Changer
Encyclopedia
Changer is an Iceland
ic death metal
/ metalcore
band, formed in 1999. The band has released three albums and two EPs.
, Iceland, by drummer Kristján B. Heiðarsson, as a one-man project. Kristján wrote and recorded the band's first album, January 109, in January 2000. The recordings were handled by his friend Aðalsteinn Már Björnssson, who soon after was killed in a car accident. The album was released on February 29, 2000.
In May 2000, Kristján moved to Reykjavík
and started assembling a full band. A full line-up was established in late 2000. Changer began playing gigs in Iceland in 2001, and traveled to Akureyri in the spring to record an EP, Inconsistency, which consisted of two new songs along with reworkings of two songs from January 109; it was released in July 2001.
Recording for the next album began in late December 2002, but Scenes was not released until February 13, 2004.
In 2005, Changer played overseas for the first time, at Nevelfest in Antwerp, Belgium
. Shortly after coming home again, major line-up changes took place in the band.
Changer started rehearsing and writing new material, and in May 2006 the band toured Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany
. A new EP, Breed the Lies, was released on June 1, 2006. Mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen
at Antfarm Studios, Denmark
, the EP was placed at number 16-20 on the Icelandic Grapevine as one of the best albums of Iceland for 2006. Later in 2006, the band toured Iceland in support of Cannibal Corpse
and Rotting Christ
at Eistnaflug. Also during this time, they were featured in a web series which focuses on the Icelandic scene called 'Sleepless in Reykjavik' in which their music video for "Recaptured Sanity" was used in the first episode. In August 2007, Gisli parted ways with the band and looked for a new bassist to replace him. Jón Karl soon joined, though only for a short time and then Atli Jarl Martin joined as permanent bassist.
Changer planned to travel abroad to record their next album; however, in November 2007 the band unexpectedly broke up. They plan to release the demos from 2006 and 2007 in the near future. As of 2008, the band has reformed by founder Kristján.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
/ metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band, formed in 1999. The band has released three albums and two EPs.
History
Changer was founded in October 1999 in AkureyriAkureyri
Akureyri is a town in northern Iceland. It is Iceland's second largest urban area and fourth largest municipality ....
, Iceland, by drummer Kristján B. Heiðarsson, as a one-man project. Kristján wrote and recorded the band's first album, January 109, in January 2000. The recordings were handled by his friend Aðalsteinn Már Björnssson, who soon after was killed in a car accident. The album was released on February 29, 2000.
In May 2000, Kristján moved to Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
and started assembling a full band. A full line-up was established in late 2000. Changer began playing gigs in Iceland in 2001, and traveled to Akureyri in the spring to record an EP, Inconsistency, which consisted of two new songs along with reworkings of two songs from January 109; it was released in July 2001.
Recording for the next album began in late December 2002, but Scenes was not released until February 13, 2004.
In 2005, Changer played overseas for the first time, at Nevelfest in Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Shortly after coming home again, major line-up changes took place in the band.
Changer started rehearsing and writing new material, and in May 2006 the band toured Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. A new EP, Breed the Lies, was released on June 1, 2006. Mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen
Tue Madsen
Tue Madsen is a Danish music producer and sound engineer, who is well known in metal genre for his work with bands like The Haunted, Mnemic, Hatesphere, Ektomorf, Cataract, Exmortem, and Born from Pain. His first work as a producer was the album Embraced by the Absolute by Autumn Leaves in 1997...
at Antfarm Studios, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the EP was placed at number 16-20 on the Icelandic Grapevine as one of the best albums of Iceland for 2006. Later in 2006, the band toured Iceland in support of Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band from Buffalo, New York. Formed in 1988, the band has released eleven studio albums, one box set, and one live album...
and Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ is a Greek black metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene.- Line-up :...
at Eistnaflug. Also during this time, they were featured in a web series which focuses on the Icelandic scene called 'Sleepless in Reykjavik' in which their music video for "Recaptured Sanity" was used in the first episode. In August 2007, Gisli parted ways with the band and looked for a new bassist to replace him. Jón Karl soon joined, though only for a short time and then Atli Jarl Martin joined as permanent bassist.
Changer planned to travel abroad to record their next album; however, in November 2007 the band unexpectedly broke up. They plan to release the demos from 2006 and 2007 in the near future. As of 2008, the band has reformed by founder Kristján.
Band members
- Kristján B. Heiðarsson – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1999–2007, 2008 onward) - Hörður Halldórsson – guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
(2000–2005, 2008 onward) - Rob-D – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2008 onward) - Arnar M. Ellertsson – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2009 onward)
Former members
- Valdimar Olsen - guitar (2000)
- Snorri Óttarsson – bass guitar (2000–2001)
- Hörður Halldórsson – guitar (2000–2005)
- Jóhann Ingi Sigurðsson – guitar (2000–2007)
- Engilbert Hauksson – bass guitar (2001–2005)
- Magnús Atli Magnússon – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(2001–2005) - Fannar Þórsson – guitar (2005–2006)
- Gísli Sigmundsson – bass guitar, vocals (2005–2007)
- Egill Geirsson – vocals (2005–2007)
- Unnar Sigurðsson – guitar (2006–2007)
- Atli Jarl Martin – vocals, bass guitar (2008–2009)
- Haraldur Anton Skúlason - vocals (2009–2011)
Session members
- Magnús Halldór Pálsson - bass guitar (2001)
- Hörður Ólafsson – bass guitar, vocals (2005)
- Jón Karl Jónsson – bass guitar (2007)
Albums
- January 109 (2000)
- Scenes (2004)
- Darkling (2010)