After the Burial

After the Burial is an American heavy metal band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The group is currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released four of their five full-length albums through the label. Since their inception in 2004, the band has experienced two vocalist changes, two drummer changes, the departure and death of founding rhythm guitarist Justin Lowe, and the departure of bassist Lerichard Foral. Lead guitarist Trent Hafdahl is the group's sole remaining founding member.

The band has taken part in many metal festivals, fitting along with several derivative forms of the genre and have been credited as a strong contributor to the "djent" scene.

History

Formation and Forging a Future Self (2004)

After the Burial was founded in 2004 by Nick Wellner, Trent Hafdahl, Justin Lowe, and Greg Erickson who all met in high school. Dave Coleman initially filled in on bass while they searched for a permanent member. After posting an ad on a Twin Cities hardcore message board, Lee Foral responded and earned a spot in the band.

The group's first album entitled Forging a Future Self was recorded in late 2005 and was released on April 1, 2006. It was distributed via Corrosive Records, though there was never an official record deal in place.

They would later sign to Sumerian Records where Erickson and Wellner departed and Grant Luoma (of local act Nostalia) joined as vocalist. Eric Robles took Erickson's place as drummer but also departed before the recording of the band's second album.

Rareform (2008–2009)

The band entered the studio in 2008 to record their second studio album Rareform. All drum programming was done by the band's then current rhythm guitarist Lowe, while Hafdahl handled the lyrical writing duties due to the lack of output by then current vocalist, Luoma.

Shortly after the release, vocalist Luoma was replaced.^[5] Anthony Notarmaso joined in his place, and the band recruited Dan Carle (also of Nostalia) on drums.

In late 2008, the band supported Suicide Silence on The Cleansing The Nation Tour, and in early 2009, co-headlined a U.S. tour with Veil of Maya.

The band decided to re-release Rareform with Notarmaso's vocals in September 2009. It also included bonus content, such as live footage from a sold out concert the band performed at.^[6]

In Dreams (2010–2012)

The band's third full-length album, In Dreams was recorded and released in 2010 through Sumerian.^[7]

In late 2010, the band supported Winds of Plague on The December Decimation Tour, and in 2011, headlined the Crush Em' All Tour 2.

On March 14, 2011, an extended mix of the song "Pi (The Mercury God Of Infinity)" was uploaded to YouTube.^[8]

This Life is All We Have EP and Wolves Within (2013-2015)

On April 2, 2013 Sumerian Records posted a re-mastered version of the song "A Steady Decline" and stated: "On April 1, 2006 After the Burial released their ground breaking album Forging a Future Self, which helped shape the sound of modern metal. To celebrate seven years of shred ATB has released a new take on an old favorite!"

On April 30, Sumerian Records uploaded three songs on their official YouTube channel for After the Burial's three song EP entitled This Life Is All We Have. The EP includes the following re-mastered songs from Forging a Future Self, featuring Anthony Notarmaso on vocals: "A Steady Decline", "Fingers Like Daggers", and "Redeeming the Wretched".

During live shows in 2013, After the Burial began playing two new songs called "A Wolf Amongst Ravens" and "Anti-Pattern" from their yet to be released album.^[9][10]

On November 5, 2013, Sumerian Records released the band's new song entitled "A Wolf Amongst Ravens" on YouTube^[11] and revealed the band's new album Wolves Within being release on December 17, 2013. They also resigned to Sumerian Records.^[12]

On November 18, 2013 the song "Of Fearful Men" was uploaded to YouTube and made available for purchase through iTunes^[13] and the entire album (Wolves Within) was released under Sumerian Records in December of the same year.

Justin Lowe's departure and death

Guitarist and founding member Justin Lowe left the band and was found dead in the summer of 2015.^[14]

Guitarist and founding member Justin Lowe officially left the band with a statement on June 24, 2015 citing a mental breakdown caused by paranoid schizophrenia believing that After the Burial, their record label (Sumerian Records) and most people in his life were out to ruin him.^[15] After the Burial responded to Lowe's open letter the following day confirming he was under severe mental distress and requested their fans to support Lowe during his time of recovery. Lowe was under care with his family at the time.^[16]

