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Neurosis is an American
post-metal Post-metal is a music genre rooted in heavy metal music, heavy metal but exploring approaches beyond metal conventions. It emerged in the 1990s with bands such as Neurosis (band), Neurosis and Godflesh, who transformed metal texture (music), te ...
band from
Oakland, California Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...
. It was formed in 1985 by guitarist Scott Kelly, bassist Dave Edwardson, and drummer
Jason Roeder Jason Roeder is a retired American drummer, formerly of the Oakland-based metal bands Neurosis and Sleep. He played in the hardcore punk band Violent Coercion with Scott Kelly and Dave Edwardson before the trio formed Neurosis in 1985. The gro ...
, initially as a
crust punk Crust punk (also known as stenchcore or simply crust) is a fusion genre of anarcho-punk and extreme metal that originated in the early to mid-1980s in England. Originally, the genre was primarily mid-tempo, making use of metal riffs in a stri ...
band. Chad Salter joined as a second guitarist and appeared on the band's 1987 debut '' Pain of Mind'' and then
Steve Von Till Stephen Francis Von Till Jr. is an American musician, best known as the guitarist of the metal band Neurosis (band), Neurosis, in which he also shared lead vocals with former member Scott Kelly (musician), Scott Kelly. Following Kelly's departu ...
replaced him in 1989. The following year, the lineup further expanded to include a keyboardist and a visual artist. Beginning with their third album ''
Souls at Zero ''Souls at Zero'' is the third studio album by the American post-metal band Neurosis (band), Neurosis. It was released in 1992 by the Alternative Tentacles record label. Their first album with Simon Mcllroy, ''Souls at Zero'' marked a shift in t ...
'' (1992), Neurosis transformed their hardcore sound by incorporating diverse influences including
doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...
and industrial music, becoming a major force in the emergence of the
post-metal Post-metal is a music genre rooted in heavy metal music, heavy metal but exploring approaches beyond metal conventions. It emerged in the 1990s with bands such as Neurosis (band), Neurosis and Godflesh, who transformed metal texture (music), te ...
and
sludge metal Sludge metal (also known as sludge doom or simply sludge) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that combines elements of doom metal and hardcore punk. The genre generally includes slow tempos, down-tuned guitars and nihilis ...
genres. The band's lineup stabilized in 1995 with the addition of Noah Landis, who replaced Simon McIlroy on keyboards and electronics. That same year they formed the
experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...
group Tribes of Neurot and in 1999 the record label
Neurot Recordings Neurot Recordings is an American independent record label founded by members of avant-garde metal band Neurosis in 1999. Gradually expanding, it has showcased a variety of artists including a number of sludge metal, post-rock, and noise bands. ...
. This line-up remained stable until 2019, when the band parted ways with Kelly after discovering his history of
domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...
against his family, though this would not come to light until August 2022 out of respect for the privacy of Kelly's family members. The band has been on hiatus since then, and there is currently no information on whether or not the band will continue or disband. Neurosis have garnered critical recognition over the course of their 11 studio albums. The
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
credited them with taking "heavy music to previously unimaginable spaces ... nd shapingmetal's definitive response to the 21st century."


History


Formation and early years (1985–1995)

