After more than 10 years of providing Jamestown area residents with original heavy metal music, Discidium will host two farewell shows to thank fans for their continued support.
Discidium's two final shows are scheduled for Friday at 10 p.m. at Mojo's and at Suburban Blend on Saturday at 6 p.m. The shows will feature the original members of the band including: Mike Buvoltz, lead vocalist and guitarist; James Evans, guitarist; Darren See, drummer; and Aaron Grover, Discidium's original bassist. Also joining the mix are Brandon Hawley, keyboardist, and Ryan "Rhyno" Wilde, bassist.
The main reason the six members of Discidium decided to host these shows is because they wanted to get the group together before they went their separate ways, said Grover.
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Local heavy metal band Discidium will reunite for two farewell performances that are scheduled for Friday at 10 p.m. at Mojo’s and at Suburban Blend on Saturday at 6 p.m.
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"We wanted to get together one last time," said Grover. "James (Evans) is down in Pittsburgh now working with a new band. So, chances are this is going to be the last time that the six of us will be getting together to play music. We just wanted to do it for the people who came out to support us for all these years, and also for ourselves."
Discidium will play two sets per show. The first set will feature Grover on bass, and will focus on some of the older material such as "Hand In Hand With Fear" and "Shards Of Truth." The second will feature Wilde, the bassist who stepped in for Grover, and will focus on newer material. Wilde will also play with his new band Norm From Cheers at the Mojo's show.
"We're going to get to do a lot of songs that we haven't done in a long time," said See. "That includes songs which our former bass player Vincent Fisher wrote, who passed away a few years ago. You're also going to get to see two different eras of Discidium sharing the same stage when we have bass players Aaron (Grover) and Ryan (Wilde) play separate sets."
Throughout its 10-year run, Discidium had the opportunity to travel to many venues, and play with national touring acts such as Amon Amarth, Testament, God Forbid, Chimaira and others. The band also recorded a full length album entitled "In Reprisal." Discidium will perform songs from "In Reprisal" in addition to songs that were written before and after its release.
"In some senses it's a bittersweet thing for us to do this," said Grover. "For us personally it's the last hurrah before we officially put the music we've written over the years aside. But, we've all been doing this for so long that I know from personal experience that if you try to stop being a musician you end up going back to the same routine anyway."
That's why late in 2011 when the band became inactive it was decided that several members would reform under the new name "Awaken The Ancients." In addition to Buvoltz, Evans, Hawley and Wilde, the new band added Logan Alexander, drummer, formerly of A City Burning, and Chad Ivanich, vocalist, formerly of Knife Down Danger and Head of a Poet. Awaken the Ancients was also the fourth variation of the band. Band names that preceded Discidium included Nihilist and Post Mortum. However, Awaken The Ancients has also since become inactive. Although Awaken The Ancients has disbanded, Ivanich's new band, Eyeless Abomination, will join Discidium for the Mojo's show.
After the Mojo's show wraps up on Friday, fans will have one final opportunity to catch Discidium at Suburban Blend on Saturday. The show will feature Arkana, a band from Cleveland whose members are long-time friends with Discidium, Amongst The Thorns, and I Am Frankie Scrapmetal, who will open the show with an acoustic set.
See and Hawley have also been working on a cover band project of their own with the working title of "We Speak Canadian." The band also features former Two For Flinching members Nany Salva and Chris Lee, and bass player Scott Slade. According to See, the band is a hard rock interpretation of modern pop. The band is currently working on putting together a set before scheduling any performances.
Buvoltz is also working on recording some solo material that doesn't fall into the metal vein.
Although the band is parting ways after many years of working together, the group still remains friends, and there is no bad blood, said See. Their journey as musicians began in September of 2001 while the original members, Grover, Buvoltz, Evans and See, were in ninth grade.
"We basically got together to play Metallica and Black Sabbath covers because that's what we were really into," said See. "So, it really started as more of a social thing between the four of us. Eventually we got into writing our own music, and had a few lineup changes. But, all six of us are really good friends now."
The full-length album "In Reprisal" will be on sale for $5 at the two shows. Tickets to the Mojo's show, which is 21 plus, are $5. Mojo's is located at 104 E. Second St. in Jamestown. Tickets to the Suburban Blend show, which is all ages, are also $5. Suburban Blend is located at 209 Pine St. in Jamestown. For more information search for "Discidium" on Facebook.