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Kayo Dot
Kayo Dot is an American avant-garde metal band. Formed in 2002 by Toby Driver after the break-up of Maudlin of the Well, they released their debut album Choirs of the Eye on John Zorn's Tzadik Records that same year. Since then, Kayo Dot's lineup has drastically changed over the years with only one original member. Toby Driver is the only founding member of the band still remaining, save for frequent lyrical contributions from former motW member Jason Byron. Up until 2011, the lineup was constantly shifting, and Kayo Dot's sound consistently changed over the years, featuring a wide variety of instrumentation including guitar, drums, bass, violin, saxophone, vibraphone, synthesizers, clarinets and flutes. Underground metal audiences warmly received the group upon its early existence, with the 2003 album Choirs of the Eye and the 2006 album Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue both becoming underground hits in the progressive metal scene.
Over the years, in addition to the rotating lineup and constantly changing sounds, Kayo Dot has been signed to a number of different record labels, Tzadik, Robotic Empire, Hydra Head, Driver's self-release imprint, Ice Level Music, The Flenser, and Prophecy Productions. The band has released eleven studio albums, one EP and one split throughout their ongoing tenure.
Kayo Dot was formed after the disbanding of Maudlin of the Well, a mildly acclaimed progressive metal band in late 2002. Several members of Maudlin went on to form Kayo Dot, with multi-instrumentalist Toby Driver leading the group. In early 2003, Toby Driver (vocals, guitar, electronics), Greg Massi (guitar, vocals), Nicholas Kyte (bass, vocals), Sam Gutterman (drums, vocals) and Terran Olson (keyboards, flute, clarinet, saxophone) carried on and took the metal sound of Maudlin in a more classical direction. Rather than using the same band format as Maudlin of the Well, early performances saw Kayo Dot playing as an orchestra of sorts, with many members playing different instruments on stage. John Zorn's famous avant-garde label Tzadik signed the act in 2003, and Choirs of the Eye was released in late 2003. The album was very well-received, and many regard it as one of the best metal albums of the 2000s. Toby Driver would later go on to say that Choirs of the Eye developed because "Kayo Dot is just a natural extension of the places MOTW was heading". After reading online forums in which fans of Opeth and MOTW bickered over compositional styles, Driver decided to make a "through-composed metal album ... one without riffs or arbitrarily repeating parts." This shift in style became the trademark post-metal or avant-garde metal sound the band is currently known for. Kayo Dot played the album in its entirety in 2010 at The Stone in New York City and again in August 2015.
In March 2005, longtime collaborator and former MOTW member Sam Gutterman left the group to pursue other musical ventures. Tom Malone signed on to replace Gutterman in 2005. Kayo Dot then signed to Robotic Empire Records and released its second album, Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue in January 2006. The album was released to good reviews, receiving a 7.7 from Pitchfork, and garnering the band more recognition in the indie metal circle. The album also received a rave review from Sputnikmusic, in which it received a 4.5/5 and was named as one of the best albums of 2006. The band then embarked on a lengthy fall tour before taking a short hiatus, during which two guitarists, the bassist and the trumpet player-left the band for "personal reasons." Despite concerns that there was bad blood between members, Greg Massi said on his blog that he left the group on "good terms" and that "he was going to try and figure out other aspects of my musical life and take some time to figure out where I want to be going." Massi went solo under the moniker Baliset and embarked on a tour shortly afterward. He did, however, guest perform with the group to perform its seminal album Choirs of the Eye at The Stone in New York City in 2010.
In late 2006, Kayo Dot left Robotic Empire and signed with Hydra Head Records. Despite retaining only two members (Driver and long time collaborator Mia Matsumiya), the band started work on a new album in late 2007.
After signing to Hydra Head, Kayo Dot began working on their third album, Blue Lambency Downward, which was released in May 2008. Driver and Matsumiya used several session musicians on this recording, including Skerik on saxophone and vibraphone, Hans Teuber on clarinet, and Charlie Zeleny on drums. Additionally, Randall Dunn was enlisted as producer and recording engineer. This album marked the first time Driver allowed one of his recordings to be produced by someone other than himself. After the album's release, Driver relocated from Boston to New York City for the purpose of touring the album. A new lineup was assembled, including Patrick Wolff on woodwinds, Daniel Means on woodwinds and guitar, David Bodie on drums and original (and former Maudlin of the Well) member Terran Olson on woodwinds and keyboards.
Despite a successful tour, the album was not received as well as previous releases. Allmusic and Drowned in Sound gave it mostly positive reviews, but it was panned by Pitchfork, who gave it a score of 3.3 out of 10. Among other complaints, the Pitchfork review stated that Blue Lambency Downward had few memorable moments.
After the poor critical reception and fan response to Blue Lambency Downward, Driver began working on a new long-form composition with Yuko Sueta, a NYC-based writer, filmmaker, and video artist. A first draft of this piece was premiered at The Stone in September 2008 by The Kayo Dot Auxiliary Unit, which consisted of David Bodie and Daniel Means of Kayo Dot, Yuko Sueta, and Tim Byrnes on trumpet. Shortly after, Sueta became incapacitated by breast cancer. Driver then re-drafted and adapted the piece, which was recorded in Seattle during June–July 2009 with Randall Dunn at the production helm. A tour with Secret Chiefs 3 followed, after which the album was released as 2010's Coyote on Hydra Head. Sueta died while the record was in post-production, which compelled the band to dedicate their performance to her. The album featured a rotating lineup of Driver on bass and vocals, Terran Olson on keyboards, David Bodie on drums, Mia Matsumiya on violin, Tim Byrnes on trumpet, and Daniel Means on woodwinds. Despite receiving mixed reviews, some sources (including PopMatters) praised Coyote for its concept.
