Sons of Alpha Centauri

{{About|the band|their eponymous studio album|Sons of Alpha Centauri (album)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Sons of Alpha Centauri

| image = SOAC 2010.jpg

| caption = Sons of Alpha Centauri in 2010

| image_size = 270px

| alias =

| origin = Swale, Kent, England

| genre = {{hlist|Post-rock|post-metal|stoner rock|space rock|ambient}}

| years_active = 2001–present

| label = {{flatlist|

Sound Devastation
Underdogma
H42 Records

}}

| spinoffs =

Yawning Sons

| website = {{URL|sonsofalphacentauri.co.uk}}

| current_members = {{plainlist|

Nick Hannon
Marlon King
Blake
Stevie B.

}}

Sons of Alpha Centauri (sometimes abbreviated to SOAC) is an English instrumental rock band based in Swale, Kent. Founded in 2001 by Nick Hannon and Marlon King,{{cite web|url=http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Sons_of_Alpha_Centauri/3540277823 |title=Sons of Alpha Centauri |publisher=Encyclopaedia Metallum |accessdate=6 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109112029/http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Sons_of_Alpha_Centauri/3540277823 |archivedate=9 January 2016}} the band has developed and borrowed from a range of styles from the 1970s through to the 1990s including stoner rock, desert rock, post-metal and the New wave of British heavy metal, as well as British artists as Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd.{{cite web|url=http://www.stonerrock.gr/interviews/interview-yawning-sons.html |title=Interview – Yawning Sons |date=25 February 2013 |website=StonerRock.gr |accessdate=6 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902200344/http://www.stonerrock.gr/interviews/interview-yawning-sons.html#.WB98wPmLTIU |archivedate=2 September 2015}}

Sons of Alpha Centauri are mostly noted for their ongoing collaborations and aversion to public performances, having performed under 20 gigs since their formation in 2001,{{cite web|url=http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/08/interview-with-sons-of-alpha-centauri.html |title=Interview with Sons of Alpha Centauri |date=7 August 2014 |publisher=The Sludgelord |accessdate=6 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902200502/http://thesludgelord.blogspot.com/2014/08/interview-with-sons-of-alpha-centauri.html |archivedate=2 September 2015}} of which six have been at the Camden Underworld in London.{{cite web|url=http://www.setlist.fm/venue/the-underworld-london-england-2bd6c806.html |title=The Underworld, London, England Concert Setlists |publisher=Setlist.fm |accessdate=6 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902202919/http://www.setlist.fm/venue/the-underworld-london-england-2bd6c806.html |archivedate=2 September 2015}} Their eponymously titled debut studio album Sons of Alpha Centauri was released in 2007, with common themes for the band including outer space, World War III and environmental preservation.{{cite web|url=http://www.allheavymetal.net/news/article/aid/732/Sons_of_Alpha_Centauri_-_an_eclectic_musical_venture |title=Sons of Alpha Centauri – an eclectic musical venture |date=30 December 2015 |publisher=AllHeavyMetal.net |accessdate=6 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103195415/http://www.allheavymetal.net/news/article/aid/732/Sons_of_Alpha_Centauri_-_an_eclectic_musical_venture |archivedate=3 January 2016}}

Etymology

The band name "Sons of Alpha Centauri" is aligned on identity with Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to the Solar System, and that "sons" can be interpreted as "suns" to give additional meaning.{{cite book |title=From the Minds of Madness: Origins of Heavy Metal Names |author=Blair E. Gibson |publisher=Rymfire Books |pages=104–107}}

History

=2001–2007: Formation and ''Sons of Alpha Centauri''=

Sons of Alpha Centauri was formed by Nick Hannon and Marlon King on 27 July 2001 in Faversham, Kent. The duo formed the band after becoming dissatisfied with a band called Pariah, which they were a part of at the time,{{cite web |url=http://ghgumman.blogg.se |title=Interview with Sons of Alpha Centauri |author=Robex Lundgren |website=ghgumman.blogg.se |access-date=7 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009013344/http://ghgumman.blogg.se/ |archive-date=9 October 2015 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} and wrote a number of tracks together before inviting Stevie B. and Blake, who had previously worked together in a band called Negative Noise Orchestra, to join the group in 2004. Tracks were composed as numbers (to correspond with their chronological order) and were instrumental from the outset,{{cite web|url=http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=3464 |title=Sons of Alpha Centauri |publisher=Prog Archives |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902203317/http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=3464 |archivedate=2 September 2015}} with the band describing themselves as "not-for-profit equal opportunities".{{cite web|url=http://www.sonicfrontiers.net/php/review-69.html |title=Sons of Alpha Centauri: Sons of Alpha Centauri: Album Review |date=24 May 2007 |website=SonicFrontiers.net |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022074912/http://www.sonicfrontiers.net/php/review-69.html |archivedate=22 October 2008}} Critics have traced this back to the instrumental rock band Karma to Burn and their influence on the band's work.{{cite web|url=http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2010/09/29/soacbt/ |title=Buried Treasure Gets Born in Space |date=29 September 2010 |work=The Obelisk |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902203426/http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2010/09/29/soacbt/ |archivedate=2 September 2015}}

