Pitch Black Forecast
Encyclopedia
Pitch Black Forecast is a Groove Metal
supergroup formed in 2005 with a lineup consisting of ex-Mushroomhead
frontman Jason Popson
and ex-Strapping Young Lad
drummer Gene Hoglan
and Integrity
bassist Steve Rauckhorst. Formed in Ohio back in 2005 under the name Absentee. They released their debut record Absentee
in 2008 featuring guest contributions from Lamb of God
frontman Randy Blythe
and The Human Furnace from Ringworm
.
while they were on tour with Strapping Young Lad. Jason was taking a break from touring with Mushroomhead where he was known as J Mann. He never mentioned that he was Mushroomhead’s frontman and it wasn't until late in the tour that Gene found out. Originally, the group was intended to be similar to Probot
with Jason Popson as the vocalist and a revolving door of guitarists and drummers. When Jason was finally ready to record though the only one who was not busy was Gene. In January 2007 Gene flew out to Ohio and he and Jason wrote and recorded Absentee
in ten days. Guitarist Rob Reinard was brought in by studio engineer Bill Korecky. Bassist Craig Martini was also brought in who Jason knew from playing with him in the Alter Boys
Shortly after finishing recording Absentee Craig Martini left the band under after relocating to Nevada and was replaced by Steve Rauckhorst, who Jason had previously known from Integrity
. They played their first show in nearly six months at Peabody's in Cleveland. As of April they are recording their new album at Galahad Studios with Tom Shaffner. It is likely to be released on Fractured Transmitter some time this year. On May 5 Pitch Black Forecast announced Tom Shaffner of Keratoma fame would be their new second guitarist. They also announced that they would soon begin recording guitar and bass at Galahad Studios and that they had already chosen twelve songs to record for the album. Also, when Jason Popson intended the group to be more like a solo project, he recorded a cover of the Melvins song 'Revolve' on the Melvins tribute album, We Reach: The Music of the Melvins
, which was released on Jason's record label Fractured Transmitter.
Groove metal
Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...
supergroup formed in 2005 with a lineup consisting of ex-Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead is an American industrial metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in Cleveland Warehouse District, the band's music can be described as a synthesis of alternative music, heavy metal, and electro-industrial...
frontman Jason Popson
Jason Popson
Jason Popson is best known for his eleven years as a singer in the band Mushroomhead, during which time he was known by the stage name J-Mann...
and ex-Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing...
drummer Gene Hoglan
Gene Hoglan
Eugene "Gene" Victor Hoglan II is an American drummer. He is acclaimed for his creativity in drum arrangements, including usage of odd devices for percussion effects and his trademark lengthy double-kick drum rhythms...
and Integrity
Integrity (band)
Integrity is a metallic hardcore band formed in 1988. Their lyrical themes include religion, the supernatural, mental illness, individualism, and the occult.- Discography :*Harder They Fall - Demo cassette - 1989...
bassist Steve Rauckhorst. Formed in Ohio back in 2005 under the name Absentee. They released their debut record Absentee
Absentee (album)
Absentee is Pitch Black Forecast's debut CD featuring backing vocals from Randy Blythe of Lamb of God.-Track listing:All tracks by Pitch Black Forecast except where noted#"Atonement" – 3:10#"Dialtone" – 3:33...
in 2008 featuring guest contributions from Lamb of God
Lamb of God (band)
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
frontman Randy Blythe
Randy Blythe
David Randall "Randy" Blythe is the vocalist of American groove metal band Lamb Of God and side-project band Halo of Locusts. He is known as D. Randall Blythe on Lamb of God's albums....
and The Human Furnace from Ringworm
Ringworm (band)
Ringworm is a hardcore punk. band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1991. The name "Ringworm" was derived from a Vincent Price movie. The band has toured extensively in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe and has released their last three albums on Victory Records...
.
History
Gene and Jason met back in 2004 while Jason was selling t-shirts for MeshuggahMeshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
while they were on tour with Strapping Young Lad. Jason was taking a break from touring with Mushroomhead where he was known as J Mann. He never mentioned that he was Mushroomhead’s frontman and it wasn't until late in the tour that Gene found out. Originally, the group was intended to be similar to Probot
Probot
Probot was a heavy metal side project of ex-Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters rhythm guitarist and lead-singer Dave Grohl. An album was recorded out of the material and released in February 2004...
with Jason Popson as the vocalist and a revolving door of guitarists and drummers. When Jason was finally ready to record though the only one who was not busy was Gene. In January 2007 Gene flew out to Ohio and he and Jason wrote and recorded Absentee
Absentee (album)
Absentee is Pitch Black Forecast's debut CD featuring backing vocals from Randy Blythe of Lamb of God.-Track listing:All tracks by Pitch Black Forecast except where noted#"Atonement" – 3:10#"Dialtone" – 3:33...
