Alpha Galates, formerly The Hollow, was a Canadian

progressive metal Progressive metal (often shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven sound of the former with t ...

band that originated in

Medicine Hat Medicine Hat is a city in Southern Alberta, southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff, Alberta, R ...

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

and later became based in

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Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

. Matthew von Wagner, his ex-wife, Karen Wagner, Adam Taylor and Todd Lefever formed The Hollow in 2001. The band released three albums: ''Natio'' in 2002, ''Vita'' in 2004, and, in 2006, ''ab Gehenna'' which was an independent, digital-only release. Another album, ''Obitus'', was released on iTunes only. All of these albums were produced and mixed by Wagner, who also mixed and produced music for

Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker USS (Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker) are a Canadian alternative rock musical duo from Toronto.Crystal Castles Crystal Castles was a Canadian electronic music group formed in 2006 in Toronto, Ontario, by songwriter-producer Ethan Kath and singer-songwriter Alice Glass. Crystal Castles was known for their chaotic live shows and lo-fi music, lo-fi melanc ...

and A Primitive Evolution. Guitarist Adam Taylor, and drummer Colin Snortland (aka Nilock Lang) left the band. Singer Matthew von Wagner, (former drummer for pop punk band Racer 10), moved to drums. Karen Wagner remained on bass; Rowan MacPhail was added on guitar, and in 2006 Harmony was added on keyboards. After EMI Music Canada president Deane Cameron saw the band at the

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in Toronto, they signed to EMI in December, 2006 and began recording two new songs to be added to the album, which was originally called ''Obitus''. ''

A Stimulus for Reason ''A Stimulus for Reason'' is the first full-length album released by Alpha Galates. It was released on EMI records EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a British multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was orig ...

'', which was produced by Wagner and mixed by

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, was released February 19, 2008 under the band's new name, Alpha Galates. The album was released as a digipak album, and in a deluxe version packaged in a metal tin. This version contained three bonus tracks that were recorded and mixed by Wagner. It also contains a video for the track "Natio". In January 2008, Alpha Galates filmed their video for "Standing", which was directed by

Margaret Malandruccolo Margaret Malandruccolo is a Canadian photographer and music video director primarily living in Los Angeles who specializes in portraiture, album photography, and fashion photography. She has directed over a hundred music videos and has won two Jun ...

. It was based on the film "They Live" by

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. The video was added to the MuchLOUD station, and was also 'Loudtested' on

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. Alpha Galates completed a Canadian tour with Grimskunk in March/April 2008, and toured central Canada with

Threat Signal Threat Signal is a Canadian heavy metal band from Hamilton, Ontario. The band has had numerous lineup changes, with only Jon Howard remaining from the original incarnation. Their music is often classified as metalcore, melodic death metal, or g ...

. They also played the 2008

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festivals in Germany,

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2008 in Austria, and

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2008 in Toronto. After playing a set of shows with the band 3, and Tubring in October 2009, the band took a 6-month break from performing in order to work on new material. In June 2009, the band hired new drummer, Phil Elliot, who had had his own band, Born Destroyers. Wagner returned on rhythm guitar, which he had also played on all of the band's recordings, and MacPhail left the band. Alpha Galates set out on a set of shows around southern Ontario in November 2009. The band began writing and recording their second album and debuted a new track called "Over It" at the Velvet Underground, in Toronto, on Nov 18, 2009, but never completed the album. The band dissolved in 2011, with Wagner and Harmony starting a new project called 'Most Non Heinous'. Wagner died of pancreatic failure in July 2018. Snortland went on to play on an album for

Three Days Grace Three Days Grace is a Canadian Rock music, rock band formed in Asphodel–Norwood, Norwood, Ontario, in 1992 originally as Groundswell. Groundswell played in various local Norwood backyard parties and area establishments before disbanding in 1 ...

; Elliott and MacPhail on albums by

The Birthday Massacre The Birthday Massacre (abbreviated TBM) is a Canadian rock music, rock band formed in 1999 in London, Ontario and currently based in Toronto. The current lineup consists of lead vocalist Sara 'Chibi' Taylor, rhythm guitarist Michael Rainbow, lea ...

. In 2021, the band Melek-Tha independently released ''Synthese Des Forces'', an 11-track album containing five Alpha Galates songs.

Discography

*As The Hollow: *''Natio'' (2002), Ladder Records *''Vita'' (2004), Swarm Theory **''ab Gehenna'' (2004), Independent **''Obitus'' (2006), EMI Canada *As Alpha Galates: **''

'' (2008), EMI Canada **''Synthese Des Forces'' (2021), split with Melek-Tha, Independent

References

{{Authority control Musical groups established in 2001 Canadian progressive metal musical groups Medicine Hat Musical groups from Alberta 2001 establishments in Alberta