A two-track demo released in 2004 saw very limited distribution (only 13 copies), and from 2004 to 2007, Sons of Alpha Centauri sporadically performed around Kent with fellow Kent-based band Bossk.{{cite web|url=http://www.ashfordrocks.com/past-gigs/ |title=Past Gigs |publisher=Ashford Rocks |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225011959/http://www.ashfordrocks.com/past-gigs/ |archivedate=25 February 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vwpsounds.com/defzone/diary2006.htm |title=Gig Diary 2006 |publisher=The Def Zone |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902205056/http://www.vwpsounds.com/defzone/diary2006.htm |archivedate=2 September 2015}} In 2005 and 2006, the band also collaborated with Australian photographer and artist Seldon Hunt.{{cite web|url=http://www.theebigblack.com/thee-big-black-issue-3/sons-of-alpha-centauri/ |title=Sons of Alpha Centauri |publisher=Thee Big Black |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100619144458/http://www.theebigblack.com/thee-big-black-issue-3/sons-of-alpha-centauri/ |archivedate=19 June 2010}} In 2007, the band released its debut studio album, entitled Sons of Alpha Centauri, through Sound Devastation Records on 26 November 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/album-groupe-Sons_of_Alpha_Centauri-nom_album-Sons_of_Alpha_Centauri-l-en.html |title=Sons of Alpha Centauri |publisher=Spirit of Rock |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902203929/http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/album-groupe-Sons_of_Alpha_Centauri-nom_album-Sons_of_Alpha_Centauri-l-en.html |archivedate=2 September 2015}}

=2008–present: Collaborations and second studio album=

Since 2008, Sons of Alpha Centauri have largely been involved in collaborative projects, but since 2014 have stated that they would not be involved in any more until after the release of their second album. In September 2012, the band announced that "Phase II" would be "coming soon";{{cite web|url=http://www.sonsofalphacentauri.co.uk/index.php |title=Sons of Alpha Centauri The Official Website |publisher=Sons of Alpha Centauri |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120910145730/http://www.sonsofalphacentauri.co.uk/index.php |archivedate=10 September 2012}} press notes for the third Karma to Burn/Sons of Alpha Centauri vinyl release stated that the band had completed their "six vinyl release" that they were "moving from Phase I to Phase II".{{cite web|url=http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album-reviews/k/karma-to-burn-sons-of-alpha-centauri-six66-split-7inch-dd-2015/ |title=Karma To Burn / Sons of Alpha Centauri 'Six/66' Split 7"/DD 2015 |date=10 June 2015 |first=Mark |last=Hunt-Bryden |work=The Sleeping Shaman |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531232449/http://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/album-reviews/k/karma-to-burn-sons-of-alpha-centauri-six66-split-7inch-dd-2015/ |archivedate=31 May 2016}} The band has denied on multiple occasions that the project is stuck in development hell.{{cite web|url=http://www.sludgeworm.de/2014/09/23/interview-nick-sons-of-alpha-centauri/ |title=Interview: Nick, Sons Of Alpha Centauri |date=23 September 2014 |work=Sludgeworm |accessdate=7 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902203032/http://www.sludgeworm.de/2014/09/23/interview-nick-sons-of-alpha-centauri/ |archivedate=2 September 2015}}

On 1 April 2018 the band released a teaser trailer that announced a new project. This was later confirmed on the 14 April as the band's second album, entitled Continuum. The album was released on 1 June 2018 by H42 Records.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.sonsofalphacentauri.co.uk/news.php?id=8331687388296886028 |title=News |website=Sonsofalphacentauri.co.uk |date=2018-06-01 |accessdate=2020-06-08}}

A third album, Push was released in August 2021 and saw the band depart from their trademark instrumental sound with the addition of guest vocalist Jonah Matranga (Far, onelinedrawing, Gratitude) alongside Will Haven drummer, Mitch Wheeler.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thesleepingshaman.com/reviews/s/sons-of-alpha-centauri-push/|title=Review: Sons of Alpha Centauri 'Push'|date=19 August 2021}}