music of Cormorant. Drummer Brennan Kunkel is known to enjoy creating hip-hop beats in his free time, whereas guitarist Nick Cohon's previous musical endeavour was a country project. Bassist and vocalist Arthur von Nagel references growing up on French folk and classical music before experimenting with many genres such as hip-hop before finding a passion for metal.[13][14]

Lyrics

Bassist and vocalist Arthur von Nagel is known to put significant effort into the lyrics of Cormorant's music. Von Nagel's lyrics have been a great source of praise for the band's music, cited as poignant and poetic by critics.[15]

Critic Alee Karim described the lyrics on Cormorant's Dwellings as "...the best example of a metal band incorporating topical and relevant lyrics since Ludicra’s The Tenant".[16]

While the band's debut record, Metazoa, focused mostly on themes of nature and the equilibrium of life and death, the topics therein have been varied, ranging the death of Maximilien Robespierre on "Uneasy Lies the Head" to a metaphysically explorative descent from heaven to hell on "Hanging Gardens".[17]

Cormorant's sophomore release, Dwellings, featured an overarching theme concerning the human spirit and the trials of humanity in pursuit of immortality throughout history. Though a thematic departure from the themes of nature in previous works, von Nagel's poetic and narrative style is consistent throughout the band's work.[18]

DIY approach

Cormorant has released all of its records independently, despite reportedly being made offers by various record labels.[19] This DIY approach has become somewhat of a band trademark, especially concerning the marketing done for its sophomore release. As part of a pre-order deal made directly with the band, early adopters could choose from a variety of special collector editions of the album, complete with merchandise. These pre-orders sold out quickly, and allowed the band to fund part of the recording costs of Dwellings.[20] Cormorant's DIY success and retention of production quality have made it a common reference to the changing state of the music industry in the metal underground.[21]

Much of the band's independent success can be attributed to its marked Internet presence and use of services such as Bandcamp, which bassist/vocalist Arthur von Nagel notes as "glorious."[22]

Band members

Current members

Discography

Main article: Cormorant discography
Extended plays
Studio albums

References

  1. ^ Ziltoid. "ARTHUR VON NAGEL OF CORMORANT: THE OFFICIAL METALSUCKS INTERVIEW". www.metalsucks.net. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  2. ^ von Nagel, Arthur. "Cormorant Discography". cormorantmusic.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  3. ^ Deathcaek. "Arthur von Nagel of Cormorant: The Epic Heavy Blog is Heavy Interview". heavyblogisheavy.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  4. ^ ATGAngelripper. "Cormorant Metazoa". sptunikmusic.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  5. ^ Myshadow46_2. "Metazoa Review". ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ UG. "Cormorant: UG's Unsigned Artist Of 2010". www.ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  7. ^ Gotrich, Lars. "The Best Metal Of 2011". www.npr.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  8. ^ Robert of the Raddish. "The Best Albums of 2011". yahoo.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  9. ^ Marsicano, Dan. "Cormorant - Dwellings Review". about.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  10. ^ Karim, Alee. "Cormorant- Dwellings". Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  11. ^ Obstkrieg, Dan. "Review of Cormorant - Dwellings". metalreview.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  12. ^ Gotrich, Lars. "First Listen: Cormorant, 'Dwellings'". npr.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  13. ^ Ziltoid. "ARTHUR VON NAGEL OF CORMORANT: THE OFFICIAL METALSUCKS INTERVIEW". metalsucks.net. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  14. ^ Gehlke, David. "Cormorant – Describing the Indescribable". blistering.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  15. ^ BadWolf. "CORMORANT: "DWELLINGS"". nocleansinging.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  16. ^ Karim, Alee. "Cormorant - Dwellings". Invisible Oranges. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  17. ^ Nahsil. "Interview with Cormorant". metalcrypt.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  18. ^ Gotrich, Lars. "Cormorant: Follow The Blackened Thread". npr.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  19. ^ von Nagel, Arthur. "TIBERIAN VOCALIZATIONS: CORMORANT'S ARTHUR VON NAGEL GIVES YOU THE ANATOMY OF A RECORD CONTRACT". metalsucks.net. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  20. ^ Cormorant. "Dwellings: Limited Edition Pre-Orders". cormorantmusic.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  21. ^ Norton, Justin. "NICK COHON OF CORMORANT: THE METALSUCKS INTERVIEW". metalsucks.com. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  22. ^ Gotrich, Lars. "Cormorant: Follow the Blackened Thread". Retrieved 8 March 2012.
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