Michael Scheidt (born September 1, 1970) is the guitarist and lead vocalist 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'' ...

band YOB.

Biography

Mike Scheidt helped create YOB in 2000, which disbanded in 2006 and then reformed in 2008. Before they disbanded, YOB released a demo and four albums. YOB has shared the stage with other important underground acts like

Electric Wizard Electric Wizard are an English stoner metal, stoner/doom metal band from Dorset. Formed in 1988 under the name Lord of Putrefaction, the band have recorded nine studio albums, two of which have been considered genre landmarks: ''Come My Fanati ...

High on Fire High on Fire is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California, that was formed in 1998. Matt Pike, the band's frontman and founder, also plays guitar for Sleep. High on Fire won the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance with thei ...

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 ...

, and

The Locust The Locust was an American hardcore punk band from San Diego, California, known for their mix of grindcore aggression and new wave experimentation. The band has been noted for their use of insect costumes when performing live. History Prio ...

as well. He was also in the side project of YOB, which was named H.C. Minds. H.C. Minds have released one full-length album, one EP, and a split album with the band dot(.). Scheidt went on to form the band Middian with Will Lindsay bass and vocals, Scott Headrick on drums, and himself on guitar after YOB split up. When asked about the new sound compared to YOB, Mike replied, " tisn't YOB 2.0... Middian is more mid-paced and meaner on average, though there are definite slow doom parts for sure. My singing is as varied as ever, but somehow seems different from YOB. Plus, my bandmates bring their own influences into the mix." Middian released one album, titled Age Eternal. Scheidt then reformed YOB after Middian broke up following a legal dispute over the band name. YOB have since released four further albums. Scheidt's first solo album, ''Stay Awake'', was released in 2012 and features

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

, a departure from Scheidt's usual instrument. The inspiration for going acoustic came when he saw Scott Kelly of

Neurosis Neurosis (: neuroses) is a term mainly used today by followers of Freudian thinking to describe mental disorders caused by past anxiety, often that has been repressed. In recent history, the term has been used to refer to anxiety-related con ...

play acoustic. In 2012, Scheidt formed VHÖL with John Cobbett, Sigrid Sheie, and

Aesop Dekker Aesop Dekker (born October 1, 1970) is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer of the bands Hickey, Ludicra, Agalloch Agalloch () is an American extreme metal band from Portland, Oregon. Formed in 1995 by frontman John ...

. The band's eponymous debut was released by

Profound Lore Records Profound Lore Records is a Canadian independent record label founded in May 2004. The label primarily focuses on releasing extreme metal and experimental albums. It "began as the 'hobby-like venture' of a few friends but, over the past six year ...

on 9 April 2013.

Influences

Scheidt has said his main influences have been

Tool A tool is an Physical object, object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many Tool use by animals, animals use simple tools, only human bei ...

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 ...

Saint Vitus Vitus (), whose name is sometimes rendered Guy or Guido, was a Christian martyr from Sicily. His surviving hagiography is pure legend. The dates of his actual life are unknown.Basil Watkins, ''The Book of Saints: A Comprehensive Biographical ...

Immolation Immolation may refer to: *Death by burning *Self-immolation, the act of burning oneself * Immolation (band), a death metal band from Yonkers, New York *'' The Immolation'', a 1977 novel by Goh Poh Seng *'' Dance Dance Immolation'', an interactive ...

Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially ...

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...

The Obsessed The Obsessed is an American doom metal band from Potomac, Maryland, led by Scott "Wino" Weinrich. Formed in 1979, they recorded a few demos and played a handful of live shows until they first split up in 1986 when Weinrich joined as lead vo ...

Trouble Trouble may refer to: Film and television * ''Trouble'' (1922 film), an American silent comedy-drama film directed by Albert Austin * ''Trouble'' (1933 film), a British comedy film * ''Trouble'' (1977 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Trouble'' ...

and

Pentagram A pentagram (sometimes known as a pentalpha, pentangle, or star pentagon) is a regular five-pointed star polygon, formed from the diagonal line segments of a convex (or simple, or non-self-intersecting) regular pentagon. Drawing a circle around ...

. His vocal style is inspired by

Lee Dorrian Lee Robert Dorrian (born 5 June 1968) is an English singer, best known as a former member of grindcore band Napalm Death and later as frontman of doom metal band Cathedral. He is currently singing with Septic Tank and With the Dead. Career ...

's work in Cathedral and the lower pitched vocals of

Solstice A solstice is the time when the Sun reaches its most northerly or southerly sun path, excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around 20–22 June and 20–22 December. In many countries ...

Discography

With H.C. Minds

* Superficial Worlds (full-length, 1999) * dot(.)/H.C. Minds split (split, 2003) * Who Can Survive (EP, 2003)

With YOB

*'' YOB'' Demo, 2000 *'' Elaborations of Carbon'' (full-length, 2002) *''

Catharsis Catharsis is from the Ancient Greek word , , meaning "purification" or "cleansing", commonly used to refer to the purification and purgation of thoughts and emotions by way of expressing them. The desired result is an emotional state of renewal an ...

'' (full-length, 2003) *'' The Illusion of Motion'' (full-length, 2004) *'' The Unreal Never Lived'' (full-length, 2005) *'' The Great Cessation'' (full-length, 2009) *'' Atma'' (full-length, 2011) *'' Clearing the Path to Ascend'' (full-length, 2014) *'' Our Raw Heart'' (full-length, 2018)

With Middian

*'' Age Eternal'' (full-length, 2007)

With VHÖL

*''VHÖL'' (full-length, 2013) *''Deeper Than Sky'' (full-length, 2015)

With James Romig

*''James Romig: The Complexity of Distance'' (full-length, 2023)

Solo

*'' Stay Awake'' (full-length, 2012)

Lumbar

*'' The First and Last Days of Unwelcome '' (full-length, 2013)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scheidt, Mike Living people American heavy metal guitarists 1970 births 21st-century American guitarists Musicians from Eugene, Oregon Guitarists from Oregon