BiographySan Francisco's genre crushing, critically acclaimed, progressive/doom/stoner rock band, Giant Squid (formerly of Austin, TX and Sacramento, CA), released their debut album, Metridium Fields, recorded by legendary producer, Billy Anderson (Neurosis, High On Fire, Mr. Bungle) in August 2006 on eclectic metal label, The End Records, distributed by SONY/BMG's independent label distribution company, RED. The record quickly garnered universal praise amongst underground music critics world wide. The band released a very limited edition colored vinyl 7" split with Grayceon, containing the previously unreleased track "Sutter's Fort". In 2008 they recorded with Billy Anderson a cover of the Syd Barrett song, "Octopus" for the Dwell Records release, Like Black Holes in the Sky: The Tribute to Syd Barret, featuring contributions from Jesu, Kylesa, Intronaut, Pentagram, and many others. At the end of 2008, Giant Squid finally made available the remaining hundred copies or so of the highly sought after, hand made and self released CD-R E.P., Monster In The Creek, produced by Eric Broyhill (Far, !!!, Outhud), which sold out quickly.
The band toured heavily behind Metridium Fields, completing four tours that covered all of the U.S. as well as reaching into Canada twice, with bands such as The Gathering, Ludicra, Black Elk, Stolen Babies, Grayceon, Wormwood, and Whitehorse, and Human Wine. Giant Squid also showcased at SXSW two years in a row (06/07), played at the Hyperactive Music Festival in Albuquerque, NM in 2007 as featured artists at the PoBoy Drums showcase, and was a featured performer at the legendary, doom metal/stoner rock festival, Emissions From The Monolith in Austin, TX, 2007. During this time, the band has shared the stage with such bands as ISIS, Melvins, Big Business, Earth, Dysrhythmia, Intronaut, Behold...The Arctopus, Helms Alee, The Ocean, Middian, The Locust, Agalloch, Wolves In The Throne Room, Pretty Girls Make Graves, 16, Black Cobra, and Tera Melos, amongst many other national underground artists. Giant Squid has also been recognized as official endorsees by Orange Amplifiers, Gibson Guitars, PoBoy Drums, Matt Raines guitars, and Monolith guitar cabs.
Though Giant Squid left The End Records in 2008, the band entered the studio again in August and September of that year to record their self-funded, sophomore release, The Ichthyologist, an epic concept album, based of a yet to be released graphic novel of the same name, written by founding band member, Aaron Gregory. The album contains ten songs spanning over a full hour of music. The band hired highly sought after producer, Matt Bayles (ISIS, Mastodon, Pearl Jam, Botch, Minus The Bear) to produce the record, which features guest appearances by Anneke Van Geirsbergen (The Gathering), Karyn Crisis (Crisis), Kris Force (Amber Asylum, Neurosis), and Lorraine Rath (Amber Asylum, The Gault). The band also hired, out of pocket, the late Adrian Bromley's PR company, Ixmati Media, as well as XO Publicity in Portland, OR to work the album, essentially giving the release the same PR team that Metridium Fields had. The result was incredible world wide critical acclaim.
The first 1000 copies of The Ichthyologist were self released by the band through their websites, giantsquidlives.com and myspace.com/giantsquid on Feb 3rd, 2009, and featured unique fold out packaging adorned with the classic naturalist art of German professor, Ernst Haeckel. Days later, Giant Squid hit the road for an eleven day West Coast tour in support of the release with legendary L.A. sludge heroes, 16 (Relapse Records) in tow. The extremely limited, self-released edition of The Ichthyologist was nearly sold out four months later.
In June of 2009, Giant Squid signed a three album record deal with Philadelphia indie metal label, Translation Loss, securing again SONY/BMG distribution for The Ichthyologist and future releases through the label. Startup New York based vinyl label, Vega Vinyl, signed on to release The Ichthyologist in full colored wax, double LP, gatefold glory.
Both of these official label releases feature brand new mixes and versions of the songs, "Panthalassa, Throwing a Donner Party at Sea, Blue Linckia", and "Emerald Bay," and come packaged in entirely new album art by superstar, legendary comic book artist, Sam Kieth (Hulk, Batman, Wolverine, The Maxx, Lobo, Sandman), who will personally autograph a limited amount of the first CD's available through Translation Loss.
To support the official label release of The Ichthyologist, Giant Squid hits the road for their sixth tour, a near full national jaunt from coast to coast, starting in San Francisco and ending three weeks later in the band's one time home town, Austin, TX. Progressive doom, thrash masters, Grayceon, the official sister band of Giant Squid by means of shared cello player and vocalist, Jackie Perez Gratz, will be joining them for the first two weeks.
What folks are saying about GIANT SQUID:
"While the narrative may take a page from Gregory’s personal life, musically, The Ichthyologist invokes the elemental force of Neurosis, the cinematic scope of God Speed You Black Emperor, and the attitude of punk rock" – Revolver Magazine
"Musically, however you view The Ichthyologist, it's a massive undertaking with layers of instrumentation, voices, sonic moods, waves and textures, presenting a life affirming twist on the light-dark, up-and-down, seesaw post metal style." - Decibel Magazine
"Monstrously penetrating, conceptually abstract, doomingly essential." - Thrasher Magazine
"An encompassing and engrossing sensory trip." - Terrorizer Magazine
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Releases
Giant Squid
TL37-2 - Rock / Avant-garde / Indie / Metal |
