EPOCH
OF
UNLIGHT has existed in various forms under different names since 1990.
Initially,
the
band was named ENRAPTURED. This incarnation of the band went through
many line-up
changes and played quite a few shows in the Memphis area before its
demise in 1993.
REQUIEM was
then formed from former ENRAPTURED members Tino LoSicco and Jason
Smith, along
with Danny Murphy and Justin Jones. A demo was released in November of
1993
entitled "As The Image Slowly Fades." with a last minute change in
bass players (John Henderson replaced Murphy).
After
another
line-up change and a major shift in writing, Jason and Tino officially
named
the band EPOCH OF UNLIGHT in 1994. Randy Robertson was added as a
replacement
guitarist for departing member Justin Jones. Three months later,
bassist John
Henderson was replaced with Pierce Totty. Pierce had played in the
band's
ENRAPTURED days until he parted ways to play with Incineration.
It
was later this year that their first demo, “Beyond the
Pale”,
was released as a 4
song cassette.
In 1995 they recorded their second demo, 'Within The
Night…' as
a 4-song MCD, and in May of 1997 they returned to the studio to record
three
new tracks. The new songs have been released as a promo CD entitled
"Black
& Crimson Glory”. This promo captured the attention
of many
labels and in
the winter of 1998, EPOCH OF UNLIGHT signed with THE END RECORDS.
Shortly
thereafter the band entered the studio to record their debut
full-length album.
Entitled "What
Will Be Has Been",
the album was described as a mix of melodic death/black metal.
Immediately
following the recording, both Randy and Pierce left the band to focus on
work and
their families. Joseph Totty (Pierce's twin brother) immediately filled
the
bass position.
The band
supported the release with countless live shows including a five week
national
tour with Dimmu Borgir
and Samael.
The tour consisted
of over 30
shows in the major metal cities all across the USA as well as Canada
and Mexico.
The
second
album, “Caught
In The Unlight!”, was
recorded in December of 2000 with Keith Falgout (Soilent Green, Crisis,
Crowbar
and Cephalic Carnage, among others). The result was a sonic assault of
10
aggressive tracks that were more intense, technical, and melodic than
the debut
attributing to an album that is memorable and varied at the same time.
Shortly
after
the release of the new CD in the Summer of 2001, Josh Braddock filled
the long
vacant second guitarist position in the band. Josh was a long-time
friend of
the bands that had played with numerous local bands including
Incineration and
LDP.
The band
supported “C.I.T.U.”
with numerous
live shows through the country including a two week national tour with Enslaved
and an appearance at the first annual Northern Lights Festival in
2002
was a year
of major restructuring for the band with the departure of both
guitarists. In
February Josh moved out of out of town for a year, and in April, Jason,
a
founding member of the band, also quit while the band was preparing for
fall
tour with Lacuna Coil and Moonspell. Brian Anderson (vocals) and Alan
Burcham (guitar)
immediately joined the band. Both had been part of the Memphis scene
for
several years playing in various bands accross the city. The band
finished out 2002
as a 4-piece playing numerous shows across southern region.
Early
2003 saw
the return of Josh Braddock to the second guitarist position, and the
band recorded
a cover of Kreator's
'Betrayer' and At the
Gate’s
‘Raped by the
Light of Christ’ for a split 7" single with GOATWHORE
through
Bloated Goat Records.
In
October of
2004, EPOCH OF UNLIGHT drummer Tino LoSicco flew to
The band entered Big Blue Meenie studio in New Jersey during October 27th through November 4th to record their third release for The End Records, entitled ”The Continuum Hypothesis”. The album was engineered and co-produced by Erin Farley (All Out War, Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All, Madball, M.O.D., Overkill, among others) The resulting 53+ minute album includes 11 new songs of brutally intense, melodic metal and features the debut of new singer B.J. Cook (a.k.a. Lord Hellspawn) from Arkansas' Fallen Empire.