In late 1985, Scott Kelly, Dave Edwardson, and
Jason Roeder Jason Roeder is a retired American drummer, formerly of the Oakland-based metal bands Neurosis and Sleep. He played in the hardcore punk band Violent Coercion with Scott Kelly and Dave Edwardson before the trio formed Neurosis in 1985. The gro ...
, formerly members of Violent Coercion, founded Neurosis as a hardcore punk outfit, inspired also by British
crust punk Crust punk (also known as stenchcore or simply crust) is a fusion genre of anarcho-punk and extreme metal that originated in the early to mid-1980s in England. Originally, the genre was primarily mid-tempo, making use of metal riffs in a stri ...
in the vein of
Amebix Amebix were an English punk rock band from Tavistock, Devon. A pioneer of the crust punk genre, Amebix's merger of anarcho-punk and post-punk with elements of heavy metal music, heavy metal, particularly early extreme metal, inspired musicians ...
. In 1986, Chad Salter was added on second guitar and vocals. There have only been a few changes in the lineup of Neurosis' musicians since band's inception. In 1989 guitarist/vocalist Chad Salter was replaced by
Steve Von Till Stephen Francis Von Till Jr. is an American musician, best known as the guitarist of the metal band Neurosis (band), Neurosis, in which he also shared lead vocals with former member Scott Kelly (musician), Scott Kelly. Following Kelly's departu ...
, who previously played in bands Transgressor, Peace Test and Tribe of Resistance, and in 1990, Simon McIlroy joined the band as a synthesizer/sampler with Adam Kendall as visual artist (Adam and Simon have been friends since they were teenagers and they were doing a lot of experimental music together before). In 1995, Noah Landis, a childhood friend of Dave Edwardson, replaced Simon McIlroy as keyboardist. With ''
The Word as Law ''The Word as Law'' is the second studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. It was released in 1990 through Lookout! Records, originally on LP only. In 1991, the album was released on CD with several re-recorded tracks from previous r ...
'', Neurosis began to transition from the rapid-fire hardcore punk of '' Pain of Mind'' to the more experimental sound of ''
Souls at Zero ''Souls at Zero'' is the third studio album by the American post-metal band Neurosis (band), Neurosis. It was released in 1992 by the Alternative Tentacles record label. Their first album with Simon Mcllroy, ''Souls at Zero'' marked a shift in t ...
'', which featured slower tempos, unorthodox song structures, and guest performers on instruments like trumpet, violin and flute. The album would ultimately prove critical in the development of the
post-metal Post-metal is a music genre rooted in heavy metal music, heavy metal but exploring approaches beyond metal conventions. It emerged in the 1990s with bands such as Neurosis (band), Neurosis and Godflesh, who transformed metal texture (music), te ...
genre and atmospheric sludge metal. Neurosis' signature sound came into full force with ''
Enemy of the Sun ''Enemy of the Sun'' is the fourth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. It was originally released on Alternative Tentacles in 1993 and later reissued on Neurot Recordings in 1999. The album was reissued with new cover artwork on ...
'', with ''The Quietus'' observing that "at the time few could have predicted this black hole of agonizingly precise metal riffs, unnerving backmasking, industrial folkisms and extensive sampling".


''Through Silver in Blood'' to ''The Eye of Every Storm'' (1996–2004)

In 1996, Neurosis attracted mainstream attention with its
Relapse Records Relapse Records is an American independent record label based in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990. The label features many grindcore, death metal, metalcore and sludge metal artists. History The ...
debut, ''
Through Silver in Blood ''Through Silver in Blood'' is the fifth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis, released on April 2, 1996 through Relapse Records. The album was reissued in July 2009 on the band's own label, Neurot Recordings. Since its release, ''T ...
'' and subsequent tour with
Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...
. In 1999, Neurosis released ''Times of Grace'', which was designed to be played synchronously with ''
Grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uni ...
'', an album released by Neurosis' ambient side project, Tribes of Neurot. In the early 2000s, the band founded their own
independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...
,
Neurot Recordings Neurot Recordings is an American independent record label founded by members of avant-garde metal band Neurosis in 1999. Gradually expanding, it has showcased a variety of artists including a number of sludge metal, post-rock, and noise bands. ...
, which, in addition to releasing material from Neurosis and its associated projects, signed several other artists. Beginning with ''
A Sun That Never Sets ''A Sun That Never Sets'' is the seventh studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis, released in 2001. The album was awarded #18 on Decibel Magazine's top 100 metal albums of the decade. The band later released a DVD of a full-length fi ...
'', Neurosis began incorporating clean vocals and acoustic instrumentation with a growing
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...
influence, more noted presence of classical
string instruments In musical instrument classification, string instruments, or chordophones, are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer strums, plucks, strikes or sounds the strings in varying manners. Musicians play some ...
(which had been used sparsely since ''Souls At Zero'') as well as slower tempos and a more contemplative sound.
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
described this change as an "aesthetic sea change". 2004's ''
The Eye of Every Storm ''The Eye of Every Storm'' is the eighth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. Style It tones down the strong folk music influences that were prominent on the band's previous album, '' A Sun That Never Sets'', while incorporating ...
'' expanded upon this change by incorporating more ambient textures into the mix and presenting a softer post-rock oriented sound.


