Isis discography
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Isis was an American post-metal band active from 1997 to 2010. They released five full-length albums, five extended plays (EPs), seven live albums, two singles, and have collaborated with artists on numerous other projects.
| Isis discography | |
|---|---|
Isis performing live at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA. Visible from left to right are: Michael Gallagher, Jeff Caxide, Aaron Turner, Bryant Clifford Meyer. Visible in the back is drummer Aaron Harris. | |
| Studio albums | 5 |
| EPs | 5 |
| Live albums | 7 |
| Compilation albums | 2 |
| Singles | 2 |
| Video albums | 1 |
| Music videos | 5 |
| Splits | 2 |
| Other appearances | 1 |
Isis was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in late 1997 by Aaron Turner (guitar/vocals; also the owner of Hydra Head Records), Jeff Caxide (bass guitar), Chris Mereschuk (electronics/vocals) and Aaron Harris (drums).[1] In 1998, they released a demo and their first EP, Mosquito Control, with this lineup. The band replaced Mereschuk with Jay Randall and added former Cast Iron Hike guitarist Michael Gallagher before releasing the 1999 EP The Red Sea. Bryant Clifford Meyer of The Gersch replaced Jay Randall in late 1999, and Isis remained with this lineup until their dissolution. Isis' debut full-length, Celestial, and its sister EP, SGNL>05, were released in 2000 and 2001, respectively.
In 2002, Oceanic was released to critical acclaim,[2][3][4] and was the subject of a series of four vinyl reinterpretations by various contemporary artists; the series was consolidated into an Ipecac Recordings release, entitled Oceanic: Remixes & Reinterpretations.[5] Growth in stature necessitated relocation to Los Angeles in 2003.[6] Panopticon was released in 2004, to further critical plaudits and an album of the year award from Rock Sound.[7][8][9] It was also the band's first entry into the charts, peaking at number 47 in the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart.[10]
Their next record, In the Absence of Truth, was released by Ipecac on October 31, 2006. This full-length charted more successfully, peaking at number six in Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart;[10] however, critical reception was not particularly warm and the band themselves have expressed disappointment with the album.[11][12] "Holy Tears" and "Not in Rivers, but in Drops" were released from the album as singles in 2008, along with a limited-edition vinyl compilation box set entitled Shades of the Swarm later in the year. Their final full-length, Wavering Radiant, was released in 2009 and marked the band's first entry in the Billboard 200, peaking at 98;[10] it also saw international commercial exposure, seeing entry into the charts of the United Kingdom, Germany and Norway.[13][14][15] Isis split up in June 2010, just before the release of a split EP with Melvins.[16] Their entire back-catalogue of live releases saw digital re-release in mid-2011,[17] and a compilation of demos and alternative versions of songs, called Temporal, was released on November 6, 2012 by Ipecac Recordings.[18]
Albums
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Indie [10] |
US Heat [10] |
US Rock [10] |
US Taste [10] |
US [10] |
UK [13][19] |
UK Rock [20] |
GER [15] |
NOR [14] | ||
| Celestial |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oceanic | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Panopticon |
|
47 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| In the Absence of Truth |
|
20 | 6 | — | 12 | — | 184 | — | — | — |
| Wavering Radiant |
|
10 | — | 14 | 7 | 98 | 190 | 17 | 96 | 37 |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||
Live albums
| Title | Release details | Recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Live I |
|
|
| Live II |
|
|
| Live III |
|
|
| Live IV |
|
|
| Live V |
|
|
| Live VI |
|
|
| Live VII |
|
Extended plays
Solo
| Title | Release details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Demo 98 |
|
Demo recording. 545 cassettes were made.[28][29] The songs were later included as bonus tracks on the CD and 12" versions of The Red Sea. |
| The Mosquito Control EP |
|
First official release.[31][32] |
| The Red Sea |
|
The CD and 12" versions of this release include all material from the 1998 demo.[33] |
| Sawblade |
|
Tour-only limited edition release; 200 handmade CD-Rs and 250 copies of the vinyl edition were pressed.[34][35] 600 vinyl editions were later pressed as part of the Shades of the Swarm box set. |
| SGNL›05 |
|
This release has been described by Aaron Turner as an "extension" of Celestial.[36] |
Collaborative
| Title | Release details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| In the Fishtank 14 (with Aereogramme) |
|
Part of the "In the Fishtank" series, this release is a collaboration with Scottish band Aereogramme.[37] |
Splits
| Title | Release details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Isis / Pig Destroyer |
|
Isis contributed a cover version of the title track from Godfleshes Streetcleaner[38] which was previously released on the Sawblade EP. |
| Melvins / Isis |
|
Isis contributed two songs that were recorded during the Wavering Radiant sessions.[39] |
Remixes
| Title | Release details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oceanic Remixes Volume I |
|
Consists of remixes of tracks from Oceanic, contributed to by a variety of artists. Later compiled and released as a 2×CD (and later 2×LP) titled Oceanic Remixes/Reinterpretations. Also released as a 4×LP box set comprising all four volumes.[40][41] |
| Oceanic Remixes Volume II |
| |
| Oceanic Remixes Volume III |
| |
| Oceanic Remixes Volume IV |
| |
Compilations / box sets
| Title | Release details | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oceanic Remixes/Reinterpretations |
|
Remix album, Compilation, Box set |
Consists of remixes of tracks from Oceanic, contributed to by a variety of artists. Originally released as a series of four 12" LPs on Robotic Empire.[42] |
| Shades of the Swarm |
|
Box set | LP box set of all of Isis' full-length albums and EPs up to and including In the Absence of Truth, produced in commemoration of the band's 10-year anniversary. Limited to 600.[43] |
| Live I-VI |
|
Live album, Box set |
CD box set consisting of Live I, Live II, Live III, Live IV, Live V, and Live VI. Limited to 300. |
| Temporal |
|
Compilation | Contains demos, remixes, covers, an acoustic track, and a DVD featuring all official music videos.[18] |
Singles
| Title | Release details | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Holy Tears" | In the Absence of Truth (2006) | |
| "Not in Rivers, But in Drops" |
| |
Videography
Music videos
| Title | Director | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "In Fiction" | Josh Graham[45] | Panopticon (2004) |
| "Holy Tears" | Dominic Hailstone[46] | In the Absence of Truth (2006) |
| "Not in Rivers, But in Drops" | Sera Timms[47] | |
| "20 Minutes / 40 Years" | Matt Santoro[48] | Wavering Radiant (2009) |
| "Pliable Foe" | Kenneth Thomas | Melvins / Isis (2010) |
DVD
| Title | Release details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clearing the Eye | Features live videos (including an entire live performance), the "In Fiction" music video, photo galleries, a complete discography, lyrics for all songs featured, and a 20-page booklet.[44] | |
Other appearances
| Song | Year | Compilation | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Boris" | 2005 | We Reach: The Music of the Melvins | Fractured Transmitter (FTRC004) | Cover of a Melvins song; collaboration with Agoraphobic Nosebleed. |