On the evening of July 20, 2015, Justin Lowe was pronounced officially missing, and search efforts had been put into place in order to find him. Lowe was found dead by a hiker on July 21, 2015, directly underneath the Soo Line High Bridge, while his car was found on the Minnesota side of the bridge. Authorities state that his death was consistent with that of a fall. It is currently unknown if the fall was accidental or intentional.^[17]

On July 27, the band released a statement on their Facebook page saying that they had decided not to perform on the Summer Slaughter tour in the wake of Lowe's passing, and that they needed time to recover from the loss of their friend.^[18]

Dig Deep, and Lee Foral's departure (2015–present)

On October 29, the band streamed the new track "Lost in the Static" and also announced a tour starting on November 5 in San Diego, being followed by The Faceless, Rings of Saturn and Toothgrinder. On New Years Day 2016, the band announced their new album Dig Deep, which was released on February 19, 2016.

On December 22, They were announced to be part of the Sumerian Records 10th Anniversary Tour with Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, ERRA and Bad Omens. The tour started on February 19 in Minneapolis. In June 2016, Lee Foral announced his departure to focus on his family.^[19]

On December 3, 2016, Andrian Oropeza was announced as an official of After The Burial after touring with them for a year.^[20]

Concert Tours

• The Cleansing the Nation Tour- Suicide Silence, Emmure, Beneath the Massacre, After the Burial, Architects
• The Progressive Damnation Tour- Born of Osiris, Shai Hulud, After the Burial, Burning the Masses
• The Crush Em' All Tour- Veil of Maya, After the Burial, ABACABB, Fell Silent
• 2009 Tour- After the Burial, For Today, Broadcast the Nightmare, Catalery
• Beastfest 2009- Caliban, Suicide Silence, Emmure, Maroon, After the Burial
• 2010 Euro Tour- Maroon, After the Burial, The Agonist
• The Mosh Lives II Tour- Emmure, Terror, After the Burial, Miss May I, Thick As Blood
• The Anti-Hero Tour- Bleeding Through, After the Burial, For Today, The Word Alive, Stray from the Path, Deep and Devine
• The December Decimation Tour- Winds of Plague, After the Burial, Carnifex, War of Ages, Upon A Burning Body
• Crush Em' All II Tour- After the Burial, Veil of Maya, Misery Signals, Within the Ruins
• The Powerless Rise Tour- As I Lay Dying, Winds of Plague, After the Burial
• All Stars Tour 2011- Emmure, Born of Osiris, For Today, Chelsea Grin, After the Burial, Iwrestledabearonce, Attila
• The Recorupptor Tour- Whitechapel, Miss May I, After the Burial, Within the Ruins, The Plot in You, Structures
• Vans Warped Tour 2012- For Today, Yellowcard, The Used, Taking Back Sunday, Motionless in White, Of Mice & Men, Miss May I, Vanna, Pierce the Veil, After the Burial, Chelsea Grin, Memphis May Fire
• Euro Cruise 2013- Parkway Drive, Thy Art is Murder, After the Burial, Chelsea Grin, Rise of the North Star
• 2013 Co-Headliner- Trivium, Devildriver, After the Burial, Sylosis
• Physical Education Release Tour- Animals as Leaders, After the Burial, Chon
• Australia 2014 Tour- Born of Osiris & After the Burial
• 2014 Disarm the Descent Tour- Killswitch Engage, Unearth, After the Burial, Ringworm, Code Orange
• Wolves Within headliner- After the Burial, Texas in July, I Declare War, Reflections, Come the Dawn
• Wolves Within Euro Tour- After the Burial, Monuments, Circles, Tides from Nebula
• The Return of the Faceless- The Faceless, After the Burial, Rings of Saturn, Toothgrinder
• Sumerian Records 10 Year Tour- Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, After the Burial, ERRA, Bad Omens
• Summer Slaughter Tour 2016- Cannibal Corpse, Nile, After the Burial, Carnifex, Revocation, Suffocation, Krisuin, Slaughter to Prevail, Ingested, Enterprise Earth
• Ten Years in the Black Tour- Asking Alexandria, Born of Osiris, I See Stars, After the Burial, Upon a Burning Body, Bad Omens
• Torch the Earth 2017 Tour- Emmure, After the Burial, Fit For a King, Oceans Ate Alaska, Loathe

Members

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

Music videos

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to After the Burial.