''Given to the Rising'', ''Honor Found in Decay'', '' Fires Within Fires'' (2007–2019)

The band released their ninth studio album ''
Given to the Rising ''Given to the Rising'' is the ninth studio album by American band post-metal band Neurosis, released on June 5, 2007. The album is available in a standard jewel case, a limited-edition digipak, and a limited-edition double LP, all with the sam ...
'' on May 8, 2007, through Neurot Records. On this album Neurosis re-incorporated a more aggressive approach into their music once again, and the album was well received by critics. The band entered the studio in December 2011 to record the follow-up to ''Given to the Rising''. The new album, entitled ''
Honor Found in Decay ''Honor Found in Decay'' is the tenth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis, released on October 30, 2012. The album is notable for incorporating elements of folk music while furthering the heaviness that was emphasized on Neurosis' pr ...
'', was released in late October 2012. The band performed at Roadburn 2016, with Brooklyn Vegan's Ian Cory writing that "once the house lights came up it was hard to justify watching anything else." This was part of their series of shows performed in celebration of their 30th anniversary as a band. On May 5, 2016, relapse Records confirmed they were reissuing ''A Sun That Never Sets'' and ''The Eye of Every Storm'' on vinyl on June 17 with new artwork. On August 1, 2016, the band released a teaser trailer for their upcoming album online. Their eleventh studio album, titled ''
Fires Within Fires ''Fires Within Fires'' is the eleventh and final studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. The album was released on September 23, 2016, via the band's own record label, Neurot Recordings. Recording began on December 27, 2015, at Electri ...
'', was released on September 23, 2016.


Scott Kelly's dismissal, Jason Roeder's retirement from touring (2019–present)

Following a Facebook post confessing to allegations of abuse towards his wife and family, Scott Kelly retired from music and public life in August 2022. According to a statement released by the band's Facebook page the next day, Kelly had been quietly expelled from the group in 2019 when his bandmates discovered the extent of his abuse and domestic violence. The band never made any prior formal announcements regarding this "out of respect for elly'swife's direct request for privacy, and to honor the family's wish not to let their experience become gossip in a music magazine." In the post, the band condemned Kelly's abuse and described being filled with "disgust and disappointment" towards "a man who we once called Brother". There is currently no announcement or info on whether or not the band will continue or disband, as "in due course, when it's appropriate, we will provide more information about our future musical endeavors, but that time is not now." In January 2025, drummer Jason Roeder announced on his social media pages that he would no longer be touring and he intended to sell most, if not all, of his musical equipment. In a follow-up post, Roeder denied he was retiring from music altogether, and further stated: "As far as Neurosis goes - I don't know. The remaining members are truly amazing people and with or without me I am sure they will continue to do mind-blowing work, whatever form it takes."


Visuals

From 1990 to 1993, Adam G. Kendall was recruited to create visuals and perform live with the band. Following his departure from touring, Pete Inc. took over the job, although Kendall continued to contribute visuals for the band until as late as 1997. Kendall also shot the footage for the " Locust Star" video. Josh Graham took over live visuals in early 2000 as Pete wasn't "cutting the mustard" (in the words of Steve Von Till), and created album artwork for 2004's ''The Eye of Every Storm'', 2007's ''Given to the Rising'', and 2012's ''Honor Found in Decay'', as well as re-designs for the reissues of Souls at Zero and Enemy of the Sun. Graham and Neurosis amicably parted ways in late November 2012 via an announcement on the band website. He was not replaced and the band ceased to use live visual media. Often experimental and psychedelic in nature, Neurosis' visual media have added to the reputation of their live performances. Many of the visuals for their tours supporting ''
Through Silver in Blood ''Through Silver in Blood'' is the fifth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis, released on April 2, 1996 through Relapse Records. The album was reissued in July 2009 on the band's own label, Neurot Recordings. Since its release, ''T ...
'' are taken from
Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was a British film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. His films were mainly liberal adaptations of ...
's film ''
Altered States ''Altered States'' is a 1980 American science fiction horror film directed by Ken Russell, and adapted by playwright and screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky from his 1978 novel of the same name. The novel and the film are based in part on John C. Li ...
''. Other images are included in the enhanced portion of the ''
Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...
'' EP, and on the ''
A Sun That Never Sets ''A Sun That Never Sets'' is the seventh studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis, released in 2001. The album was awarded #18 on Decibel Magazine's top 100 metal albums of the decade. The band later released a DVD of a full-length fi ...
'' DVD video release. The majority of the DVD release was directed by Graham, with an additional video by Chad Rullman.


