Post-Metal For People Who Don’t Want To Pretend They Understand It
Let’s get this out the way first: there’s a reason these lot added “the band” to their Facebook page back in 2014. Turns out having the same name as a terrorist organisation doesn’t do wonders for Spotify playlist algorithm, apparently. Still, the actual ISIS—Boston-born, later LA-dwelling—deserve far more attention than whatever news cycle decides to peddle that week.
The Gist
ISIS-The Band formed in 1997 and didn’t call it quits until 2010, with a brief reunion in 2018 that felt more like a proper farewell than anything. They’re generally credited as pioneers of what people now call “post-metal”—which is basically metal for people who think metal got too bogged down in riffs and started forgetting how to write songs. You’d hear Neurosis, Pelican, Cult of Luna thrown around in the same breath.
Here’s who actually played in ISIS-The Band
- Aaron Turner – vocals, guitar (also ran Hydra Head Records)
- Michael Gallagher – guitar
- Jeff Caxide – bass
- Aaron Harris – drums
- Bryant Clifford Meyer – electronics, keyboards, vocals
Five studio albums, one consistent lineup, and a sound that managed to be heavy without feeling like it was trying to win some kind of distortion contest.
Why They Work
I used to think post-metal was just noodling with extra reverb. What surprised me was how disciplined ISIS-The Band actually were. Their songs build—they don’t bash you over the head immediately. There’s patience here, which is rare in any genre where “loud” is usually the primary dynamic.
Take Wavering Radiant, their final record from 2009. Four tracks I’m particularly fond of from that album:
The Songs Worth Your Time
1. So Did We
Yes, it’s a live track. Yes, it still slaps harder than most bands’ studio efforts.
2. Low Tide
From Wavering Radiant. This is the one you play when someone asks “what does post-metal actually sound like?”. Listen on YouTube
3. Dalcinea
Another Wavering Radiant cut. Builds from a whisper to a roar without ever losing its thread. Proper satisfying.
4. Friction
It’s in the title, innit? Guitar tones clashing with bass frequencies, Turner’s vocals somewhere between sung and spoken. The kind of song that makes you notice the space between notes.
5. Carry
Closing out the album. Doesn’t try to reinvent itself in the final stretch—just commits. Sometimes resolution is more powerful than complication.
The Verdict
ISIS-The Band weren’t revolutionary in the sense that they invented new genres overnight. What they did was refine, polish, and execute a sound with genuine conviction. Five albums, no lineup changes, and no desperate pivots to chase trends. That’s integrity in a industry that often treats musicians like disposable content.
They split in 2010. But the catalog’s still there, waiting for anyone who’s tired of metal that’s all aggression and no atmosphere.
I would recommend to anyone who thinks “heavy” doesn’t have to mean “thoughtless”.
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