Liturgy (band)

Liturgy is an American black metal band from Brooklyn, New York. The band have described their music as "transcendental black metal,"^[6][7] which was especially described in a manifesto written by Hunt-Hendrix; in the process of transforming their style of black metal, they have experimented with other genres including progressive rock, hip hop and electronic music.^[8][9] In the band's early days, Hunt-Hendrix expressed her interest in the work of Swans, Glenn Branca, Rhys Chatham, La Monte Young and Lightning Bolt as influences.^[10][11]

Liturgy
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres	Black metal[1][2] avant-garde metal[3][4] experimental rock[5]
Years active	2005 (2005)–present
Labels	YLYLCYN 20 Buck Spin Thrill Jockey
Members	Haela Hunt-Hendrix
Past members	Tyler Dusenbury Greg Fox Bernard Gann Mario Miron Tia Vincent-Clark Leo Didkovsky
Website	arkwork.org

History

Originally the solo project of Haela Hunt-Hendrix, the band expanded to a four-piece in 2008, after the release of the 12" Immortal Life, which was followed in 2009 with their debut album Renihilation.^[1] The group's second album, Aesthethica, was released in May 2011 by Thrill Jockey, and was ranked as number 26 on Spin's 50 Best Albums of 2011.^[12]

In a 2012 interview with Pitchfork Media, Hunt-Hendrix expressed her desire to move away from black metal on future releases in order to avoid "self-imitation," noting that Aesthethica's recognition "turns it into safe territory." She suggested that the next release could include bells or a focus on electronics.^[13] In June 2014, the band recorded its third studio album, The Ark Work, which was released in 2015.^[14][15] The album was named the #1 avant garde album of 2015 by Spin^[16] and Rolling Stone.^[17] Hunt-Hendrix released her debut electronic album, New Introductory Lectures on the System of Transcendental Qabala, under the name Kel Valhaal in 2016, following the same mythologies she had written as Liturgy's songwriter.

Hunt-Hendrix composed, directed, and starred in the video opera “Origin of the Alimonies,” which was screened at National Sawdust in New York City in October 2018. It was shown with a live score performed by Liturgy alongside an eleven-piece chamber ensemble.^[18] In November 2019 a live-action version of the opera was staged at REDCAT in Los Angeles. Liturgy performed in collaboration with the Sonic Boom Ensemble, and the opera featured performers Jeremy Toussaint-Baptiste and Kathleen Dycaico, with choreography by Gillian Wash and light design by artist Matthew Schreiber.^[19]

The band's fourth studio album, H.A.Q.Q., was released without any prior notice in November 2019, with a physical release following five months later. The album is tied to an ongoing series of philosophical lectures by Hunt-Hendrix on YouTube, which details the system of concepts portrayed by the diagram on its cover.^[20]

Hunt-Hendrix came out as transgender in May 2020,^[21] and the band released their fifth studio album, Origin of the Alimonies, in November the same year. Their sixth studio album, 93696, followed in March 2023.

Band members

Current members

• Haela Hunt-Hendrix – vocals, guitar (2005–present), electronics (2015–present)

Former members

• Greg Fox – drums (2009–2011, 2014–2018)
• Tyler Dusenbury – bass guitar (2009–2012, 2014–2018)
• Bernard Gann – guitar (2009–2020)
• Mario Miron – guitar (2020–2024)
• Tia Vincent-Clark – bass guitar (2018–2024)
• Leo Didkovsky – drums (2018–2024)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Renihilation (20 Buck Spin, 2009)
• Aesthethica (Thrill Jockey, 2011)
• The Ark Work (Thrill Jockey, 2015)
• H.A.Q.Q. (2019)
• Origin of the Alimonies (2020)
• 93696 (2023)

EPs

• Immortal Life (Unfun CD release, 2007) – (Infinite Limbs vinyl release, 2008)
• As the Blood of God Bursts the Veins of Time (2022)
• Immortal Life II (2024)

Other releases

• split LP with Oval (Thrill Jockey, 2011)
• "Quetzalcoatl" single (Thrill Jockey, 2015)
• "PASAQALIA II" single (2020)
• "Antigone" single feat. Leya (2020)

References

1. Lymangrover, Jason. "Liturgy". Allmusic. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
2. Raymer, Miles (January 18, 2015). "Peter Fonda 'performed' with black metal band Liturgy on this week's 'Blacklist'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
3. Rettig, James (September 6, 2019). "Liturgy – "God Of Love"". Stereogum. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
4. Hadusek, Jon (November 6, 2019). "Liturgy announce new albums H.A.Q.Q. and Origin of the Alimonies, share "Apparition of the Eternal Church": Stream". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
5. Wingarten, Christopher (March 6, 2015). "Hear Liturgy's Ecstatic 10-Minute Art-Metal 'Microcosm' of 'The Ark Work'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
6. Lars Gotrich (1 May 2011). "First Listen: Liturgy, 'Aesthethica' : NPR". NPR. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
7. Dale W. Eisinger (4 May 2011). "Brooklyn Thrashers Liturgy Streaming New Album". NBC New York. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
8. "Liturgy's Rap-Metalocalypse". Vice.com. 2015-03-11. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
9. Hideous Gnosis – Transcendental Black Metal. Glossator. 8 March 2010. p. 53. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
10. Castillo, Arielle (3 March 2011). "Liturgy Push the Boundaries of Black Metal — Top 100 Acts at SXSW 2011". Spinner.
11. Toward a Theory of Transcendental Black Metal 2015 interview with Hunter Hunt-Hendrix at Hyperallergic
12. "SPIN's 50 Best Albums of 2011". Spin. December 12, 2011.
13. "Death to Black Metal Liturgy and Deafheaven's controversial leaders discuss the state of black metal". Pitchfork Media. January 30, 2012.
14. "Liturgy Announce New Album The Ark Work, Share "Quetzalcoatl"". Pitchfork Media. January 20, 2015.
15. Minsker, Evan (June 26, 2014). "Liturgy Reunite Quartet Lineup for Tour, Reissue Debut Album Renihilation". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
16. Colin Joyce (9 December 2015). "The 20 Best Avant Albums of 2015 : Spin". Spin. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
17. Christopher R. Weingarten (29 December 2015). "20 Best Avant Albums of 2015 : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
18. "Hunter Hunt-Hendrix: Origin of an Opera Cycle". National Sawdust. October 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
19. "Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, with Liturgy and CalArts' Sonic Boom dir. Ulrich Krieger and Nicholas Deyoe: Origin of the Alimonies". REDCAT. November 16, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
20. "The Four Arenas of Transcendental Qabala". Hunter Hunt-Hendrix. January 30, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
21. Schaffner, Lauryn (12 May 2020). "Liturgy's Hunter Hunt-Hendrix Has Come Out as Transgender". Loudwire. Retrieved 2020-05-13.

External links

• Transcendental Black Metal theory paper by Hunter Hunt-Hendrix presented at Black Metal Theory Symposium I: Hideous Gnosis