Musical style and influences

Neurosis formed as a
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc) is a punk rock music genre#subtypes, subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots ...
band, performing a blend of hardcore and heavy metal inspired by British
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
and described as
crust punk Crust punk (also known as stenchcore or simply crust) is a fusion genre of anarcho-punk and extreme metal that originated in the early to mid-1980s in England. Originally, the genre was primarily mid-tempo, making use of metal riffs in a stri ...
or crossover. Already their second album ''
The Word as Law ''The Word as Law'' is the second studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. It was released in 1990 through Lookout! Records, originally on LP only. In 1991, the album was released on CD with several re-recorded tracks from previous r ...
'' (1990) incorporated
avant-garde music Avant-garde music is music that is considered to be at the forefront of innovation in its field, with the term "avant-garde" implying a critique of existing aesthetic conventions, rejection of the status quo in favor of unique or original elem ...
and
sludge metal Sludge metal (also known as sludge doom or simply sludge) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that combines elements of doom metal and hardcore punk. The genre generally includes slow tempos, down-tuned guitars and nihilis ...
, a genre marrying the ferocity of hardcore and the deep heaviness of
doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...
. Thereafter, the band developed their trademark sound that has been described as a "blend of earth-quaking riffs, nervy hardcore menace and ritualistic dark ambience." Greg Moffitt of the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
wrote that through a "process of evolution and refinement" beginning with their third album ''
Souls at Zero ''Souls at Zero'' is the third studio album by the American post-metal band Neurosis (band), Neurosis. It was released in 1992 by the Alternative Tentacles record label. Their first album with Simon Mcllroy, ''Souls at Zero'' marked a shift in t ...
'' (1992) and culminating in their fifth, ''
Through Silver in Blood ''Through Silver in Blood'' is the fifth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis, released on April 2, 1996 through Relapse Records. The album was reissued in July 2009 on the band's own label, Neurot Recordings. Since its release, ''T ...
'' (1996), they "
ook Ook, OoK or OOK may refer to: * Ook Chung (born 1963), Korean-Canadian writer from Quebec * On-off keying, in radio technology * Toksook Bay Airport (IATA code OOK), in Alaska * Ook!, an esoteric programming language based on Brainfuck * Ook, the ...
heavy music to previously unimaginable spaces and, in the process, shape what has thus far been metal's definitive response to the 21st century." The style Neurosis pioneered has been named
post-metal Post-metal is a music genre rooted in heavy metal music, heavy metal but exploring approaches beyond metal conventions. It emerged in the 1990s with bands such as Neurosis (band), Neurosis and Godflesh, who transformed metal texture (music), te ...
, an "expansive, progressive and often apocalyptic" sound, "adding alien sounds, oddball instrumentation and
atmospheric An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosphere ...
depth to heviscerally crushing approach" of sludge metal. Their sound has also been described as
experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...
/
avant-garde metal Avant-garde metal (also known as avant-metal, experimental metal, art metal and experimetal) is a subgenre of heavy metal music loosely defined by use of experimentation and innovative, avant-garde music, avant-garde elements, including non-stan ...
, doom metal,
post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term " post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad conste ...
,
industrial metal Industrial metal is the fusion of Heavy metal music, heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating Heavy metal guitar, metal guitar riffs, sampling (music), sampling, synthesizer or music sequencer, sequencer lines, and Distor ...
, drone metal,
stoner metal Stoner rock, also known as stoner metal or stoner doom, is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of doom metal with psychedelic rock and acid rock. The genre emerged during the early 1990s and was pioneered foremost by Kyuss and Slee ...
, psychedelic metal,
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 ...
,
alternative metal Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...
, art metal, and
extreme metal Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...
, and as employing elements of
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...
. Steve Huey of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
called it sludge infused with industrial, metal, and
alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
, while Kory Grow of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' called it a mix of "metal, punk, sludge and
avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...
experiments." When asked what the band's influences are in a 2000 interview, Scott Kelly stated: "Mainly ourselves at this point, but our foundation ranges through Black Flag,
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...
, Die Kreuzen,
Amebix Amebix were an English punk rock band from Tavistock, Devon. A pioneer of the crust punk genre, Amebix's merger of anarcho-punk and post-punk with elements of heavy metal music, heavy metal, particularly early extreme metal, inspired musicians ...
,
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
,
King Crimson King Crimson were an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald (musician), Ian McDonald and Peter Sinfield. Guitarist Fripp remained the only constant member throughout the ...
, The Melvins,
Celtic Frost Celtic Frost () was a Swiss metal music, heavy metal band from Zürich. They are remembered for their strong influence on the development of several metal subgenres, particularly extreme metal,Bukszpan, Daniel. ''The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal' ...
and, of course,
Hank Williams Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...
." In other interviews, members of the band also listed
Throbbing Gristle Throbbing Gristle were an English music and visual arts group formed in Kingston upon Hull by Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti, later joined by Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson and Chris Carter. They are widely regarded as pioneers of in ...
,
