Unexpect

Unexpect
Unexpect on the Progressive Nation European tour in 2009
Background information
Origin	Montréal, Québec, Canada
Genres	Avant-garde metal
Years active	1996–2015
Labels	The End, Galy Records
Members	Syriak Artagoth ChaotH Leïlindel Landryx Blaise Borboën-Léonard
Past members	Exod Le Bateleur Elda Zircon Merzenya Dasnos Anthony Trujillo
Website	www.unexpect.com

Unexpect (often capitalized uneXpect, unexpecT, or UnexpecT) was an avant-garde extreme metal band from Montréal, Canada featuring a unique amalgamation of different metal subgenres like progressive, technical death, black and melodic heavy metal, and of other styles of music including classical, dark cabaret, opera, jazz, funk, electro, ambient, noise, and circus music.

The band's debut album, Utopia, was independently released. The band only had word of mouth and the Internet to market the work. With unorthodox distribution and online support, the album sold successfully. They released their two following albums via The End Records, before returning to independent releases.

History

From their beginning in 1996, unexpecT saw their share of line-up changes, as only two members from this period are still in the band: Artagoth and SyriaK. Unexpect then recorded their first full-length album titled Utopia in 1998, which was later released in 1999. This first offering was critically acclaimed by many countries around the world, even with little distribution, and with the internet as their only support. A new era began for unexpecT with the release of their new EP titled _We, Invaders in November 2003. This EP was released on the Canadian label Galy Records. They then signed with New York-based The End Records and the band's second album In a Flesh Aquarium was released on August 22, 2006 in North America. ChaotH introduced his trademark 9-stringed bass during a Galy Records show on June 4, 2005. Unexpect released their 3rd full-length album, Fables of the Sleepless Empire, on May 31, 2011. Pre-order copies were signed by the band. Brick-and-mortar sales of the album are not planned, and at the moment it appears that it will only be sold online.

Winners of the 7th annual Independent Music Awards Vox Pop vote for best Hard Rock/Metal Album "In a Flesh Aquarium".

On August 22, 2015, after the band had been inactive for almost three years, and with few updates, an announcement was made on their official Facebook page stating the members had decided to disband for good and pursue their own personal musical endeavours.

Tours

In 2006, Unexpect finished their Canadian and U.S. tour with Augury, with some dates also playing with such bands as The Gathering and Giant Squid. They have also played with bands like Sodom, Finntroll, Kataklysm, and Green Carnation. Unexpect were supposed to open for the Swedish blackened death metal band Dissection during their last U.S. tour at B. B. King's club in New York City, but the show was cancelled due to Dissection's inability to obtain entrance into the country. Unexpect played on September 3, 2006 at the Emerging Music Festival in Rouyn-Noranda, Abitibi-Témiscamingue. More recently, the band has opened up for power metal act Sonata Arctica and death metal act Nile with thrash metal band Warbringer as well as playing the Heavy MTL festival on June 21, 2008 along with the likes of Overkill, 3 Inches of Blood, Mastodon and Iron Maiden. Unexpect also headlined the Flight of the Valkyries festival in St. Paul, MN in June 2008.[1] In 2009 the band accompanied Dream Theater, Opeth and Bigelf on the inaugural Progressive Nation European tour.

Members

Last line-up

• Eryk "Syriak" Chapados – lead vocals, guitar (1996–2015)
• Stéphane "Artagoth" English – lead vocals, guitar (1996–2015)
• Roxanne "Leïlindel" Hegyesy – lead vocals (2001–2015)
• Frédérick "ChaotH" Filiatrault – bass (2001–2015)
• Landryx – drums (2004–2015)
• Blaise Borboën-Léonard – violin (2007–2015)

Session members

• Nathalie Duchesne - additional violin, cello (2003–2015)
• Stéphanie Colerette - additional violin, cello (2003–2015)
• Amélie Blanchette - clarinet (2006–2015)

Former members

• Véronique "Elda" Michaud – lead vocals (1996–2001)
• Mathieu "Zircon" Phaneuf – bass (1996–2001)
• Olivier "Merzenya" Genest – keyboards (1996–2001)
• Anthony Trujillo – drums (2002)
• Dasnos – drums (2003)
• Charles "Le Bateleur" Crépeau – violin (1996–2006)
• Stéphane "Exod" Primeau – drums (1996-2002), keyboards, piano, sampling (2002-2010)

Timeline

Discography

• Utopia (1999, self-released)
• _wE, Invaders EP (2003, Galy Records; distributed by The End Records)
• In a Flesh Aquarium (2006, The End Records)
• Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011, self-released)

External links

• Official website
• UneXpect at The End Records
• UneXpect at Myspace
• UneXpect at Encyclopaedia Metallum