God Is an Astronaut
Encyclopedia
God Is an Astronaut are an instrumental/post-rock
band from the Glen of the Downs
, Co. Wicklow
, Ireland
.
. God is an Astronaut's debut album The End of the Beginning
was released in (2002) on the Revive Records label which is independently owned by the band. Two music videos for "The End of the Beginning" and "From Dust to the Beyond" produced by the band received airplay on MTV UK and on other MTV Europe
networks.
All Is Violent, All Is Bright
(2005) is the band's second album. The single "Fragile" from the album received plays on MTV2 UK's 120 minute show and MTV's show The Comedown. God Is an Astronaut released an EP
called A Moment of Stillness in 2006. Their third album, Far from Refuge
, was released in April 2007 on Revive Records and as a download via their website. Their fourth, self-titled album God Is an Astronaut
was released November 7, 2008 on Revive Records. On February 12, 2010, a single was released on their website titled In The Distance Fading, the second song from their fifth album, called Age of the Fifth Sun, released on May 17, 2010.
2011 saw two changes to God is an Astronaut's lineup. Drummer Lloyd Hanney left the band due to personal commitments and was replaced by Michael Fenton. Keyboardist Jamie Dean joined the band for live shows, allowing the band to perform more keyboard-focused tracks on tour.
Former members
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
band from the Glen of the Downs
Glen of the Downs
The Glen of the Downs is a 2 km long wooded glacial valley with steep sides rising to almost 250m on the east coast of Ireland. It contains a designated Nature Reserve comprising 59 ha, as well as a candidate Special Area of Conservation ....
, Co. Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
History
After forming in 2002, God is an Astronaut took the inspiration for its name from a famous quote in the movie NightbreedNightbreed
Nightbreed is a 1990 American fantasy horror film written and directed by Clive Barker, based on his 1988 novella Cabal. The film features Craig Sheffer, Anne Bobby and David Cronenberg. The story centers in a community of mutant outcasts that hides from humanity, known as the...
. God is an Astronaut's debut album The End of the Beginning
The End of the Beginning (God is an Astronaut album)
The End of the Beginning is the first studio album by Irish post-rock band God Is an Astronaut.Its name is most likely from a famous quote by British war-leader and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in a speech about the Second Battle of El Alamein: "Now this is not the end, it is not even the...
was released in (2002) on the Revive Records label which is independently owned by the band. Two music videos for "The End of the Beginning" and "From Dust to the Beyond" produced by the band received airplay on MTV UK and on other MTV Europe
MTV Europe
MTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
networks.
All Is Violent, All Is Bright
All is Violent, All is Bright
All Is Violent, All Is Bright is the second studio album by Irish post-rock band God Is an Astronaut, released in 2005. The enhanced CD also contains an mp3 of the song "Disturbance".-Track listing:#"Fragile" – 4:34#"All Is Violent, All Is Bright" – 4:14...
(2005) is the band's second album. The single "Fragile" from the album received plays on MTV2 UK's 120 minute show and MTV's show The Comedown. God Is an Astronaut released an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
called A Moment of Stillness in 2006. Their third album, Far from Refuge
Far from Refuge
-Bonus Tracks:...
, was released in April 2007 on Revive Records and as a download via their website. Their fourth, self-titled album God Is an Astronaut
God Is An Astronaut (album)
-Bonus Tracks:...
was released November 7, 2008 on Revive Records. On February 12, 2010, a single was released on their website titled In The Distance Fading, the second song from their fifth album, called Age of the Fifth Sun, released on May 17, 2010.
2011 saw two changes to God is an Astronaut's lineup. Drummer Lloyd Hanney left the band due to personal commitments and was replaced by Michael Fenton. Keyboardist Jamie Dean joined the band for live shows, allowing the band to perform more keyboard-focused tracks on tour.
Band members
- Torsten Kinsella (vocals, guitars, keyboards)
- Niels Kinsella (bass, guitars, visuals)
- Michael Fenton (drums) (from 2011)
- Jamie Dean (keyboards, synthesiser) (from 2011)
Former members
- Lloyd Hanney (drums, synthesiser) (2002–2010)
Live performance
The band's live performances make use of projected, self-edited footage along with lighting arrangements to form what the band calls a "full audio visual show". Each song is accompanied by its own video.First U.S. tour
In early 2008, the band embarked on their first tour of the United States. On the day they were set to return home, $20,000 worth of equipment was stolen from their van in New Jersey. Their equipment was not insured and a tour that had reportedly already cost the band $20,000 to organize had suddenly doubled in cost.LPs
- The End of the BeginningThe End of the Beginning (God is an Astronaut album)The End of the Beginning is the first studio album by Irish post-rock band God Is an Astronaut.Its name is most likely from a famous quote by British war-leader and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in a speech about the Second Battle of El Alamein: "Now this is not the end, it is not even the...
(2002) - All Is Violent, All Is BrightAll is Violent, All is BrightAll Is Violent, All Is Bright is the second studio album by Irish post-rock band God Is an Astronaut, released in 2005. The enhanced CD also contains an mp3 of the song "Disturbance".-Track listing:#"Fragile" – 4:34#"All Is Violent, All Is Bright" – 4:14...
(2005) - Far from RefugeFar from Refuge-Bonus Tracks:...
(2007) - God Is an AstronautGod Is An Astronaut (album)-Bonus Tracks:...
(2008) - Age of the Fifth Sun (2010)
Singles
- "The End of the Beginning" (2003)
- "From Dust to the Beyond" (2003)
- "Point Pleasant" (2003)
- "Coda" (2004)
- "Fragile" (2004)
- "Fire Flies and Empty Skies" (2005)
- "Beyond the Dying Light" (2006)
- "Tempus Horizon" (2006)
- "No Return" (2007)
- "Shining Through" (2009) (download only)
- "In The Distance Fading" (2010) (12 February)