Joy Division Joy Division were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris (musici ...
,
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
,
Crass Crass was an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977 who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a lifestyle, and a resistance movement. Crass popularized the anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, ...
, Voivod, Loop,
Godflesh Godflesh are an English industrial metal band from Birmingham. The group formed in 1982 under the original title O.P.D. (later Fall of Because) but did not release any complete music until 1988 when Justin Broadrick (guitar, vocals, programmi ...
, Swans, and
Townes Van Zandt John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter.
as influences. In 2007,
Steve Von Till Stephen Francis Von Till Jr. is an American musician, best known as the guitarist of the metal band Neurosis (band), Neurosis, in which he also shared lead vocals with former member Scott Kelly (musician), Scott Kelly. Following Kelly's departu ...
stated that lyrically he and Kelly are inspired by literature, alluding to writers such as
Cormac McCarthy Cormac McCarthy (born Charles Joseph McCarthy Jr.; July 20, 1933 – June 13, 2023) was an American author who wrote twelve novels, two plays, five screenplays, and three short stories, spanning the Western, post-apocalyptic, and Southern Got ...
,
Jack London John Griffith London (; January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors t ...
, and
Paul Bowles Paul Frederic Bowles (; December 30, 1910November 18, 1999) was an American expatriate composer, author, and translator. He became associated with the Moroccan city of Tangier, where he settled in 1947 and lived for 52 years to the end of his ...
. In an interview with
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
in 2016, the band cited the British
Anarcho-punk Anarcho-punk (also known as anarchist punk or peace punk) is an ideological subgenre of punk rock that promotes anarchism. Some use the term broadly to refer to any punk music with anarchist lyrical content, which may figure in crust punk, ha ...
bands of the early 80s "rife with bitterness, rage and fear, but also possessed of a desire to experiment with punk rock’s parameters, be they sonic, visual or ideological" as being a collective influence, including Flux of Pink Indians,
Oi Polloi Oi Polloi are a punk rock band from Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of ...
, Icons of Filth,
Amebix Amebix were an English punk rock band from Tavistock, Devon. A pioneer of the crust punk genre, Amebix's merger of anarcho-punk and post-punk with elements of heavy metal music, heavy metal, particularly early extreme metal, inspired musicians ...
, Discharge, Subhumans, Rudimentary Peni,
Crass Crass was an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977 who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a lifestyle, and a resistance movement. Crass popularized the anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, ...
and Chumbawamba. Other artists of other genres were also mentioned such as
Killing Joke Killing Joke were an English rock music, rock band formed in Notting Hill, London, in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Killing Joke ...
Swans, Skullflower,
Hawkwind Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard ...
and
Townes Van Zandt John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter.
. Some commentators note that both sonically and lyrically, Neurosis convey an intense emotional-spiritual effect. There is a mythical aspect to their imagery or a ritual aspect to their performance. Brandon Geist of ''Revolver'' relates that "Kelly and Von Till ... speak about their band in bold, quasi-religious, 'honor and glory'–type language. Words like ''commitment'', ''sacrifice'', ''surrender'', and ''spirit'' come up a lot." Many bands and artists have cited Neurosis as an important inspiration, including
Converge Converge may refer to: * Converge (band), American hardcore punk band * Converge (Baptist denomination), American national evangelical Baptist body * Limit (mathematics) In mathematics, a limit is the value that a function (or sequence) app ...
,
Machine Head A machine head (also referred to as a tuning machine, tuner, or gear head) is a geared apparatus for tuning stringed musical instruments by adjusting string tension. Machine heads are used on mandolins, guitars, double basses, and others, and ...
, Slipknot,
Agalloch Agalloch () is an American extreme metal band from Portland, Oregon. Formed in 1995 by frontman John Haughm, they released five full-length albums, four EPs, two singles, one split single, two demos, four compilation albums and one live video a ...
, Yob,
Isis Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...
,
Mastodon A mastodon, from Ancient Greek μαστός (''mastós''), meaning "breast", and ὀδούς (''odoús'') "tooth", is a member of the genus ''Mammut'' (German for 'mammoth'), which was endemic to North America and lived from the late Miocene to ...
,
Amenra Amenra is a Belgian post-metal band from Kortrijk. It was formed in 1999 by vocalist Colin H. van Eeckhout and guitarist Mathieu Vandekerckhove, who now perform alongside drummer Bjorn Lebon, guitarist Lennart Bossu and bassist Amy Tung Barrysm ...
,
Kylesa Kylesa is an American sludge metal band that was formed in Savannah, Georgia. Their music incorporates experimentalism with heavy riffs, Down-tuned guitar, drop-tuned guitars and elements of psychedelic rock. The group was established in 2001 by ...
,
Pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before ...
, Wolves in the Throne Room,
Cobalt Cobalt is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Co and atomic number 27. As with nickel, cobalt is found in the Earth's crust only in a chemically combined form, save for small deposits found in alloys of natural meteoric iron. ...
, Withered,
Baroness Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knight ...
, Oathbreaker,
Chelsea Wolfe Chelsea Joy Wolfe (born November 14, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Her work blends elements of gothic rock, doom metal, and folk music, folk. Growing up in Northern California with a country musician father, Wolfe began ...
, Pallbearer, and Full of Hell. Their influence echoes through acts that have defined the post-metal genre, such as Isis, Boris, Agalloch, Amenra, Pelican, and
Deafheaven Deafheaven is an American black metal band formed in 2010. Originally based in San Francisco, the group began as a two-piece with singer George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy (musician), Kerry McCoy, who recorded and self-released Demo (Deafh ...
.


