Pythia (band)
Encyclopedia
Pythia is a heavy metal
band from London, England.
Pythia is a group of classically and heavy-metal inspired musicians. Lead singer Emily Ovenden
is also a member of the classical group the Mediaeval Baebes and Celtic Legend. Drummer Marc Dyos and guitarist Ross White are originally from the thrash metal group Descent. Tim Neale, formerly of Abgott and currently of Faith of the Few, is on lead guitar. Richard Holland is on keyboards and Mark Harrington from prog band To-Mera
on bass replacing Andy Nixon-Corfield who performed on the first album.
is taken from ancient Greece. Pythia was the priestess at Apollo's oracle in Delphi who operated as a vehicle for Apollo's will. In keeping with this, Ovenden's lyrics explore the darker side of life, love, and passion, and the supernatural.
, Arch Enemy, Ministry
, Scorpions
, Fields of the Nephilim
and Theatre of Tragedy
.
Pythia's debut show was at the Electric Ballroom
in Camden, supporting ex-Nightwish
singer Tarja Turunen
in December 2007.
In 2008 they went on to support Fields of the Nephilim
at the Shepherds Bush Empire
, and Ministry
, at the Kentish Town Forum.
On 26 September 2008 Pythia played their first headline show at The Underworld in Camden. The following day they played the Dames of Darkness festival in Birmingham before taking a break from live performances to complete their debut album and honour commitments to other projects.
Pythia
performed at Bloodstock Open Air
festival in August 2009, headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage, and performed on the acoustic stage earlier in the day.
On 14 March 2010 they performed at The Underworld in Camden along with The Mariana Hollow, To-Mera
and Where Angels Fall supporting Norwegian Gothic metal
pioneers Theatre of Tragedy
.
In April 2010, Pythia supported Norwegian group Pagans Mind on a short tour of The Netherlands. During that tour Pythia performed at the Power Prog & Metal festival in Mons, Belgium, headlined by Scorpions
.
In the same month Pythia were studio guests for the Bruce Dickinson
rock show on BBC 6 Music
, talking to Bruce and playing a few songs from Beneath the Veiled Embrace
.
After a few shows back home in England, the band concentrated on writing and recording material for their second album.
The band did however venture back to the Netherlands in October 2010, as main support for Arch Enemy in Heerhugowaard, Holland, then performing the next day at the Metal Female Voices Festival in Belgium.
Their final show of 2010 was performing at Hard Rock Hell
festival in Prestatyn, alongside bands such as Stratovarius
, Skid Row, and Helloween
.
, was released 12 October 2009, through Golden Axe Records. The album was mixed by Jacob Hansen, and features Brian Blessed
on the song "Army Of The Damned", with a reading of the poem Suicide in the Trenches
by Siegfried Sassoon
.
The first single from the album was "Sarah (Bury Her)", released in August 2009, which included as a B-side an acoustic version of "Tristan", and a cover of the Gary Moore
classic "Thunder Rising". The second single, "Army Of The Damned", was released in April 2010, featuring an acoustic version of "Sarah (Bury Her)".
Beneath the Veiled Embrace has been well received by magazines such as Terrorizer 8/10, PowerPlay
8/10, Metal Hammer
7/10, Classic Rock
7/10, and various webzines across the world.
Pythia have been featured in magazines such as Classic Rock Prog and Terrorizer, and have received airplay on Bruce Dickinson
's Friday night rock show on BBC 6 Music
, and TV channel Scuzz
.
Emily Ovenden was 'Miss December' in Metal Hammer's 2010 calendar, included in the December 2009 issue.
In 2010 the song "Army Of The Damned" was chosen for the new Rockband game for the Xbox
.
At the start of 2011 the band signed a two album deal with Japanese label 'Spinning', with Beneath the Veiled Embrace
due for release in February 2011, complete with bonus tracks and alternative artwork.
In September 2011 Beneath the Veiled Embrace was issued as a vinyl picture disc. The picture disc was available separately or as part of a deluxe box set containing a t-shirt, the Japanese version of the CD, signed poster, letter and print.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from London, England.
