Sawblade (album)
Encyclopedia
The Sawblade EP
(also called the Buzzsaw EP) is a handmade CD-R
made by Isis
for their tour with Neurosis
and Candiria
, limited to 200 copies (the first 40 with red blade inserts, the remaining 160 with black). It was sold at these shows at a limit of 15 per night, and the leftover copies were given to friends of the band as a year-end "thank you" gift. The vinyl run of this release was limited to 250 copies. As such, Aaron Turner
doesn't consider this an 'official' Isis release, describing it as “more like a special artifact for us and the few converts we had at the time”.
"Emission of the Signal" and "House of Low Culture" were both constructed by Aaron Turner
and Jeff Caxide
at home; "Streetcleaner" and "Hand of Doom" are both covers of Godflesh
and Black Sabbath
, respectively. The former was recorded for Isis' 1999 split release
with Pig Destroyer
, while the latter was recorded during the Red Sea sessions in the same year. The CD version of the release was a genuine sawblade with a CD physically attached to it, which several venues prohibited from sale. To the best of Turner's knowledge, “no one was ever injured by one of these”.
The Japan
ese double release of Mosquito Control
/the Red Sea features both cover songs as bonuses; "Streetcleaner" appears at the end of disc 1 (Mosquito Control), and "Hand of Doom" appears at the end of disc 2 (the Red Sea/1998 Demo).
.
Other personnel
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...
(also called the Buzzsaw EP) is a handmade CD-R
CD-R
A CD-R is a variation of the Compact Disc invented by Philips and Sony. CD-R is a Write Once Read Many optical medium, though the whole disk does not have to be entirely written in the same session....
made by Isis
Isis (band)
Isis was a Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band, founded in Boston, Massachusetts, with a career spanning from 1997 to 2010...
for their tour with Neurosis
Neurosis (band)
Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music...
and Candiria
Candiria
Candiria are an American band from Brooklyn, New York. They blend various styles of music, including heavy metal, hardcore, jazz, hip hop and ambient. Candiria have often dubbed their sound "urban fusion".- History :...
, limited to 200 copies (the first 40 with red blade inserts, the remaining 160 with black). It was sold at these shows at a limit of 15 per night, and the leftover copies were given to friends of the band as a year-end "thank you" gift. The vinyl run of this release was limited to 250 copies. As such, Aaron Turner
Aaron Turner
Aaron Turner is a musician, singer, graphic artist, and founder of label Hydra Head Records. He is most widely known for his role as guitarist and vocalist for the post-metal band Isis, while also participating in several other bands and projects such as Old Man Gloom and Lotus Eaters.Though raised...
doesn't consider this an 'official' Isis release, describing it as “more like a special artifact for us and the few converts we had at the time”.
"Emission of the Signal" and "House of Low Culture" were both constructed by Aaron Turner
Aaron Turner
Aaron Turner is a musician, singer, graphic artist, and founder of label Hydra Head Records. He is most widely known for his role as guitarist and vocalist for the post-metal band Isis, while also participating in several other bands and projects such as Old Man Gloom and Lotus Eaters.Though raised...
and Jeff Caxide
Jeff Caxide
Jeff Caxide is an American bassist, best known for his time with post-metal band Isis, of which he was a founding member and present until its dissolution in 2010. He was also a founding member of Red Sparowes, but left after the release of their first full-length. He also contributed to...
at home; "Streetcleaner" and "Hand of Doom" are both covers of Godflesh
Godflesh
Godflesh are an English industrial metal band from Birmingham, England. Originally known as Fall of Because, they formed in 1988 by Justin K. Broadrick and G.C. Green and disbanded in 2002. Godflesh's innovative music is widely regarded as a foundational influence on industrial metal and post-metal...
and Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, respectively. The former was recorded for Isis' 1999 split release
Isis / Pig Destroyer
Isis / Pig Destroyer is a split EP by the bands Pig Destroyer and Isis. The EP features the two bands playing cover songs.-Track listing:#Isis – "Streetcleaner" #Pig Destroyer – "Exhume to Consume"...
with Pig Destroyer
Pig Destroyer
-Biography:The band formed in 1997 with vocalist J. R. Hayes , guitarist Scott Hull , and drummer John Evans. Evans was later replaced by Brian Harvey...
