Aletheian

Aletheian was originally formed under the name Crutch in 1997. With the lineup of Alex Kenis on guitars, Keith Isenberg on bass, Vinnie Aldrich on vocals, and Bryan Clarkson on drums, the band began writing material. The early material was very metalcore oriented rather than what the band became known for later.{{cite web|url=https://podcast.discussmetal.com/e/discuss-metal-episode-018-travis-turner-of-the-satire/|title=Discuss Metal Episode 018: Travis Turner of The Satire|website=Discography Discussion Podcast|interviewer=Daniel Terry|first=Travis|last=Turner|date=June 18, 2020|accessdate=February 22, 2021}} Aldrich did not remain in the band for very long, with the position being filled by Joel Thorpe who would record on the band's debut album, Crutch.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Crutch-Crutch/release/6147985|title=Crutch - Crutch|website=Discogs|date=September 22, 1998 |accessdate=February 22, 2021}} Following that, an EP was being written, initially titled Annealed by Animosity, which they changed to Transitions.{{cite web|url=http://www.angelfire.com:80/pa/crutch1/main.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991115210707/http://www.angelfire.com/pa/crutch1/main.html|title=Homepage of the independent band Crutch|archive-date=November 15, 1999|access-date=February 22, 2021|url-status=dead}} Clarkson would leave the band, with Travis Turner taking over the position. Donny Swigart would also join the band at this time, in 1999.{{cite web|url=http://aletheian.com/aletheian%20band%20members.html|title=ALETHEIAN - Band Members|accessdate=February 22, 2021}} Turner joined the band by recommendation of his cousin, Stephen Sarro of Tantrum of the Muse, which led to him and Kenis speaking over the phone about his influences which included Cephalic Carnage and Damn the Machine.{{cite web|url=https://asthestorygrows.com/episodes/cf8c3652|title=Travis Turner of As The Story Grows|website=As The Story Grows Podcast|interviewer=Jeremy Hunt|first=Travis|last=Turner|date=July 1, 2018|accessdate=February 22, 2021}} Influenced by Death, Cynic, Carcass, Emperor, Fates Warning, Dream Theater, Meshuggah, and At the Gates, the band began to shift their style in that direction. They later released their debut, ...Hope Prevails, independently in 2001.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} The album was re-released on Burning Records, a label created by Mike Fealko of the hardcore punk and metalcore band Vessel, in 2002.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/label/124625-Burning-Records-5|title=Burning Records|website=Discogs|accessdate=February 22, 2021}}

The group changed its name to Aletheian, a derivation of the Greek word for "truth", in the sense of "discovering", in 2003 when the band underwent a major line-up change acquiring two new members and made the decision to take the band to the touring level for the first time. Isenberg had departed from the band due to family matters, as had Turner, whose wife was pregnant with twins at the time. The style and material of the band did not change with the name, combining elements of technical, progressive, Scandinavian, and melodic death metal. Apolutrosis, a full-length Concept album, pre-release made available independently in 2003. The album was initially supposed to be released as an EP, however, Century Media Records was interested in the band at the time, but only if they recorded a full-length. This led the band to record several instrumental tracks in addition to the four tracks they had finished. Following the album being recorded, Century Media was no longer interested. It was re-mixed and re-mastered for full-release in 2004 on Hope Prevails Productions.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} The same year ...Hope Prevails was partially re-recorded, re-mixed, re-mastered, and re-released with updated artwork and the name Aletheian on Hope Prevails Productions. Dying Vine was Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Studio Insomnia. The album was delayed severely due to Kenis injuring his hand with a box-cutter knife.{{cite web|url=http://www.thegauntlet.com/interviews/4057/Aletheian.html|title=Aletheian|website=The Gauntlet|first=Joel|last=Thorpe|date=May 20, 2008|accessdate=February 22, 2021}} Kenis also produced, sound teched, engineered, mixed, and mastered the album on top of performing guitars and bass on it.{{cite web|url=http://aletheian.com/aletheian%20dv.html|title=ALETHEIAN - Dying Vine|accessdate=February 22, 2021}} The album was released in July 2005 by Hope Prevails Productions. In 2005, the band released Aletheian Live DVD, featuring two hours of edited live concert footage, concept music video, behind-the-scenes recording documentary, and more.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} Aletheian has contributed two songs, "Break in the Clouds" and "Exaleipheian", recorded live in Ohio for Spindust Records' DVD compilation video 10/20 Underground Rock Show in 2004.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

