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 stylized as uneXpect, or unexpecT, and 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

Two of the founding members had a long tenure with the band: Artagoth and SyriaK. Unexpect recorded their first full-length album, Utopia, in 1998, and released it in 1999 independently. The 2003 EP _We, Invaders was released in November 2003 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. Unexpect released their 3rd full-length album, Fables of the Sleepless Empire, on May 31, 2011. The band won the 7th annual Independent Music Awards Vox Pop vote for best Hard Rock/Metal Album with 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.

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)

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