The Human Abstract
is a progressive metal band influenced by metalcore and neo-classical metal. They are from Los Angeles, California. The band's name references a poem of the same title by William Blake (Songs of Experience
, 1794).
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THE HUMAN ABSTRACT TICKETS
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History
Guitarists Dean Herrera and A.J. Minette formed The Human Abstract in 2004, adding drummer Brett Powell, bassist Kenny Arehart, and singer Nick Olaerts. The band recorded a couple of demos and played a number of regional
gigs before signing with
Hopeless Records in 2005. Soon after signing to Hopeless Records, THA replaced singer Nick Olaerts with Nathan Ells.
Nathan Ells joined the band before heading into the studio to record the band's debut full length release "
Nocturne”. They released their debut album
Nocturne
on
Hopeless Records on August 22, 2006. Their album
Midheaven was released on August 19, 2008.
In the past they have toured with bands such as
All That Remains,
As I Lay Dying,
God Forbid,
Misery Signals,
The Devil Wears Prada,
Every Time I Die,
The Bled,
August Burns Red,
Shai Hulud,
Folly,
Drop Dead, Gorgeous,
Protest the Hero,
It Dies Today,
Mushroomhead,
Mnemic,
Goatwhore,
Look What I Did,
Arsis, and
The Chariot. They were on the 2007 warped tour's smartpunk stage. On
August 11,
2008 it was announced that they would tour the US with Japanese band
Dir en grey.
The Human Abstract performed on 2008's
Take Action Tour featuring
Every Time I Die,
From First To Last,
The Bled, and
August Burns Red.
They just ended the Hooves Footwear Tour alongside
36 Crazyfists,
All That Remains, and
Trivium.
In fall 2008, they toured with the Japanese band
Dir en grey.
Nathan Ells addressed a situation regarding A.J Minette in an interview stating, "A.J. was tired of playing metal, plain and simple, and the rest of the band wants to continue the high-energy live shows and hard edged sound that we have fashioned and developed over the past two years."
[1]
A.J. was quoted as saying "I can't keep on crossing the Rubicon so much, I don't feel like I can get onstage and feel honest about playing metal anymore." The rest of the band felt that totally changing the sound would have been "like a smack in the face to all those that had been coming out and supporting the shows."
[2]
Producer Leonard Simone called bassist Sean Hurley (
John Mayer) to re-record all of Nordeen's basslines, therefore removing him entirely from
Midheaven and making him ineligible for any credit on the album. Allen Eason - a friend of Nathan Ells from Nashville, Tennessee was filling in on bass, but is no longer with the band. As of January 9, Henry Selva was named permanent bass player for the group. Selva originally filled in after Kenny Arehart's departure in 2006.
In early 2009, The Human Abstract began opening their live set with a new, instrumental, as-of-yet untitled song co-written by A.J. Minette.
Band Members
Current members
- Nathan Ells - Vocals
- Andrew Tapley - Guitar
- Dean Herrera - Guitar
- Brett Powell - Drums
- Henry Selva - Bass
Former Members
- A.J Minette - Guitar, Piano (2003-2007)
- Nick Olaerts- Vocals (2003-2005)
- Kenny Arehart- Bass (2003-2006)
- Allen Eason- Bass (2008)
- Mike Nordeen- Bass (2007-2008)
- Sean Leonard - Keyboard (2008-2009)
Discography
| Year
| Album
| Chart peaks [3]
|
| Billboard 200
| Heatseekers
| Independent Albums
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| 2005
| The Human Abstract
(EP)
| —
| —
| —
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| 2006
| Nocturne
| —
| —
| —
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| 2008
| Midheaven
| 163
| 6
| 22
|
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart.
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References
- The Human Abstract Announces New members
- The Human Abstract parts ways with guitarist
- "Artist Chart History - The Human Abstract" ''Billboard.com''. Retrieved on August 29, 2008.