Seven Storey Mountain
Encyclopedia
Seven Storey Mountain is an indie rock band from Phoenix, Arizona
, United States. The group's music is heavily influenced by the early Washington, D.C.
post-hardcore
scene.
The band formed in 1994 as a three-piece, featuring singer/songwriter/guitarist Lance Lammers, bassist Jesse Everhart, and drummer Thomas Lanser. The trio had two releases on indie label Art Monk Construction
, a 1996 self-titled E.P. and the 1997 L.P. Leper Ethics. The band broke up in early 1997 shortly before the release of Leper Ethics. In Lammers' absence, Everhart and Lanser continued using the name Seven Storey Mountain for a short time, drafting Aaron Wendt as a singer/bassist and Jason Kileen as lead guitarist, with Everhart switching from bass to second guitar. Lammers returned to the band later the same year at the request of the group reverting the band back to the original three piece configuration. Material recorded by this lineup from 1997-1998 was released on the album Based on True Story in 2000 by Deep Elm Records
.
The original lineup of Seven Storey Mountain disbanded in 1998. Lammers formed a new band, which he abbreviated Seven Storey. The new lineup, featuring Dave Norwood on bass and Chad Kinney on drums, released Dividing by Zero on Deep Elm in 2002. The band began a national tour with Local H
and Injected
in November 2001. Following a show at Whisky-a-Go-Go in West Hollywood, California
, the band was involved in an accident that totaled their van after a car ran a red light in front of them. Seven Storey disbanded shortly thereafter. A handful of leftover tracks that Lammers recorded on his own were released on a split EP with Brandtson
and Camber
in 2003.
Lammers continued working on new material over the next couple of years and re-adopted the original Seven Storey Mountain moniker for a 2007 album, At the Poles, released on Thick Records
. The album was recorded and performed solely by Lammers, and drew comparisons to Frodus
and Fugazi. A new live band played shows from 2005-2007 that featured Rich Van Syckel on bass and Dave King on drums.
As of September 2011, the band's website states that a new album is in the works.
Compilations
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, United States. The group's music is heavily influenced by the early Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
scene.
The band formed in 1994 as a three-piece, featuring singer/songwriter/guitarist Lance Lammers, bassist Jesse Everhart, and drummer Thomas Lanser. The trio had two releases on indie label Art Monk Construction
Art Monk Construction
Art Monk Construction was founded by Eric Astor and Garrett Rothman in State College, Pennsylvania in 1993. When Rothman left State College to study abroad, Astor was joined in managing the label by Rich Kraemer, a childhood friend from Tempe, Arizona, and the two additionally formed Lumberjack...
, a 1996 self-titled E.P. and the 1997 L.P. Leper Ethics. The band broke up in early 1997 shortly before the release of Leper Ethics. In Lammers' absence, Everhart and Lanser continued using the name Seven Storey Mountain for a short time, drafting Aaron Wendt as a singer/bassist and Jason Kileen as lead guitarist, with Everhart switching from bass to second guitar. Lammers returned to the band later the same year at the request of the group reverting the band back to the original three piece configuration. Material recorded by this lineup from 1997-1998 was released on the album Based on True Story in 2000 by Deep Elm Records
Deep Elm Records
Deep Elm Records is an independent record label putting out albums by bands such as The Appleseed Cast, Brandtson, The White Octave, and Planes Mistaken for Stars...
.
The original lineup of Seven Storey Mountain disbanded in 1998. Lammers formed a new band, which he abbreviated Seven Storey. The new lineup, featuring Dave Norwood on bass and Chad Kinney on drums, released Dividing by Zero on Deep Elm in 2002. The band began a national tour with Local H
Local H
Local H is an American rock duo, formed by Joe Daniels and Scott Lucas in Zion, Illinois in 1987. Local H's 1996 album, As Good as Dead, includes the top 10 hit "Bound for the Floor" Author, rock critic and Rolling Stone contributor Greg Kot and the Chicago Tribune named the band its 2008 Chicago...
and Injected
Injected (band)
Injected is an Atlanta hard rock band inspired by acts such as Helmet, Metallica and Mötley Crüe.-History:After forming in the mid-90's by a group of high school friends and spending years gathering a strong following on the Atlanta rock scene, Injected released its major label debut, Burn It...
in November 2001. Following a show at Whisky-a-Go-Go in West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
, the band was involved in an accident that totaled their van after a car ran a red light in front of them. Seven Storey disbanded shortly thereafter. A handful of leftover tracks that Lammers recorded on his own were released on a split EP with Brandtson
Brandtson
-History:The band formed in 1996 and first recorded for a Steadfast Records compilation entitled Radiowaves and Gibberish in 1997. Soon after the group signed with Deep Elm Records, appearing on their Emo Diaries series before issuing their debut LP, Letterbox, late in 1998...
and Camber
Camber (band)
Camber was an emo band from New York City, recognized for being one of the pioneer of the second-wave Eastern indie emo sound. They were often compared to likes of Texas Is The Reason, Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral...
in 2003.
