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Biography

Earthen Grave is a force of nature driven by the unique alchemy of its members. The six-piece, Chicago-based thrash/doom metal band thunders with dark intensity, playing with a skill and versatility that will stop listeners in their tracks. The band's 2009 performances have included an appearance at Indianapolis' Templars of Doom III festival and concerts where they shared the stage with such luminaries as Megadeth, Pentagram, Black Label Society, Mayhem, Macabre, Machinehead, November's Doom, and Nachtmystium, in venues including the Metro, Double Door, House of Blues, Pearl Room, and Milwaukee's Rave. Their demo/EP "Dismal Times," comprising 3 original songs and 2 covers, was released in June. The album has already been hailed by critics as "astounding," "phenomenal," and "pure, head-banging bliss."

With Mark Weiner on vocals, Ron Holzner on bass, Jason Muxlow and Tony Spillman on guitar, Scott Davidson on drums, and Rachel Barton Pine on an extended-range electric violin, Earthen Grave boasts an undeniable collective metal and musical pedigree. Ron was a member of the seminal and seismic doom pioneers Trouble, with whom he played for over fifteen years. Jason is a gifted guitarist and composer who has lived the music, both as a member of the well-respected band The Living Fields and as the founder of Deadtide.com. Scott's dedication has manifested as a drummer in numerous metal bands, booking shows and running radio station Rebel Radio. Tony has been in and around the metal scene for many years, and has worked with such bands as Trouble, Prong and Ministry. Mark has performed and recorded with several bands including Trifog. And while Rachel has never been in a metal band per se, her status as an internationally acclaimed classical violin soloist has taken her all over the world as both performer and music ambassador. While on tour for classical performances, Rachel often visits rock radio stations to perform metal songs and discuss the music's intensity and compositional complexity.

The band is dedicated to exploring new possibilities for the genre. Jason says, "It's not about being the heaviest band or the slowest – it's about having good songs and playing them live." "Scott, Tony and I played doom metal before it was even called that," Ron continues. "And for Jason, the music we pioneered was his influence. We're bringing the strands of the music together – and with Rachel being the first violinist to be a core component of a metal band, we're taking the genre on a new journey."Rachel points out, "I grew up studying classical and listening to thrash and speed metal, and Jason also loves death metal. We all come from doom, but we're not limited to it."

Naming groups like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Saint Vitus, Trouble, Pentagram, Candlemass and Slayer as influences, Earthen Grave is undertaking songwriting in earnest, promising sophisticated pieces with a lot of different tempo changes. Ron says, "We've written a few songs with Jason as the catalyst, and the next songs we're working on are more of a band effort. We're going to spread this over the Internet as fast as we can, continue playing shows to build momentum, and find the right label."

Earthen Grave emerged late in 2008, as Jason was working on another project. He recalls, "I had just finished writing The Living Fields' new album and was on a Saint Vitus (the pioneering ‘80s doom metal band from Los Angeles) kick, and I just started writing these doom riffs. I was wondering who I could play this stuff with, so I reached out to Scott and asked him what he thought, and things just snowballed."

Enlisting Ron in their project, the trio soon had their first jam. Jason says, "The first rehearsal was tough, but after we sorted out some issues with downtuning, things really jelled."The band put out an ad looking for a vocalist, and Mark responded the very next day. He recollects, "I saw Scott's name in the ad, so I knew it was serious. I knew of Ron from Trouble. The minute we played for the first time, it felt right. I knew immediately that I wanted to be in this band."

Then Scott, who had known Rachel for many years through the local metal scene, invited her to a rehearsal. Rachel brought along her new instrument, an amplified six-string Viper, an extended-range cousin of the electric violin. She says, "I've been listening to metal for most of my life. And for fifteen years I had been playing metal on acoustic violin. But the first time I jammed with Earthen Grave, it was so much more intense than anything I had previously experienced – playing metal loud felt amazing."Jason adds, "We knew from that rehearsal that we definitely wanted Rachel in the band. She brings a completely different dimension to the music. Violins have often been a part of metal, but usually playing parts underneath or above the band. This is the first time an electric violin will be woven into the DNA of the band as a core instrument."

Tony was the final piece. As he puts it, "I went to practice with them, and immediately I could tell they had something really interesting happening. Yes, the doom thing is there, but with a fresh twist, with different melodies and tempos. And what Rachel brings is just totally new."He continues, "But what made the decision to join easy for me is the integrity of the people in the band, and the love with which they play."

Earthen Grave has become a band to be reckoned with for the purest of reasons. "We all have a deep passion for music and for metal," Ron concludes. "That's the basis of every note we play."With their collective experience and talent, this band is dedicated to leaving their mark on the metal world.

MaximumMetal.com Review:

Earthen Grave are a new act out of Chicago whose notables include Trouble's former longtime bassist Ron Holzner and underground doomers The Living Fields' Jason Muxlow on guitar. Given these members' pedigree, it's no surprise Earthen Grave are at their core a doom band, yet they are much more.

The riffs generally plunder the trove of traditional doom, yet they expand and mutate into a classic heavy metal of sorts, at times even flirting with old-school thrash of the mid-tempo nature. What really sets the sextet apart though is the inclusion of one Rachel Barton Pine on violin and the way her parts are written into the compositions. Now it's certainly no surprise to hear violins working as integral instruments in metal these days (hell, before metal existed even, see heavy psych/proto-metallers High Tide from 1969!); My Dying Bride, Shape of Despair, Ashes You Leave..., the list of doom bands employing the acoustic accoutrement is virtually endless (and lets not even get into all the pagan/folk metal bands!), but this is the first time these ears have heard it used in such direct accord with the guitar riffs. From a bit of research it seems Rachel uses a six-string electric (of course!) to achieve the desired effect, but between her riffing with the guitars, she exhibits abundant fills, as well as leads, all in places where you'd expect to hear guitar leads. No mere atmospherics or chordal reinforcement here; even when the band reaches into high speed thrash territory – see "Death on the High Seas" – the effect achieved with the additional layer is astounding, let alone the prowess with which she plays.

Digging into this self-released five song demo, we get three originals, rounded out by a couple of covers; Witchfinder General's "Burning A Sinner" and Pentagram's "Relentless", and yes, the violin is right in there riffing away. The title track opens the disc, rooted in a traditional doom flavor before breaking into a speed-ball of a riff, and "Life Carries On" follows in mid-tempo heavy metal flair, but the fourth track, "Death on the High Seas", clocking in at ten minutes, is where the band really shines. The song, running the gamut of speeds and styles, stays weighted in its focused approach, denying any chance of ennui setting in, and that opening riff is pure, head-banging bliss! At thirty minutes total, Dismal Times is a worthwhile slab of metal for the price of admission.

The band are currently searching for a label, and in the meanwhile furiously writing to fill a full-length for future release. Here's hoping that future isn't too distant, as this group is onto something unique and fresh, and the compassion they have for their craft certainly shows."