, while the latter was recorded during the Red Sea sessions in the same year. The CD version of the release was a genuine sawblade with a CD physically attached to it, which several venues prohibited from sale. To the best of Turner's knowledge, “no one was ever injured by one of these”.
The Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese double release of Mosquito Control
Mosquito Control
The Mosquito Control EP is the first studio release by American post-metal band Isis, released in 1998 by Escape Artist. The piece runs fluently through all 29 minutes, and all four songs are linked through consistent bouts of chaos and lyrics glued by the metaphor of insect swarms for the failure...
/the Red Sea features both cover songs as bonuses; "Streetcleaner" appears at the end of disc 1 (Mosquito Control), and "Hand of Doom" appears at the end of disc 2 (the Red Sea/1998 Demo).
Track listing
Tracks 1 and 4 written by Aaron Turner and Jeff CaxideJeff Caxide
Jeff Caxide is an American bassist, best known for his time with post-metal band Isis, of which he was a founding member and present until its dissolution in 2010. He was also a founding member of Red Sparowes, but left after the release of their first full-length. He also contributed to...
.
- "Emission of the Signal" – 4:53
- "Streetcleaner" – 5:42 (BroadrickJustin BroadrickJustin Karl Michael Broadrick is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist and drummer. He is best known as a founding member of the band Godflesh, one of the first bands to combine elements of extreme metal and industrial music.-Biography:Broadrick was born in the council estates of inner...
) - "Hand of Doom" – 8:36 (IommiTony IommiAnthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
/OsbourneOzzy OsbourneJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
/Ward/ButlerGeezer ButlerGeezer Butler is an English musician and songwriter. Butler is best known as the bassist and lyricist of heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He was also involved in Heaven & Hell from 2006 to 2010.-Career:Butler formed his first band, Rare Breed, with old friend John "Ozzy" Osbourne in the autumn of...
) - "House of Low Culture" – 11:09
Personnel
Band members- Jeff CaxideJeff CaxideJeff Caxide is an American bassist, best known for his time with post-metal band Isis, of which he was a founding member and present until its dissolution in 2010. He was also a founding member of Red Sparowes, but left after the release of their first full-length. He also contributed to...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Aaron HarrisAaron Harris (Isis drummer)Aaron Harris is an American drummer, best known for his career with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band from its inception in 1997 to its dissolution in 2010...
– 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 .... - Michael GallagherMichael Gallagher (Isis guitarist)Michael Gallagher is an American guitarist, best known for his work with post-metal band Isis. He joined them in 1999 for their debut LP Celestial, having previously been a member of Cast Iron Hike...
– 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... - Bryant Clifford MeyerBryant Clifford MeyerBryant Clifford Meyer is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist, best known for his tenure with Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band Isis. He was with the band since its debut full-length, Celestial, in 2000. Previously, he was a formative member of Boston-based rock band The Gersch...
– electronics, 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...
on "Hand of Doom" - Jay Randall – electronics on "Streetcleaner"
- Aaron TurnerAaron TurnerAaron Turner is a musician, singer, graphic artist, and founder of label Hydra Head Records. He is most widely known for his role as guitarist and vocalist for the post-metal band Isis, while also participating in several other bands and projects such as Old Man Gloom and Lotus Eaters.Though raised...
– vocals, guitar, design
Other personnel
- Kurt BallouKurt BallouKurt Ballou is the guitarist from Massachusetts-based band Converge. Aside from his role in Converge, he is a prolific producer, engineering and producing out of his own Godcity studio.- GodCity studio :...
– audio recording and productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Greg Moss – live sound