in ten days. Guitarist Rob Reinard was brought in by studio engineer Bill Korecky. Bassist Craig Martini was also brought in who Jason knew from playing with him in the Alter Boys
The Alter Boys
The Alter Boys are an American band from Ohio. The band includes members of the bands Dog Fashion Disco, Polkadot Cadaver, Unified Culture, Mudfoot, Original Pranksta, and Mushroomhead. Also featured in the band was Ryan Dunn of the television series Jackass. They play in various musical styles,...
Shortly after finishing recording Absentee Craig Martini left the band under after relocating to Nevada and was replaced by Steve Rauckhorst, who Jason had previously known from Integrity
Integrity (band)
Integrity is a metallic hardcore band formed in 1988. Their lyrical themes include religion, the supernatural, mental illness, individualism, and the occult.- Discography :*Harder They Fall - Demo cassette - 1989...
. They played their first show in nearly six months at Peabody's in Cleveland. As of April they are recording their new album at Galahad Studios with Tom Shaffner. It is likely to be released on Fractured Transmitter some time this year. On May 5 Pitch Black Forecast announced Tom Shaffner of Keratoma fame would be their new second guitarist. They also announced that they would soon begin recording guitar and bass at Galahad Studios and that they had already chosen twelve songs to record for the album. Also, when Jason Popson intended the group to be more like a solo project, he recorded a cover of the Melvins song 'Revolve' on the Melvins tribute album, We Reach: The Music of the Melvins
We Reach: The Music of the Melvins
We Reach: The Music of The Melvins is a 2005 tribute album to the Melvins.-Track listing:...
, which was released on Jason's record label Fractured Transmitter.
Related artists
- MushroomheadMushroomheadMushroomhead is an American industrial metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in Cleveland Warehouse District, the band's music can be described as a synthesis of alternative music, heavy metal, and electro-industrial...
-Jason PopsonJason PopsonJason Popson is best known for his eleven years as a singer in the band Mushroomhead, during which time he was known by the stage name J-Mann...
aka {J Mann} - (216)-Jason Popson
- In Cold Blood-Jason Popson
- The Alter BoysThe Alter BoysThe Alter Boys are an American band from Ohio. The band includes members of the bands Dog Fashion Disco, Polkadot Cadaver, Unified Culture, Mudfoot, Original Pranksta, and Mushroomhead. Also featured in the band was Ryan Dunn of the television series Jackass. They play in various musical styles,...
-Jason Popson - Strapping Young LadStrapping Young LadStrapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing...
-Gene HoglanGene HoglanEugene "Gene" Victor Hoglan II is an American drummer. He is acclaimed for his creativity in drum arrangements, including usage of odd devices for percussion effects and his trademark lengthy double-kick drum rhythms... - Death-Gene Hoglan
- Fear FactoryFear FactoryFear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
-Gene Hoglan - DethklokDethklokDethklok is both a virtual band featured in the Adult Swim animated program Metalocalypse, as well as a real band created to perform the band's melodic death metal music in live shows. The band was created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha. The music heard on Metalocalypse is performed by Brendon...
-Gene Hoglan - NDE-Rob Reinard
- Nailblack-Rob Reinard
- The Alter Boys-Jason Popson/Craig Martin
- State of Conviction-Jason Popson/Craig Martini
- Unified Culture-Jason Popson/Craig Martini
- IntegrityIntegrity (band)Integrity is a metallic hardcore band formed in 1988. Their lyrical themes include religion, the supernatural, mental illness, individualism, and the occult.- Discography :*Harder They Fall - Demo cassette - 1989...
-Steve Rauckhorst - Keratoma-Steve Rauckhorst
- Keratoma-Tom Schaffner
Current members
- Jason PopsonJason PopsonJason Popson is best known for his eleven years as a singer in the band Mushroomhead, during which time he was known by the stage name J-Mann...
-Vocals (2005–Present) - Gene HoglanGene HoglanEugene "Gene" Victor Hoglan II is an American drummer. He is acclaimed for his creativity in drum arrangements, including usage of odd devices for percussion effects and his trademark lengthy double-kick drum rhythms...
-Drums (2005–Present) - Rob Reinard-Guitar (2007–Present)
- Steve Rauckhorst-Bass (2008–Present)
- Tom Shaffner-Guitar (2009–Present)
External links
- "Pitch Black Forecast" by Matt Gorey, Cleveland Scene (May 28, 2008)