Members

;Current * Dave Edwardson — bass (1985–present), vocals (1985–1997), backing vocals (1992–present), Moog synthesizer (1998–2000, 2004–2005) *
Jason Roeder Jason Roeder is a retired American drummer, formerly of the Oakland-based metal bands Neurosis and Sleep. He played in the hardcore punk band Violent Coercion with Scott Kelly and Dave Edwardson before the trio formed Neurosis in 1985. The gro ...
— drums (1985–present), percussion (1993–present) *
Steve Von Till Stephen Francis Von Till Jr. is an American musician, best known as the guitarist of the metal band Neurosis (band), Neurosis, in which he also shared lead vocals with former member Scott Kelly (musician), Scott Kelly. Following Kelly's departu ...
— guitar, vocals (1989–present), percussion (1993–2000) * Noah Landis — keyboards, synthesizers, effects, programming, samples, sounds (1995–present), backing vocals (1998–2000, 2006–present) ;Former * Scott Kelly — vocals, guitar (1985–2019), percussion (1993–2000) * Chad Salter — guitar, backing vocals (1986–1989) * Simon McIlroy — keyboards, synthesizers, samples, programming, production, backing vocals (1990–1995), visual art (1990–1993) ;Visual artists * Adam Kendall (1990–1993) * Pete Inc. (1993–2000) * Josh Graham (2000–2012)