Pythia is a group of classically and heavy-metal inspired musicians. Lead singer Emily Ovenden
Emily Ovenden
Emily Alice Ovenden is an English singer and composer and a member of the number one selling UK Classical Chart act, the Mediæval Bæbes, selling over 500,000 albums worldwide. She has recently published a fiction novel called The Ice Room and is lead singer of both heavy metal band, Pythia and...
is also a member of the classical group the Mediaeval Baebes and Celtic Legend. Drummer Marc Dyos and guitarist Ross White are originally from the thrash metal group Descent. Tim Neale, formerly of Abgott and currently of Faith of the Few, is on lead guitar. Richard Holland is on keyboards and Mark Harrington from prog band To-Mera
To-Mera
To-Mera are a progressive metal band from South Oxfordshire in the UK. The band plays a technical style of metal characterized by long songs, multiple time changes and jazz interludes.-Current members:*Julie Kiss - Vocals*Thomas MacLean - Guitar...
on bass replacing Andy Nixon-Corfield who performed on the first album.
Significance of name
The name PythiaPythia
The Pythia , commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi, was the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The Pythia was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by Apollo. The Delphic oracle was established in the 8th century BC...
is taken from ancient Greece. Pythia was the priestess at Apollo's oracle in Delphi who operated as a vehicle for Apollo's will. In keeping with this, Ovenden's lyrics explore the darker side of life, love, and passion, and the supernatural.
Performances
Pythia have performed with such acts as Tarja TurunenTarja Turunen
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
, Arch Enemy, Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
, Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
, Fields of the Nephilim
Fields of the Nephilim
Fields of the Nephilim are an English gothic rock band formed in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in 1984. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Carl McCoy, saxophonist Gary Whisker, Tony Pettitt on bass, guitarist Paul Wright and drummer Alexander "Nod" Wright...
and Theatre of Tragedy
Theatre of Tragedy
Theatre of Tragedy was a Norwegian band from Stavanger, active between 1993 and 2010. They are best known for their earlier albums, which provided a great deal of influence to the gothic metal genre.-Biography:...
.
Pythia's debut show was at the Electric Ballroom
Electric Ballroom
The Electric Ballroom is a performance venue and indoor market located at 184 Camden High Street in Camden Town, London . The Electric Ballroom has been in operation for over seventy years, during which time it has been used in many different ways.The two storey building has two dance floors and...
in Camden, supporting ex-Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
singer Tarja Turunen
Tarja Turunen
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
in December 2007.
In 2008 they went on to support Fields of the Nephilim
Fields of the Nephilim
Fields of the Nephilim are an English gothic rock band formed in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in 1984. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Carl McCoy, saxophonist Gary Whisker, Tony Pettitt on bass, guitarist Paul Wright and drummer Alexander "Nod" Wright...
at the Shepherds Bush Empire
Shepherds Bush Empire
The O2 Shepherds Bush Empire is a music venue in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, run by the Academy Music Group. It was built in 1903, as a music hall, and in 1953 became the BBC Television Theatre...
, and Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
, at the Kentish Town Forum.
On 26 September 2008 Pythia played their first headline show at The Underworld in Camden. The following day they played the Dames of Darkness festival in Birmingham before taking a break from live performances to complete their debut album and honour commitments to other projects.
Pythia
Pythia
The Pythia , commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi, was the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The Pythia was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by Apollo. The Delphic oracle was established in the 8th century BC...
performed at Bloodstock Open Air
Bloodstock Open Air
Bloodstock Open Air is a heavy metal festival held annually at Catton Hall in Walton-upon-Trent, England, since 2005. Previous line-ups have included bands such as Opeth , Children of Bodom , Nightwish , Cradle of Filth , Testament , Arch Enemy , Europe and Twisted Sister .Originally on one stage...
festival in August 2009, headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage, and performed on the acoustic stage earlier in the day.
On 14 March 2010 they performed at The Underworld in Camden along with The Mariana Hollow, To-Mera
To-Mera
To-Mera are a progressive metal band from South Oxfordshire in the UK. The band plays a technical style of metal characterized by long songs, multiple time changes and jazz interludes.-Current members:*Julie Kiss - Vocals*Thomas MacLean - Guitar...
and Where Angels Fall supporting Norwegian Gothic metal
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
pioneers Theatre of Tragedy
Theatre of Tragedy
Theatre of Tragedy was a Norwegian band from Stavanger, active between 1993 and 2010. They are best known for their earlier albums, which provided a great deal of influence to the gothic metal genre.-Biography:...
