Urn (band)
| Urn | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
| Genres | Gothic metal |
| Years active | 1994-1996, 2000- |
| Associated acts | To/Die/For, Virgin Black, Finntroll |
| Website |
www |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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Urn is a gothic / folk metal band based out of the Orlando area.
Members
Current members
- Dominic St. Charles - Lead Vocals, Guitar
- Julian Umberger - Bass, Death and Backing Vocals
- Christopher Lorton - Guitars
- David Alusik - Guitars
- Cleve Hall - keyboards and synths
- Eric J Peterson - Drums and Percussion
Discography
- Consecrated Ashes (Maxi-single) (2001) — Lost Antiquities Music, United States
- Desecrated Ashes (EP) (2003) — Lost Antiquities Music, United States
- Dancing With The Demigods (2006) — Rotting Corpse Records, United States
- Scribings of a Forgotten Soul (2009) — Rotting Corpse Records, United States
- Epiphany (2015) - Dark Moon Records, United States
Compilation appearances
- Primal River Valley (Compilation) (2004) — Latex Records, United States
- Raw Aggression III (Compilation) (2006) — Rotting Corpse Records, United States
- EMP UNDERGROUND VOL. 1 (Compilation) (2016) - EMP Label Group, United States
History
URN actually has its beginnings as far back as 1994 in Cleveland, OH. Founder Dominic St. Charles while attending college had been working in commercial radio upon his graduation and was heavily involved in two bands, with URN being very much a death metal incarnation (Dominic was not the singer however). URN would play heavily in the "rust-belt" area having done many shows in the metal scene and opened for a couple of national acts as part of local festivals sponsored by larger rock radio stations.
Around the same time, he also had a gothic-rock band called Sacrosanct of which good college friend, Michelle Belanger was the singer. Sacrosanct and had also worked along with Ed Douglas,(who later went on to found Midnight Syndicate) on several endeavors. Due to an unforeseen accident in 1996, the one member suffered an injury that sidelined URN for an indefinite period at the time. It was essentially the end of that line-up and Dominic found work playing lead guitar for a couple of national acts, most notably of these was for The Electric Hellfire Club.
This incarnation of URN began back in 2000, while Dominic was still an active member of the Electric Hellfire Club. For the most part, despite his great experience with the EHC, he felt it was time again for him to pursue his own thing. Teaming up with some of his friends and musical students at the time, he somewhat made a hybrid of the two bands and Thomas Thorn urged him to use the URN moniker once again.
After fulfilling EHC tour obligations, URN then went out on two tours in 2001 once in the spring with the Babylonian Tiles and then in the fall with Gossamer which had been affected by the events of September 11.
The band recorded and released a maxi-single called "Consecrated Ashes" to assist in touring for 2002 and sold out the 500 copies of the self-release.
In 2003, the band followed up that release with the "Desecrated Ashes" EP and was met with great success and acclaim. The album received strong airplay support via college and internet stations all through the United States as well as in Mexico and Canada. URN has also done a several simulcasts with internet radio stations such as IPM Radio and Metal Works Radio.
URN signed with Rotting Corpse Records in the fall of 2005 and released their full-length LP "Dancing with the Demigods" with major chain-store distribution through Century Media, Synergy Distribution and Azure Green in July 2006. The album has received rave reviews in many major trade magazines such a Pit Magazine, Explicitly Intense, New Witch, Dark Realms, The Ninth Gate, Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles, and many more. This album has been out of print since 2008.
As a result, URN toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada and in the process toured/shared the stage with honored acts such as Moonspell, Type O Negative, To/Die/For, Katatonia, Virgin Black, Trouble, Bella Morte, Novembers Doom, Celtic Frost, Bile, Daylight Dies, Impaler, The Dave Brockie Experience, The Dayglo Abortions and many notable others.
The band has also appeared at many high-profile conventions throughout North America such as Ancient Ways in Chicago, KiNvention North in Kitchener, Endless Nights in New Orleans, Radio Active in Detroit, GenCon in Indianapolis, The International Body Art Expo in Columbus, Paganstock in Michigan, Doomsday Metal Festival in Milwaukee and the Long Black Veil in New York.
URN has through their ongoing collaborations with artists of other mediums such actor Don Henrie, appearing in URN’s video for their "Shadow Dancer" single which was nationally distributed to many media channels and is available on the album as well.
The band released their second full-length LP in 2009 on Rotting Corpse Records entitled "Scribings of a Forgotten Soul". This was a concept album based on the true accounts of individuals that singer/guitarist Dominic knew that survived the 1989 prison riots at the State Correctional Institution – Camp Hill in Pennsylvania.
With its release, URN took to the road once again in support of the new album, playing all over North America, including tour dates with Tarja, Finntroll, The Eternal, Swallow the Sun, Katatonia, Blackguard, and Lividity. The band released another promotional video for the single "Reckoning Hour".