Timeline


Discography

;Studio albums * '' Pain of Mind'' (1987) * ''
The Word as Law ''The Word as Law'' is the second studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. It was released in 1990 through Lookout! Records, originally on LP only. In 1991, the album was released on CD with several re-recorded tracks from previous r ...
'' (1990) * ''
Souls at Zero ''Souls at Zero'' is the third studio album by the American post-metal band Neurosis (band), Neurosis. It was released in 1992 by the Alternative Tentacles record label. Their first album with Simon Mcllroy, ''Souls at Zero'' marked a shift in t ...
'' (1992) * ''
Enemy of the Sun ''Enemy of the Sun'' is the fourth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. It was originally released on Alternative Tentacles in 1993 and later reissued on Neurot Recordings in 1999. The album was reissued with new cover artwork on ...
'' (1993) * ''
Through Silver in Blood ''Through Silver in Blood'' is the fifth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis, released on April 2, 1996 through Relapse Records. The album was reissued in July 2009 on the band's own label, Neurot Recordings. Since its release, ''T ...
'' (1996) * '' Times of Grace'' (1999) * ''
A Sun That Never Sets ''A Sun That Never Sets'' is the seventh studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis, released in 2001. The album was awarded #18 on Decibel Magazine's top 100 metal albums of the decade. The band later released a DVD of a full-length fi ...
'' (2001) * '' Neurosis & Jarboe'' (2003) (with Jarboe) * ''
The Eye of Every Storm ''The Eye of Every Storm'' is the eighth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. Style It tones down the strong folk music influences that were prominent on the band's previous album, '' A Sun That Never Sets'', while incorporating ...
'' (2004) * ''
Given to the Rising ''Given to the Rising'' is the ninth studio album by American band post-metal band Neurosis, released on June 5, 2007. The album is available in a standard jewel case, a limited-edition digipak, and a limited-edition double LP, all with the sam ...
'' (2007) * ''
Honor Found in Decay ''Honor Found in Decay'' is the tenth studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis, released on October 30, 2012. The album is notable for incorporating elements of folk music while furthering the heaviness that was emphasized on Neurosis' pr ...
'' (2012) * ''
Fires Within Fires ''Fires Within Fires'' is the eleventh and final studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. The album was released on September 23, 2016, via the band's own record label, Neurot Recordings. Recording began on December 27, 2015, at Electri ...
'' (2016)


Side projects

* Tribes of Neurot - The "alter ego" of Neurosis; a collective of musicians that create
dark ambient Dark ambient (referred to as ambient industrial especially in the 1980s) is a genre of post-industrial musicReed, Alexander: ''Assimilate: A Critical History of Industrial Music'', Oxford University Press, 2013, , p. 190 that features an ominous, ...
and
noise music Noise music is a genre of music that is characterised by the expressive use of noise. This type of music tends to challenge the distinction that is made in conventional musical practices between musical and non-musical sound. Noise music include ...
. * Blood and Time - An acoustic side project of Neurosis with apocalyptic folk overtones featuring Josh Graham, Noah Landis and Scott Kelly. * Culper Ring - A brief side project of Neurosis experimenting with dark ambient and industrial music featuring Steve Von Till. * Red Sparowes - A group formerly featuring Josh Graham, as he departed the group early 2008. * A Storm of Light - A heavy/drone/experimental/rock band featuring Josh Graham. *
Battle of Mice Battle of Mice was an American post-metal Supergroup (music), supergroup consisting of Julie Christmas, Josh Graham, Joel Hamilton, Tony Maimone, and Joe Tomino. The band's name was derived from a saying by Alexander the Great pertaining to a m ...
- A post hardcore band featuring Josh Graham. * Harvestman - an ambient/industrial side band featuring Steve Von Till. * Violent Coercion - pre-Neurosis Hardcore/punk band with Scott Kelly on guitar, Dave Edwardson on bass and Jason Roeder on drums. * Jesus Fucking Christ - A heavy punk/thrash band reminiscent of Pain of Mind-era Neurosis featuring Dave Edwardson on bass and vocals. * Kicker - A '77 punk/UK82 band featuring Dave Edwardson on bass and Pete the Roadie, former Neurosis roadie, on vocals. * Shrinebuilder - A stoner metal "super group" featuring Scott Kelly. * Corrections House - A drone/doom/experimental "super group" featuring Scott Kelly. * Mirrors For Psychic Warfare - An experimental noise project featuring Scott Kelly. *
Sleep Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and certain Sensory nervous system, sensory activity is inhibited. During sleep, there is a marked decrease in muscle activity and interactions with th ...
- A Doom Metal Band featuring Jason Roeder


References


External links


Neurosis official website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Neurosis American post-metal musical groups American avant-garde metal musical groups American doom metal musical groups Hardcore punk groups from California American sludge metal musical groups Drone metal musical groups American progressive metal musical groups Heavy metal musical groups from California Musical groups from Oakland, California Relapse Records artists Bands associated with 924 Gilman Musical groups established in 1985 Alternative Tentacles artists 1985 establishments in California American crust and d-beat groups