Week 102 – THE AGONIST

Welcome my HeadBangers from Montreal, Quebec:

The Agonist

“As One We Survive”

“The Gift of Silence”

I have to tell you my HeadBangers, I love this woman’s voice, well done Vicky well done.

Ok guys let’s take a look at some bio on this band, I love it:

The Agonist is a Canadian Metal band from Montreal Quebec, formed in 2004. The current line up consists of guitarists Danny Marino and Pascal (Paco) Jobin, bassist Chris Kells, drummer Simon Mckay, and vocalist Vicky Psarakis, who joined in March 2014 following the departure of vocalist and founding member Alissa White-Gluz. Both Psarakis and White-Gluz use growl and clean vocals. Originally known as the Tempest, the band adopted their current moniker upon their signing to Century Media in 2007. To date, the Agonist has released six studio albums; the latest, Orphans, was released in September 2019.  Touring extensively since their first album, they have shared the stage with bands such as Arsonists Get All the Girls, Epica, The Faceless, Chelsea Grin, Kamelot and Visions of Atlantis.

The band released their first album “Once Only Imagined” on August 14, 2007. Originally intended as a demo, the release prompted the Agonist to add metal drummer Simon McKay to the band. Released August 28, 2007, the video for “Business Suits and Combat Boots” was filmed by acclaimed director David Brodsky.  The video was voted the number 6 video of the year 2007 on MTV2’s Headbanger’s Ball.

After releasing their first album, the Agonist toured with the likes of God Forbid, Arsis, The Faceless, Sonata Arctica, Overkill, Epica, Visions of Atlantis, and Enslaved.  One of the band’s tours was disrupted when their equipment trailer was damaged in a blizzard in the Rocky Mountains. White-Gluz was named one of “the hottest chicks in metal” in the July 2007 issue of Revolver.

She is hot, but there is always another hot one just around the corner my HeadBangers, so with that said they better bring that voice cause hotness isn’t the only thing a band needs.

I’m going to jump ahead to when White-Gluz left the group, because I want to focus on the group now.

In March 2014, White-Gluz announced that she had been chosen as the replacement for Angela Gossow as frontwoman of the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. She also revealed that the group as fans knew it was “over” and that she and they had parted ways. Vicky Psarakis was then revealed as the new lead singer of the group. In April 2017, White-Gluz revealed detailed the circumstances of her departure and how she considered it the “biggest betrayal” she’d ever felt in her life. The Agonist later released their own public statement disputing her account, citing unprofessional behavior and a lack of respect for fans and band mates – among other things – as the reason for her departure, and that the band is “breathing a lot easier” in her absence. On July 9, 2014, the band had officially announced via Facebook that their fourth album, Eye of Providence, was released on February 23.  Five followed on September 30, 2016.

As we all know any band, like any family, there are always going to be differences and arguments, and most of the time the change ends up being the best thing for everyone.  

In this case I think it was the best thing for Arch Enemy and The Agonist.  You be the judge my HeadBangers.

On June 7, 2019, the band has released a new single “In Vertigo”, along with the announcement of their new album Orphans, which was then released on September 20, 2019 through Rodeostar Records. The band got nominated for Canadian Juno Award in 2019 for Best Metal Album.

“In Vertigo”

The Agonist are known primarily for Vicky Psarakis and Alissa White-Gluz’s ability to use both clean vocals and metal growls and Danny Marino’s use of two or more intersecting melodies and unorthodox chords often featuring wide intervals and octave displacements. Songs’ themes often revolve around moral concerns such as animal rights, societal dilemmas, and the state of the world.

Let’s meet the band:

Danny Marion – Lead Guitar

Chris Kells – Bass, Backing Vocals

Simon McKay – Drums

Pascal “Paco” Jobin – Rhythm Guitar

Vicky Psarakis – Lead Vocals

“Burn It All Down”

There’s nothing more that I love than some fire, but you all know that.

My Thoughts:

I did find out a few interesting things about our girl Vicky.  She was born on  June 22 in Chicago, Illinois and  is a Greek American. She has a YouTube channel where she does vocal covers.  She also works on other bands like E.V.E and plays drums in a band called Rage of Romance.  The things you can find out.  She is obliviously very talented and I love her singing.  I feel that she is a good fit with the band.  They have been together long enough to work out any problems and hopefully they can  keep it that way.

 The past few months I have been reading and am still reading the bio’s of so many bands and Frontmen/women.  I have found that the Frontman/woman always see things, their story of events,  differently than the rest of the band.   Also, the bands story is always different than the Frontman/woman.  They are like 2 totally different bands,  it’s amazing to me that some, even after many many years are basically just putting up with each other because of the money and the spot light, sure they love touring, it’s in their blood after that long.  But it does take away that fantasy that we fans like to have that bands are always one big happy family, because most are not.  I’m not saying all are that way, I hope not.  Even I want to think all bands are one family just like all us MetalHeads.  I believe that it takes a lot of work to be a band that sticks together through everything.  That’s not easy, especially when you add in every band members personal problems, you can see how this would break a band down.

Well hell my HeadBangers you know how I am when I get on a rant, lmao. I guess sometimes something just hits me and it brings out my inner beast. With that being said I have a few words for the bands.

To the Frontman/woman yes, you are the heartbeat of the band, the face, the one all fans will look to first, you represent the band. What you say and do on stage or off, effects you and the rest of the band. Remember, you are responsible for bringing us every last breath you have to make that song stay with us forever. You also are responsible to remember that you are only as good as the band standing behind you playing their asses off not only for us fans but you, to make sure you can deliver that song in the best possible way. Don’t let it go to your head as so many Frontman/woman have done, it does nothing but make you look like an ass and in the long run hurts or breaks up the band.

To the band, all of you are so important to the success of your band, disagreements, words said in anger at the end of a long day, one member leaves or is asked to leave, well you may find he or she is not so easily replaced. It is your responsibility to make sure you bring 100 percent of your game to the stage. Your band mates depend on you, you slip up and your Frontman/woman can look really stupid up there. We fans are loyal to the core to our bands, but we also don’t have a lot of tolerance for any band that can’t deliver, we work hard for our money that pays for your time, so when you are tired and give us less that 100% remember that if we stop coming to your gigs, stop buying your gear, I’m sure you know what happens to that expensive car, your mansion, or maybe that private plane.

So the next time you see your favorite band forget everything other than the performance. Life changes daily, music keeps us sane, don’t let us down. Forget the shit in the news, everything going on around you and for a little while just let us enjoy your performance, your music, and  our Headbanger family around us.  We don’t have control over everything on this planet, as we can see now, but for that small amount of time we can let go and breathe in our metal, our favorite bands and the family that we are…..

That’s it for this week my HeadBangers.  Join me next week for another band and another song.  Until then don’t stand to close to the fire if you can’t handle the burn…..