Lammers continued working on new material over the next couple of years and re-adopted the original Seven Storey Mountain moniker for a 2007 album, At the Poles, released on Thick Records
Thick Records
THICK RECORDS is a Chicago based independent record label formed in 1994 by Detroit native Zak Einstein. Early label releases include influential albums from Chicago ska-punkers The Blue Meanies, Alton, IL’s Judge Nothing, and the Omaha based Commander Venus, whose members included Conor Oberst,...
. The album was recorded and performed solely by Lammers, and drew comparisons to Frodus
Frodus
Frodus was a 1990s Washington, D.C.-based post-hardcore band, described by critics as a mixture of math rock, hardcore punk, and alternative rock. Their songs were frequently dark and dissonant...
and Fugazi. A new live band played shows from 2005-2007 that featured Rich Van Syckel on bass and Dave King on drums.
As of September 2011, the band's website states that a new album is in the works.
Discography
- Seven Storey Mountain EP (Art Monk ConstructionArt Monk ConstructionArt Monk Construction was founded by Eric Astor and Garrett Rothman in State College, Pennsylvania in 1993. When Rothman left State College to study abroad, Astor was joined in managing the label by Rich Kraemer, a childhood friend from Tempe, Arizona, and the two additionally formed Lumberjack...
, 1996) - Leper Ethics LP (Art Monk ConstructionArt Monk ConstructionArt Monk Construction was founded by Eric Astor and Garrett Rothman in State College, Pennsylvania in 1993. When Rothman left State College to study abroad, Astor was joined in managing the label by Rich Kraemer, a childhood friend from Tempe, Arizona, and the two additionally formed Lumberjack...
, 1997) - Based on a True Story EP (Deep Elm RecordsDeep Elm RecordsDeep Elm Records is an independent record label putting out albums by bands such as The Appleseed Cast, Brandtson, The White Octave, and Planes Mistaken for Stars...
, 2000) - Dividing By Zero LP (Deep Elm RecordsDeep Elm RecordsDeep Elm Records is an independent record label putting out albums by bands such as The Appleseed Cast, Brandtson, The White Octave, and Planes Mistaken for Stars...
, 2002) - At the Poles LP (Thick RecordsThick RecordsTHICK RECORDS is a Chicago based independent record label formed in 1994 by Detroit native Zak Einstein. Early label releases include influential albums from Chicago ska-punkers The Blue Meanies, Alton, IL’s Judge Nothing, and the Omaha based Commander Venus, whose members included Conor Oberst,...
, 2007)
Compilations
- (Don't Forget To) Breathe(Don't Forget To) BreatheBreathe is a Crank! Records compilation released in 1997.it was pressed to vinyl as a 12"+10" set, limited to 5,500 copies with screen printed artwork.it was later re-issued on CD with slightly altered artwork.-Track listing:...
(Compilation) - Track: "No Promise"(Crank Records, 1997) - The Emo DiariesThe Emo DiariesThe Emo Diaries is a series of twelve compilation albums released by Deep Elm Records between 1997 and 2011. The series had an open submissions policy and featured mostly acts that were unsigned at the time of the albums' releases...
- Chapter 2: A Million Miles AwayA Million Miles AwayA Million Miles Away is the second installment in The Emo Diaries series of compilation albums, released April 14, 1998 by Deep Elm Records. As with all installments in the series, the label had an open submissions policy for bands to submit material for the compilation, and as a result the music...
(Compilation) - Track: "Incomplete"(Deep Elm RecordsDeep Elm RecordsDeep Elm Records is an independent record label putting out albums by bands such as The Appleseed Cast, Brandtson, The White Octave, and Planes Mistaken for Stars...
, 1998) - Virtually Alternative VA-95 (Compilation) - Track: "Politician" (Virtually Alternative, 1998)
- Rocksound Punk Rawk Explosion 7 (Compilation) - Track: "So Soon" (Rock SoundRock SoundRock Sound is a British magazine which champions rock music. The magazine aims at being more "underground" and less commercial, whilst also giving coverage to more well known acts.-History:...
, 2000) - Not One Light Red: A Modified Document (Compilation) - Track: "Third Rome" (Sunset Alliance, 2001)
- Not One Light Red: A Desert Extended (Compilation) - Track: "Time To Go" (Sunset Alliance, 2002)
- Brandtson / Camber / Seven Storey (Split EP) - Tracks: "New Day" and "Covers" (Deep Elm RecordsDeep Elm RecordsDeep Elm Records is an independent record label putting out albums by bands such as The Appleseed Cast, Brandtson, The White Octave, and Planes Mistaken for Stars...
, 2003)
Members
- Lance Lammers - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums (1994–1997, 1997–present)
- Rich Van Syckel - Bass (2005–2007, live only)
- Dave King - Drums (2005–2007, live only)
- Dave Norwood - Bass (2001)
- Chad Kinney - Drums (2001)
- Aaron Wendt - Bass, Vocals (1997–1998, live only)
- Jason Kileen - Guitar (1997, live only)
- Jesse Everhart - Bass (1994–1997, 1997–1998)
- Thomas Lanser - Drums (1994–1997, 1997–1998)