KEN Mode

Formed by brothers Jesse (guitar/vocals) and Shane Matthewson (drums) and long-time friend Darryl Laxdal (bass), the group released several demos from 1999 to 2003, leading to the release of their debut full length Mongrel on Escape Artist Records.Uptown Magazine, March 27, 2003Stylus Magazine, April 2003

Several tours followed with the likes of Relapse Records' The End,{{cite web|url=http://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=1718 |title=The End kicks off Canadian tour | News |website=Lambgoat.com |date=August 25, 2002 |accessdate=April 7, 2013}} Sulaco and American Heritage{{cite web|url=http://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=3587 |title=KEN Mode and American Heritage tour | News |website=Lambgoat.com |date=July 8, 2004 |accessdate=April 7, 2013}} in addition to regional dates with Mastodon, Burnt By The Sun, Anodyne, Pelican, Harkonen, Breather Resist, The Dream is Dead, Psyopus, Daughters, and Buried Inside across the Midwestern and East Coast United States, and throughout Canada. In 2004 Laxdal left the band,Winnipeg Sun, October 14, 2004 only to rejoin in 2005 to finish the band's follow-up record Reprisal, released in 2006 on CD by Escape Artist Records, and on double-LP by No List Records. After the recording of Reprisal Laxdal and the band parted ways again.{{cite web|url=http://www.decibelmagazine.com/upfront/sep2006/kenmode.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061114160107/http://www.decibelmagazine.com/upfront/sep2006/kenmode.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 14, 2006|title=KEN Mode|first=Kevin|last=Stewart-Panko|work=Decibel Magazine|date=November 14, 2006|accessdate=October 16, 2018}} Picking up bass duties after Laxdal's departure was Drew Johnston (guitarist in Electro Quarterstaff)Uptown Magazine, July 13, 2006Winnipeg Free Press, July 13, 2006 who also played with Jesse, Shane and Darryl in Hide Your Daughters.

In October 2006, the band took part in the "Exclaim! Magazine Aggressive Tendencies Tour" with Pelican and Daughters across Canada.{{cite web|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/38077/Pelican_Plan_Assorted_Releases_Launch_Tour|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070507061430/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/38077/Pelican_Plan_Assorted_Releases_Launch_Tour|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 7, 2007|title=Pitchfork: Pelican Plan Assorted Releases, Launch Tour|date=May 7, 2007|accessdate=October 16, 2018}} Bass duties were handled by former Kittens and Projektor member Jahmeel Russell who played with Jesse, Shane and Drew in Hide Your Daughters.Uptown Magazine: December 28, 2006

KEN Mode went on to work with Jahmeel for the band's third full-length, Mennonite, which was released in July 2008{{cite web|url=http://www.arctodusrecords.com/store.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819135929/http://www.arctodusrecords.com/store.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 19, 2010|title=Arctodus Records – Store|date=August 19, 2010|accessdate=October 16, 2018}} on CD by Jesse Matthewson's own label, Arctodus Records, and on 3x7" vinyl by No List Records.

Prior to releasing Mennonite, Chad Tremblay joined the band as their fourth bassist in two years. The band embarked on a European tour with Welsh rockers Taint.{{cite web|url=http://lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=10404|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919052643/http://lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=10404|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 19, 2016|title=Taint, KEN Mode tour dates (Europe)|date=September 19, 2016|accessdate=October 16, 2018}} Tremblay went go on to direct the band's debut music video for the song "Extending Common Courtesy Throughout The Evening" from their Mennonite album.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}

In 2010, the band announced that Profound Lore Records will release its fourth full-length album, titled Venerable, to be recorded August 2010 with Kurt Ballou of Converge. They also announced several North American tours with Gaza, Engineer, Rosetta, Buried Inside, Wolvhammer, Clinging To The Trees Of A Forest Fire, and others.{{cite web|url=http://www.profoundlorerecords.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=916&Itemid=2 |title=Profound Lore Records |publisher=Profound Lore Records |date= |accessdate=April 7, 2013}} Venerable was released March 15, 2011, surrounded by an 8-week North American tour, joining forces with the likes of Black Breath, Fuck the Facts and Khann.{{cite web| title = KEN mode announce sprawling Canada/US tour| work = Exclaim!| date = February 10, 2011| url = http://exclaim.ca/News/ken_mode_announce_sprawling_canada_us_tour| url-status = dead| access-date = May 30, 2012| archive-date = March 7, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110307012333/http://exclaim.ca/News/ken_mode_announce_sprawling_canada_us_tour}} An unrelenting tour schedule followed for the bulk of 2011 and beginning of 2012: June 2011 in the US with Deafheaven;{{cite web| title = KEN Mode, Deafheaven tour| work = LambGoat| date = April 4, 2011| url = http://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=16054| accessdate = April 25, 2011}} June 19, 2011, the band played the Hellfest Open Air festival in Clisson France; July/August 2011 in the Midwestern US and Eastern Canada with the Great Sabatini;{{cite web| title = KEN mode Canadian tour dates| work = Profound Lore Records| date = July 7, 2011| url = http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/ken-mode-canadian-tour-dates-announced/}} Sept/Oct 2011 in the US with the Atlas Moth{{cite web| title = the Atlas Moth, KEN Mode tour| work = Lambgoat| date = August 31, 2011| url = http://lambgoat.com/news/16748/The-Atlas-Moth-KEN-Mode-tour}} and an extensive European run with Kylesa and Circle Takes The Square in January and February 2012.{{cite web| title = Kylesa, Circle Takes The Square & KEN mode Early 2012 European/UK Tour Announced| work = The PRP| date = December 5, 2011| url = http://www.theprp.com/2011/12/05/news/kylesa-circle-takes-the-square-ken-mode-early-2012-europeanuk-tour-announced/}}