Aletheian has played festivals such as March Metal Meltdown, MACRoCk, Sick as Sin, Metal Mindrage, Ichthus, and Cornerstone Festival as well as with bands such as Cephalic Carnage, Becoming the Archetype, Biohazard, Buried Alive, Antithesis, Withered Earth, Disgorge, Zao, Living Sacrifice, Society's Finest, Tantrum of the Muse, and Underoath, among others.[http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=13416 Aletheian biography]. Sonicbids.com In early 2007, Aletheian signed to IronClad Recordings, an imprint of Metal Blade Records.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aletheian.com/aletheian%20dv.html|title=ALETHEIAN|last=|first=|date=|website=www.aletheian.com|access-date=2018-01-08}} In 2008, the band performed at Cornerstone with a lineup of Thorpe, Kenis, a returning Turner, Chris Keeney on guitar, and Andy High on bass. Following that show, however, the band embarked on an indefinite hiatus.

In 2016, Alex Kenis did an interview on Shoot the Shred Podcast, stating he had written all of the songs for an upcoming album but has been unable to record it due to "life happening".{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-shred/id1000314302?mt=2&i=367481743|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923201815/https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-shred/id1000314302?mt=2&i=367481743|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 23, 2016|title=EP 24 – Alex Kenis (Solamors/Aletheian)|publisher=Shoot the Shred Podcast|author=Eric|date=April 25, 2016|accessdate=July 15, 2016}} According to Turner, who remains in contact with Kenis, the new material is not likely to be finished, but he cannot confirm it will never happen.

{{BLP unsourced section|date=October 2016}}

Timeline

As Crutch

• Crutch (1998)
• Transitions (1999)
• Awe and Disbelief (2000)
• Hope Prevails (2001; Hope Prevails Productions)

As Aletheian

• Apolutrosis (2003; Hope Prevails Productions){{cite web|url=http://www.tollbooth.org/2003/reviews/aletheian.html|title=Aletheian - Apolutrosis|publisher=The Phantom Tollbooth|first=Len|last=Nash|date=August 31, 2003|accessdate=December 20, 2015}}
• Dying Vine (2005; Hope Prevails Productions)
• Live (2005)
• Dying Vine (re-release) (2008; Ironclad Recordings/Metal Blade Records){{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/dying-vine/|title=Aletheian - Dying Vine|work=Blabbermouth.net|first=Ryan|last=Ogle|accessdate=August 12, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://yourlastrites.com/reviews/1879/aletheian-dying-vine|title=Aletheian - Dying Vine|publisher=Lastrit.es|first=Erik|last=Thomas|date=August 2005|accessdate=August 12, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=September 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Other songs

• "Breathing Murder" originally performed by Living Sacrifice on Living Sacrifice Tribute (2001; Clenched Fist Records)

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.aletheian.com}}
• [http://www.thegauntlet.com/interviews/4057/Aletheian.html Aletheian Interview on The Gauntlet]
• {{cite journal|title=Metal Tracks: Aletheian Rising|publisher=HM Magazine|first=Chris|last=Gatto|issue=76|date=August 2008}}

{{Aletheian}}

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Category:American Christian metal musical groups

Category:American melodic death metal musical groups

Category:Musical groups established in 1997

Category:Heavy metal musical groups from Pennsylvania

Category:American progressive metal musical groups

Category:American technical death metal musical groups

Category:Metal Blade Records artists