Tech-death metal phenoms ORIGIN have recently re-released their first four albums to vinyl via Agonia Records. On this occasion, ORIGIN founder Paul Ryan participated in a series of retrospective interviews about the Relapse-era period of the band's activity. For ORIGIN’s self-titled debut from 2000, it's the first time the record is available in an analog sound storage medium (black & red). Watch the first interview surrounding "Origin" via the link below. Next parts will be published soon.
The re-issues of ORIGIN’s crucial and genre-defining back catalog are part of AGONIA RECORDS’ "Origin of Origin" series, of which "Abiogenesis - A Coming into Existence", a compilation of re-recordings by founding member Paul Ryan from ORIGIN's "A Coming into Existence" EP and previous incarnations, NECROTOMY and THEE ABOMINATION, is the first. The re-issues of ORIGIN’s self-titled and "Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas" are particularly important to vinyl connoisseurs, as both albums weren’t released to vinyl in 2000 and 2002, respectively, while "Echoes of Decimation" only had an ultra-limited picture disc run. The time is now to re-introduce these tech-death metal milestones!
"Excited to present and complete the "Origins of Origin" series with our first four albums on vinyl with Agonia Records!" ORIGIN founding member/guitarist/vocalist Paul Ryan says. "This is the first time the ‘Origin’ and ‘Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas’ albums have ever been pressed on vinyl. ‘Echoes of Decimation’ and ‘Antithesis’ are also being pressed for those who missed out on the fun the first time through! Thanks to all the friends/fans of ORIGIN for the support all these years!".
ORIGIN formed on July 4th, 1997 in Topeka, Kansas by Ryan and guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Turner. The budding musicians were then joined shortly thereafter by bassist Clint Appelhanz, vocalist Mark Manning, and drummer George Fluke. This lineup would go on to record self-financed/released EP, "A Coming into Existence", a year later. The response to ORIGIN’s rabid, uncompromising, and intricately composed death metal - described by now-defunct Pitch Weekly as "a bludgeoning barrage" - was positive enough to give them a slot on the 1998 edition of the Death Across America tour with spirit animals Nile, Gorguts, and Oppressor. Shortly thereafter, Fluke was replaced by ex-Angel Corpse drummer John Longstreth and Appelhanz was replaced by ex-Cephalic Carnage bassist Doug Williams. Recognizing ORIGIN’s potential and the on/off stage intensity of their three-vocalist attack, Relapse Records were quick to add the band to their ever-growing repertoire.
On "Origin”, the band says: "The band was finally able to establish itself as a live presence, breaking free from being rooted in Kansas by touring across North America and developing itself as a devastating live band. We started to separate ourselves from our older material as we were changing sounds with the addition of James Lee [vocals], who became our touring vocalist for the latter part of the ‘Origin’ tour cycle".
Origin - "Origin" era
On "Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas", the band says: "Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas’ is special because Origin again changed sounds and the band was developing even crazier song structures and varying staccato drumming. Mike [Flores; bass] and James had started touring with Origin as we were creating the ‘Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas’ album. We were learning who we were as a band, as well as creating a new style with these members".
Origin - "Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas" era
On "Echoes of Decimation", the band says: "We unfortunately had more lineup changes but added a different sound on guitars when Clinton Appelhanz rejoined (formerly on bass 1997-98) and we started incorporating riffs with arpeggios into our song structures with a more straightforward drum attack. With James King on drums. Some of the most vicious sounds of death metal at the time!".
Origin - "Echoes Of Decimation" era
On "Antithesis" the band says: “The first Origin album to have previous members rejoin to write another album (the “Informis…” lineup). It was a second chance to compose the most devastating music we could come up with at the time. We collaborated on what we had learned in the past and just tried to push the limits of what we could do again by pushing the tempos to the redline and working on more dynamic song structures as well".