.
In April 2010, Pythia supported Norwegian group Pagans Mind on a short tour of The Netherlands. During that tour Pythia performed at the Power Prog & Metal festival in Mons, Belgium, headlined by Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
.
In the same month Pythia were studio guests for the Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
rock show on BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
, talking to Bruce and playing a few songs from Beneath the Veiled Embrace
Beneath the Veiled Embrace
Beneath the Veiled Embrace is the first album by power metal band Pythia, released 12 October 2009. It was re-released on 23 February 2011 with alternative cover artwork and three bonus tracks.-Track listing:...
.
After a few shows back home in England, the band concentrated on writing and recording material for their second album.
The band did however venture back to the Netherlands in October 2010, as main support for Arch Enemy in Heerhugowaard, Holland, then performing the next day at the Metal Female Voices Festival in Belgium.
Their final show of 2010 was performing at Hard Rock Hell
Hard Rock Hell
Hard Rock Hell is a three day music festival currently held at Pontin's Holiday Village, Prestatyn, Wales. The idea of holding the festival at in a holiday camp gives the organisers pre-built venues and stages and because of the on-site accommodation allows them to hold a multi day festival over...
festival in Prestatyn, alongside bands such as Stratovarius
Stratovarius
Stratovarius are a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation they have released 13 studio albums and one live album. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic...
, Skid Row, and Helloween
Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
.
Recordings
Their debut album, Beneath the Veiled EmbraceBeneath the Veiled Embrace
Beneath the Veiled Embrace is the first album by power metal band Pythia, released 12 October 2009. It was re-released on 23 February 2011 with alternative cover artwork and three bonus tracks.-Track listing:...
, was released 12 October 2009, through Golden Axe Records. The album was mixed by Jacob Hansen, and features Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
on the song "Army Of The Damned", with a reading of the poem Suicide in the Trenches
Suicide in the Trenches
Suicide in the Trenches is a poem by Siegfried Sassoon, written during his First World War military service and published in his 1918 collection: Counter-Attack and Other Poems.-The Poem:I knew a simple soldier boy........
by Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Sassoon
Siegfried Loraine Sassoon CBE MC was an English poet, author and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World War. His poetry both described the horrors of the trenches, and satirised the patriotic pretensions of those who, in Sassoon's...
.
The first single from the album was "Sarah (Bury Her)", released in August 2009, which included as a B-side an acoustic version of "Tristan", and a cover of the Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
classic "Thunder Rising". The second single, "Army Of The Damned", was released in April 2010, featuring an acoustic version of "Sarah (Bury Her)".
Beneath the Veiled Embrace has been well received by magazines such as Terrorizer 8/10, PowerPlay
Powerplay
"Power play" is a sporting term used in various games.*In ice hockey, a team is said to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice...
8/10, Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
7/10, Classic Rock
Classic Rock (magazine)
Classic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
7/10, and various webzines across the world.
Pythia have been featured in magazines such as Classic Rock Prog and Terrorizer, and have received airplay on Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
's Friday night rock show on BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
, and TV channel Scuzz
Scuzz
Scuzz is a British music television channel owned and operated by CSC Media Group . It launched on 17 April 2003 and has gone on to be the highest-rated rock TV station on UK satellite. The channel plays a broad range of rock and all its subgenres...
.
Emily Ovenden was 'Miss December' in Metal Hammer's 2010 calendar, included in the December 2009 issue.
In 2010 the song "Army Of The Damned" was chosen for the new Rockband game for the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
.
At the start of 2011 the band signed a two album deal with Japanese label 'Spinning', with Beneath the Veiled Embrace
Beneath the Veiled Embrace
Beneath the Veiled Embrace is the first album by power metal band Pythia, released 12 October 2009. It was re-released on 23 February 2011 with alternative cover artwork and three bonus tracks.-Track listing:...
due for release in February 2011, complete with bonus tracks and alternative artwork.
In September 2011 Beneath the Veiled Embrace was issued as a vinyl picture disc. The picture disc was available separately or as part of a deluxe box set containing a t-shirt, the Japanese version of the CD, signed poster, letter and print.