Inanimate Existence is an American technical/progressive death metal band. Characterized by their expansive compositions and Eastern folk influences, they started out as just another side project before gaining a name as an up-and-comer to watch for.
Formed in 2010 by Cameron Porras (vocals), Joel Guernsey and Ian Rittmaster (guitars), Mitch Yoesle (bass), and Ron Casey (drums), the band started off uneventfully; two years came and went with no releases and a scattering of shows, though they managed to sign a deal with Unique Leader Records during this time and started recording a debut album. Shortly after Casey left Rings of Saturn, Liberation Through Hearing was released in 2012 and was praised as a promising (if flawed) debut by a band who clearly had the talent to release something truly great. Various shows followed, and Mitch Yoesle wound up leaving around the beginning of 2013; Max Zigman of Son of Aurelius took his spot. A US tour with Gorod, Kamikabe, and Vale of Pnath wound up being their first real bit of exposure, and many who saw the tour praised them for their live show. The end of this tour brought several more lineup changes; Porras moved to guitar (his primary instrument), which necessitated Rittmaster's departure, and his vocal spot was taken by Riley McShane, also of Son of Aurelius. Several songs from their upcoming second album were played as well, and after going back to the studio to record it, a preproduction track of one of those new songs was released that was very well-received and built no small amount of anticipation for the next album. A Never-Ending Cycle of Atonement was released in June of 2014 to rave reviews, and a series of small tours culminated in a full US tour with Cannabis Corpse and Mammoth Grinder around the end of the year. Zigman and McShane also left at different points in the year; the former was replaced by Scott Bradley, while the latter was replaced by Taylor Wientjes of The Kennedy Veil on a temporary live basis.
More regional tours followed, and Wientjes was eventually announced as a full member in the summer of 2015. A third full-length is on the way and will be out in September of 2016, and as of late 2016, they are already working on their fourth full-length for a 2017 release and experimenting with going independent (as their contract with Unique Leader has expired); additionally, Joel Guernsey has opted to leave, citing a need to focus on his career and a desire to strike off on his own musically. A replacement has not been selected, though he has invited interested parties to contact him. Taylor Wientjes also quietly left at some point between the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017, leaving them a three-piece; another new full-length is on the way. Guernsey's departure was short-lived, however, as he returned in the summer of 2017.
Discography:
- Liberation Through Hearing (2012)
- A Never-Ending Cycle of Atonement (2014)
- Calling from a Dream (2016)
- Underneath a Melting Sky (2017)
- Clockwork (2019)
- The Masquerade (2022)
This band contains examples of the following tropes:
- Arc Words: "Close your eyes and listen to my call/Our bond will bring us together again"
- Concept Album: A Never-Ending Cycle of Atonement and Calling from a Dream.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Liberation Through Hearing was far more heavily brutal death-influenced and had the Eastern folk elements relegated to a bunch of instrumental tracks.
- Epic Rocking: "Bioluminescent Photophores" (6:34), "The Catacomb of Mirrors" (6:30), "Staring Through Fire" (6:53), "Out of Body Experience" (9:21), "Pulse of the Mountain's Heart" (6:32), and "Liberation" (6:44).
- Instrumentals: Exactly half of Liberation Through Hearing, as well as "Dueling Shadows" on A Never-Ending Cycle of Atonement.
- Large and in Charge: Cameron Porras.
- Lead Bassist: Scott Bradley is a Type B.
- Loudness War: Both albums are exceptionally loud and flat, which is rather jarring given the amount of folk-influenced parts and dynamic nature of their compositions.
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The Pete Best: Taylor Holt and Nick Willbrand were also original members after they all left Flesh Consumed along with Porras and Casey, but they never actually wrote or recorded anything and mostly just jammed, and it's not known if they were even founders or if they left before Inanimate Existence had properly formed. - Pintsized Powerhouse: Taylor Wientjes.
- Progressive Metal: A Never-Ending Cycle of Atonement had a significant undercurrent of this.
- Rock Trio: For a short while after Guernsey and Wientjes left that went through the writing and recording process of Underneath a Melting Sky. Guernsey later wound up returning right before the album's release.
- Soprano and Gravel: Riley McShane was quite capable of clean vocals but only opted to do it on one track ("Out of Body Experience"), and Kaitlyn Kehl's vocal spot on "The Rune of Destruction" accomplished the same. This dynamic is expanded on Calling from a Dream, with Adrianna Tentori handling the clean vocals on the entire album.
- Special Guest: Matt Sotelo did a guest solo on "Morphic Fields", while Kaitlyn Kehl contributed guest vocals to "The Rune of Destruction" and Steve Marshall contributed clarinet and bass flute to multiple tracks on A Never-Ending Cycle of Atonement and Calling from a Dream; lastly, Adrianna Tentori fills the same role as Kaitlyn on Calling from a Dream, in addition to playing live shows with the band when she can.
- Step Up to the Microphone: Scott Bradley started contributing vocals of his own after Taylor Wientjes left.
- The Stoner: The entire band.
- Technical Death Metal: At the core.