In October 2011, Urn relocated from Chicago, IL to Orlando, FL and proceeded to continue to do headlining tours throughout North and Central America. In early 2014, URN signed with Dark Moon Productions and released their fourth studio full-length album entitled "Epiphany" on August 25, 2015 as well as their promotional video for the single "Cast in Amber". The band embarked on a couple of U.S. tours to support the release highlighted by attending the 2016 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim.
Tours
- Winter 2016/2017 - North American tour highlighted by 2017 Winter NAMM appearance
- Summer 2016 - Laconia Bike Rally
- Winter 2015/2016 - North American tour highlighted by 2016 Winter NAMM appearance
- Spring 2015 - Toured southern United States for SXSW
- Winter 2014 - Headlined The Dragon Renaissance Festival and toured Florida
- Winter 2013 - First tour of Florida and filmed Cast in Amber video
- Fall 2012 - headlining tour - United States
- Summer 2012 - Tour of Southern United States and Northern Mexico with Averzet
- Winter 2010 with James Rivera of Helstar and world simulcast with Epica
- Fall 2009 with Lividity - Canada
- Spring 2009 with Tarja and The Eternal - North America
- Summer 2007 with To/Die/For and Virgin Black - United States
- Spring 2007 with Nocturnal Divinity, Nanochrist, Aerocar Model Four - Canada
- Summer/Fall 2006, headining tour - United States
- Fall 2004 - United States
- Fall 2003 - United States/Canada
- Spring 2003, headining tour - United States
- Spring of 2001 with the Babylonian Tiles - North America/Canada
- Fall of 2001 with Gossamer - North America/Canada
Videos
- Shadow Dancer (2006) - Urn worked in collaboration with Don Henrie from the Sci-fi Channel's Mad Mad House for the band's first music video, "Shadow Dancer." Don Henrie plays a classic Anne Rice-style vampire who seduces the band's keyboardist and vocalist Sophia, turning her into a vampire by the end of the music video.
- Reckoning Hour (2009) - Urn completed work for the single "Reckoning Hour" with Liquid Productions in October 2009. Liquid Productions have also worked with other major acts such as Novembers Doom. The video illustrates, within the storyline of the album, the court room scene with the story's protagonist (played by St. Charles) being found guilty and receiving a prison sentence for his crime. The single appears on the album "Scribings of a Forgotten Soul", released in autumn of 2009 on Rotting Corpse Records.
- "Cast in Amber" (2015) - first single from the Epiphany album, having filmed with Global Rapture Productions a first-person narrative on the concept of suicide and the effect to what happens to loved ones left behind.
- "Epiphany" (2016) - video for the title track of the band's fourth studio release, with production being done by No Keyz Productions out of Orlando, FL an affiliation with Full Sail University. The concept of this music promotional video is based on coming to the realization when a relationship becomes toxic and when one makes the painful decision to leave to find a healthier new beginning.
References
- "The Metal Archives". Encyolopedia Metallum.
- "URN Sign With ROTTING CORPSE RECORDS". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 4 December 2005.
- "URN Begins Recording New Album". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
- "New URN Album To Feature Guest Appearance By ELECTRIC HELLFIRE CLUB's REV. THOMAS THORN". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- "Support Acts". www.tarjaturunen.com. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
- "Urn and The Eternal To Support Tarja On North American Tour". Metal Underground.com. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
- Pierce, Ken. "Tarja @ Fillmore at Irving Plaza (4/29/2009)". PiercingMetal.com. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
- "URN INTRODUCE NEW MEMBERS, CONFIRMED TO PERFORM AT CHICAGO HOLIDAY HELLRAISER". Brave Words. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
- Lundgren, Robex. "Interview with URN". www.ghgumman.blogg.se. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
- "URN Sign with Dark Moon Records; Announce New Album 'Epiphany'". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- "Urn Releasing "Epiphany" Album, Posts New Video". Metal Underground. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- "URN TO RELEASE EPIPHANY ALBUM IN AUGUST; "CAST IN AMBER" MUSIC VIDEO STREAMING". Brave Words. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- Skinner, Keven. "URN Signs with Dark Moon Records; Will Release New Album "Epiphany" August 25, 201". Fox Force Five News. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- "Urn Premieres Full New "Epiphany" Album". Metal Underground.com. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- Gullotta, Steven. "Urn - Interview". Brutal Resonance. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- His Divine, Shadow. "URN: Epiphany". 925 Rebellion. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
- DFlux, Anabel. "Dominic St. Charles of URN". Hardrock Haven.net. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- Schoonwater, Ron. "URN - Epiphany Review". Peek a Boo Music Magazine. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- Jackal, Johnny. "URN - Epiphany". Metal Temple. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