On March 31, 2012, Venerable won the inaugural Heavy Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year Juno Award in Canada.{{cite news | title = 2012 Junos: All the winners | work = CBC | access-date = April 1, 2012 | url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/2012-junos-all-the-winners-1.1242284 | url-status = live | archive-date = April 2, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120402191911/http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2012/04/01/2012-junos-winners.html }} Venerable was also nominated for Rock Album of the Year by the Western Canadian Music Awards.{{cite web| last = Adams| first = Gregory| title = Dan Mangan, Said the Whale, KEN Mode, Adaline Rack Up Western Canadian Music Award Nominations| work = Exclaim!| date = June 5, 2012| url = http://exclaim.ca/News/dan_mangan_said_whale_ken_mode_adaline_rack_up_western_canadian_music_award_nominations| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130115093405/http://exclaim.ca/News/dan_mangan_said_whale_ken_mode_adaline_rack_up_western_canadian_music_award_nominations| url-status = dead| archive-date = January 15, 2013| accessdate = June 5, 2012 }}

In addition to the non-stop touring cycle for Venerable, KEN Mode went through three bassists before finally enlisting former Khann guitarist and songwriter Andrew LaCour, who toured with the band from July 2011 onward, and contribute to the writing of their fifth album, Entrench.{{cite web| last = Stosuy| first = Brandon| title = KEN mode: "Counter Culture Complex"| work = Pitchfork| date = January 15, 2013| url = http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/14769-counter-culture-complex/| accessdate = January 15, 2013| url-status = dead| archive-date = January 16, 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130116145751/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/14769-counter-culture-complex/}}

November 2012 saw the band sign a worldwide deal with Season of Mist Records to release its fifth album, who they spent September and October recording and mixing with Matt Bayles.{{cite web| title = KEN MODE Signs With SEASON OF MIST| work =Babblermouth| date = January 8, 2013| url = http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=184570| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130221080050/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=184570| url-status = dead| archive-date = February 21, 2013| accessdate = January 8, 2013 }} Entrench was released in March 2013.{{cite web|last=Heaney |first=Gregory |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/entrench-mw0002485368 |title=Entrench – KEN mode : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=March 19, 2013 |accessdate=April 7, 2013}} In June 2013, the album was longlisted for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize and was nominated for the Heavy Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year Juno Award, their second album nominated since the award's inception in 2012.

Their 2023 album Void was a longlisted nominee for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize.[https://www.cbc.ca/music/polaris-music-prize-2024-long-list-the-beaches-charlotte-cardin-allison-russell-1.7230166 "2024 Polaris Music Prize long list: the Beaches, Tobi, Elisapie, Beverly Glenn-Copeland and more"]. CBC Music, June 11, 2024.

• Jesse Matthewson − guitars, lead vocals (1999−present), bass, piano (2012−present)
• Shane Matthewson − drums (1999−present)
• Scott Hamilton − bass, backing vocals (2014−present)
• Kathryn Kerr − saxophone, synth, piano, percussion, backing vocals (2021−present){{Cite web|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/hear-ken-mode-ferocious-new-song-love-letter|title=Hear KEN mode Bring Sax and Violence on Savage New Song "A Love Letter"|date=June 10, 2022|website=Revolver}}

• Darryl Laxdal − bass, backing vocals (1999−2004, 2005)
• Drew Johnston − bass (2006)
• Jahmeel Russell − bass (2006−2007)
• Chad Tremblay − bass, backing vocals (2007−2010)
• Thérèse Lanz − bass (2010−2011)
• Andrew LaCour − bass, backing vocals (2011−2014)

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• Mongrel (2003)
• Reprisal (2006)
• Mennonite (2008)
• Venerable (2011)
• Entrench (2013)
• Success (2015){{cite web| last = Hudson| first = Alex| title = KEN Mode to Record 'Success' LP with Steve Albini| work = Exclaim!| date = September 29, 2014| url = http://exclaim.ca/News/ken_mode_to_record_success_lp_with_steve_albini| accessdate = September 29, 2014| url-status = dead| archive-date = October 1, 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141001014600/http://exclaim.ca/News/ken_mode_to_record_success_lp_with_steve_albini}}
• Loved (2018)
• Null (2022)
• Void (2023)

{{Reflist}}

{{cc}}

• {{allmusic}}
• [http://www.season-of-mist.com/ Official Season of Mist Records website]
• [http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/ Official Profound Lore Records website]
• [http://www.escapeartistrecords.com/ Official Escape Artist Records website]

{{Authority control}}

Category:Canadian noise rock groups

Category:Musical groups from Winnipeg

Category:Canadian sludge metal musical groups

Category:Musical groups established in 1999

Category:Canadian post-hardcore musical groups

Category:Canadian musical trios

Category:1999 establishments in Manitoba

Category:Juno Award for Heavy Metal Album of the Year winners