Origin - "Antithesis" era
After Relapse, ORIGIN moved over to Nuclear Blast for their fifth album, "Entity", in 2011. Written and recorded as a trio, ORIGIN continued to break boundaries and obliterate minds with their dexterous death metal on "Entity". The accolades continued to fall on ORIGIN as well. "Entity" hit position #20 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, while Ryan was listed by popular metal-oriented website MetalSucks in their "The Top 25 Modern Metal Guitarists" piece. For the follow-up, ORIGIN tapped ex-Skinless vocalist Jason Keyser, who has been holding the frontman role since the release of "Entity" and its entire tour cycle, to finally appear with the band on 2014's "Omnipresent". Immediately after a split release on AGONIA RECORDS and Nuclear Blast, ORIGIN set out on and earned high praise from the Summer Slaughter 2014 and All Things Dead tours. To reward ORIGIN’s hard work, "Omnipresent" topped out at position #10 on Billboard Heatseekers chart, the band’s highest U.S. chart position yet. Never a band to sit still, ORIGIN moved on and beyond their past oeuvre with 2017’s mind-bending "Unparalleled Universe", again released in partnership between AGONIA RECORDS and Nuclear Blast. Still the most technical death metal on the planet, ORIGIN’s primaries infused new elements to up the intensity ante. At the time, Ryan called key "Unparalleled Universe" tracks "Invariance Under Transformation" and "Accident and Error" classic circle pit songs. As expected, the album proceeded to crush U.S. charts: #3 on the Billboard Top New Artist / Heatseekers chart; #8 on the Current Hard Music Albums chart; #35 on the Current Rock Albums chart; and #108 on the Top Current Albums chart. Worth mentioning that first part of the "Origin of Origns" series, "Abiogenesis - A Coming Into Existence" (released in May on AGONIA RECORDS), while entirely retrospective, also entered charts, reaching #127 on Billboard Heatseekers. From humble beginnings in Kansas to chart-smashing tech-death metal superstars, ORIGIN’s destiny has been proved out through ability, quality, and vision! The future is brain-burningly and brutally bright.
Origin - "Omnipresent" era
Says ORIGIN: "We are excited to present these songs for our upcoming South America tour in November with our touring friends Cryptopsy. We have been playing shows and touring with those guys since the late ‘90s, so it will be awesome to bring what we have worked on for 20 years to these countries for the first time! More things are in the works for touring with Origin".
Over the years, ORIGIN’s lineup, label, and location - they now call Kansas, California, and New York home - have changed, but one thing has not: their musically adept, savagely composed, viciously delivered sound. ORIGIN is unmistakable, a triple-headed beast from a sick and unforgiving universe. So, join ORIGIN and AGONIA RECORDS in celebrating the release of "Origin", "Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas", "Echoes of Decimation", and "Antithesis" on venerated vinyl! All four albums will be available via AGONIA RECORDS on October 25th in various (and limited) colorways. Check AGONIA RECORDS’ online store, agoniarecords.com, to order.
Origin today
ALBUM FORMATS:
Origin (2000) - black and red LP
Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas (2002) - black and silver LP
Echoes of Decimation (2005) - black and baby blue LP
Antithesis (2008) - black and milky clear LP
ORIGIN ARE:
Paul Ryan (guitars/vocals)
John Longstreth (drums)
Mike Flores (bass/vocals)
Jason Keyser (vocals)
ORIGIN DISCOGRAPHY:
A Coming into Existence (1998)
Origin (2000)
Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas (2002)
Echoes of Decimation (2005)
Antithesis (2008)
Entity (2011)
Omnipresent (2014)
Unparalleled Universe (2017)
Abiogenesis - A Coming into Existence (2019)
Webshop:
https://www.agoniarecords.com/originsoforigin
ORIGIN on-line:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Origin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/originband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/originband/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OriginOfficial
Agonia Records:
Website: http://agoniarecords.com
Webshop: http://tinyurl.com/agoniashop
Facebook: https://facebook.com/agoniarecords
Twitter: https://twitter.com/agoniarecords
Bandcamp: https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/agoniarecordsofficial
YouTube: http://youtube.com/AgoniaRec
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