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Kayo Dot
Kayo Dot is an American avant-garde metal band. Formed in 2002 by Toby Driver after the break-up of Maudlin of the Well, they released their debut album Choirs of the Eye on John Zorn's Tzadik Records that same year. Since then, Kayo Dot's lineup has drastically changed over the years with only one original member. Toby Driver is the only founding member of the band still remaining, save for frequent lyrical contributions from former motW member Jason Byron. Up until 2011, the lineup was constantly shifting, and Kayo Dot's sound consistently changed over the years, featuring a wide variety of instrumentation including guitar, drums, bass, violin, saxophone, vibraphone, synthesizers, clarinets and flutes. Underground metal audiences warmly received the group upon its early existence, with the 2003 album Choirs of the Eye and the 2006 album Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue both becoming underground hits in the progressive metal scene.
Over the years, in addition to the rotating lineup and constantly changing sounds, Kayo Dot has been signed to a number of different record labels, Tzadik, Robotic Empire, Hydra Head, Driver's self-release imprint, Ice Level Music, The Flenser, and Prophecy Productions. The band has released eleven studio albums, one EP and one split throughout their ongoing tenure.
Kayo Dot was formed after the disbanding of Maudlin of the Well, a mildly acclaimed progressive metal band in late 2002. Several members of Maudlin went on to form Kayo Dot, with multi-instrumentalist Toby Driver leading the group. In early 2003, Toby Driver (vocals, guitar, electronics), Greg Massi (guitar, vocals), Nicholas Kyte (bass, vocals), Sam Gutterman (drums, vocals) and Terran Olson (keyboards, flute, clarinet, saxophone) carried on and took the metal sound of Maudlin in a more classical direction. Rather than using the same band format as Maudlin of the Well, early performances saw Kayo Dot playing as an orchestra of sorts, with many members playing different instruments on stage. John Zorn's famous avant-garde label Tzadik signed the act in 2003, and Choirs of the Eye was released in late 2003. The album was very well-received, and many regard it as one of the best metal albums of the 2000s. Toby Driver would later go on to say that Choirs of the Eye developed because "Kayo Dot is just a natural extension of the places MOTW was heading". After reading online forums in which fans of Opeth and MOTW bickered over compositional styles, Driver decided to make a "through-composed metal album ... one without riffs or arbitrarily repeating parts." This shift in style became the trademark post-metal or avant-garde metal sound the band is currently known for. Kayo Dot played the album in its entirety in 2010 at The Stone in New York City and again in August 2015.
In March 2005, longtime collaborator and former MOTW member Sam Gutterman left the group to pursue other musical ventures. Tom Malone signed on to replace Gutterman in 2005. Kayo Dot then signed to Robotic Empire Records and released its second album, Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue in January 2006. The album was released to good reviews, receiving a 7.7 from Pitchfork, and garnering the band more recognition in the indie metal circle. The album also received a rave review from Sputnikmusic, in which it received a 4.5/5 and was named as one of the best albums of 2006. The band then embarked on a lengthy fall tour before taking a short hiatus, during which two guitarists, the bassist and the trumpet player-left the band for "personal reasons." Despite concerns that there was bad blood between members, Greg Massi said on his blog that he left the group on "good terms" and that "he was going to try and figure out other aspects of my musical life and take some time to figure out where I want to be going." Massi went solo under the moniker Baliset and embarked on a tour shortly afterward. He did, however, guest perform with the group to perform its seminal album Choirs of the Eye at The Stone in New York City in 2010.
In late 2006, Kayo Dot left Robotic Empire and signed with Hydra Head Records. Despite retaining only two members (Driver and long time collaborator Mia Matsumiya), the band started work on a new album in late 2007.
After signing to Hydra Head, Kayo Dot began working on their third album, Blue Lambency Downward, which was released in May 2008. Driver and Matsumiya used several session musicians on this recording, including Skerik on saxophone and vibraphone, Hans Teuber on clarinet, and Charlie Zeleny on drums. Additionally, Randall Dunn was enlisted as producer and recording engineer. This album marked the first time Driver allowed one of his recordings to be produced by someone other than himself. After the album's release, Driver relocated from Boston to New York City for the purpose of touring the album. A new lineup was assembled, including Patrick Wolff on woodwinds, Daniel Means on woodwinds and guitar, David Bodie on drums and original (and former Maudlin of the Well) member Terran Olson on woodwinds and keyboards.
Despite a successful tour, the album was not received as well as previous releases. Allmusic and Drowned in Sound gave it mostly positive reviews, but it was panned by Pitchfork, who gave it a score of 3.3 out of 10. Among other complaints, the Pitchfork review stated that Blue Lambency Downward had few memorable moments.
After the poor critical reception and fan response to Blue Lambency Downward, Driver began working on a new long-form composition with Yuko Sueta, a NYC-based writer, filmmaker, and video artist. A first draft of this piece was premiered at The Stone in September 2008 by The Kayo Dot Auxiliary Unit, which consisted of David Bodie and Daniel Means of Kayo Dot, Yuko Sueta, and Tim Byrnes on trumpet. Shortly after, Sueta became incapacitated by breast cancer. Driver then re-drafted and adapted the piece, which was recorded in Seattle during June–July 2009 with Randall Dunn at the production helm. A tour with Secret Chiefs 3 followed, after which the album was released as 2010's Coyote on Hydra Head. Sueta died while the record was in post-production, which compelled the band to dedicate their performance to her. The album featured a rotating lineup of Driver on bass and vocals, Terran Olson on keyboards, David Bodie on drums, Mia Matsumiya on violin, Tim Byrnes on trumpet, and Daniel Means on woodwinds. Despite receiving mixed reviews, some sources (including PopMatters) praised Coyote for its concept.