Swarm of the Lotus profile picture

Swarm of the Lotus

Kept heads-a-bangin from '98 to '06!!

About Me

Explosive. Mammoth. Mayhem. The absolutely crushing wall of sound that is SWARM OF THE LOTUS is a force to be reckoned with. Coupled with the band's fiery determination and passion to pursue their art, they can only move forward in a positive direction and have no other plans but to do just that. Since the band's inception in the city of Baltimore in the Fall of 1998, SOTL has come a long way and is still only at the beginning of their budding career. With unbridled potential and so much support behind them, the band is destined to leave their mark very permanently on the metal/rock community.And in fact, has started to already. With the release of their debut album, "When White Becomes Black"(At A Loss Recordings) in January of 2004, followed very soon after in the Spring with a 7" Picture Disc Single(Reptilian Records) featuring artwork by Carlos Batts and 3 exclusive tracks, the band received critical acclaim and has been featured in many different publications as a result. Most notably Metal Maniacs, in which their album was included in the top 10 albums of last year, Terrorizer, BW & BK, Rocksound, and most recently Hit Parader and an article in Revolver magazine, as well as a ton of positive feedback from many other online zines and such. The album also saw praise at the CMJ Music Festival last year in which it debuted in the Top 20 of their Loud Rock/Metal Catergory.The controlled chaos that is the band's sound has been sculpted over the band's 7 year existence. Since playing their first show in the Summer of 2000, the band has shared the stage with bands such as Converge, Mastodon, Lamb of God, Today is the Day, Unsane, Pig Destroyer, Misery Index, Superjoint Ritual and many more as well as making an appearance on the Relapse Contamination Festival in the summer of 2002 and playing the Emissions From The Monolith Festival in the Spring of 2004 alongside bands such as The Hidden Hand, Pelican, Kylesa, Dove, and St. Vitus. After struggling to find a means of transportation suitable for touring, the band began that journey with their virgin tour in the Spring of 2004 to support their At A Loss Release. After hitting the road and pummeling audiences across the U.S. for six weeks in support of the record, followed by another four week tour in the Fall of the same year, the band has generated the amount of press and general buzz that bands take years to develop.With the recent signing of the band to Abacus Recordings, SOTL is poised to release their second full-length album and debut for the new label, which they spent much of their time writing for during and in between both of last year's tours. With their devastating mixture of boulder-cracking riffs, subtle musical soundscapes and brandishing an intensely heavy, down-tuned aural assault, the album was Recorded at Godcity Studios in the Fall/Winter of 2004 with Kurt Ballou (Converge). Dually noted, the new record, titled "The Sirens Of Silence," takes the band’s penchant for avalanche-sized cacophony to a whole new level. Mastered by Alan Douches (A Life Once Lost, Burnt By The Sun) the new album is set to be released this summer with massive touring planned throughout the U.S. in support of the record. Armed with the hunger to play, a budding catalog of released material, a new record, and the overwhelming intensity of their live shows, the band is a machine that cannot be stopped. Lookout metallers across the globe, SWARM OF THE LOTUS is here and prepared to crush. LIVE TO DESTROY!!!!
Video for HOOKWORM-Official Cut/June-2005
Video for HOOKWORM-Alternate Version

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 6/16/2004
Band Website: swarmofthelotus.com
Band Members: Original Line-Up circa November-'98 until January '03:

Peter Maturi-voice, guitar (played on all recordings)

Bob Brockmeyer-guitar (played on WWBB and Rep 7")

John Brockmeyer-bass, voice (played on WWBB and Rep 7")

Jon-John Michaud-drums (joined Fall-'99, played/recorded on WWBB, Rep 7" and TSOS)

The above line-up, in that exact formation, stayed together from Fall-'98 until January-'03, which is when Bob and John left the band. This also, is the line-up that recorded WWBB and the Reptilian 7". From there.......

Line-Up circa January '03 until April '04: (this line-up was together for the 1st tour)

Peter Maturi-voice, guitar

Jon-John Michaud-drums

Chris Csar-guitar, voice (played/recorded on TSOS and was involved in recording the video for "Hookworm")

Dave Beck-bass (did not play on any recordings)

This line-up stayed in this configuration from Jan-'03 until April-'04(month of 1st tour, Dave left the band but band continued and finished 1st tour from mid-April-'04 until mid-May-'04, minus a bass player)

From there.........

Line-up circa May-'04 until December-'04: (this line-up recorded TSOS)

Peter Maturi-voice, guitar

Jon-John Michaud-drums

Chris Csar-bass, voice

Cole Crickenberger-guitar, voice *see note below

*-When Cole 1st joined though, he played bass for his 1st show(Emissions Fest-'04), then he and Chris switched due to Cole being foremost a guitar player and Chris wanting to play bass.

This line-up stayed together through the 2nd tour in Fall-'04 and the recording of the 2nd album in Nov-'04 to Dec-'04. Cole left the band in Dec-'04 and Jon-John followed in Feb-'05.

For a very short period (4 shows in Feb '05, Jon-John's last with the band and Jamie Garonzik's 1st with the group) the band's line-up was as follows:

Peter Maturi-voice, guitar

Jon-John Michaud-drums

Chris Csar-guitar, voice (switched back for JJ's last shows and because of Cole's departure)

Jamie Garonzik-bass (filled in on bass originally when 1st joined, just for these 4 shows, pay attention, the saga will continue and change again, hahahahaha)

From there........................

Line-up circa Mar-'05 until October-'05:

Peter Maturi-voice, guitar

Chris Csar-drums (went to drummer position and is actually foremost one)

Jamie Garonzik*-guitar, voice (switched to guitar when Chris went to drums and is actually foremost a guitarist, additionally, Jamie did not play on any recordings but was involved in recording the video for "Hookworm")

Nathan Trowbridge*-bass, voice (did not play on any recordings but was involved in recording the video for "Hookworm")

*-Currently you can see both Jamie and Nathan play in their original band The Malevoiy, great stuff

-The above line-up saw the release of TSOS in July-'05, recorded the video for "Hookworm" in June-'05 and saw the band's 3rd tour(a disaster) from July-'05 to Sep-'05

From there............................(laughing yet?)

Line-Up circa Nov-'05 until Nov-'06: (this line-up saw the end of the band)

Pete Maturi- voice, guitar

Jimmy Rhodes-drums (played/recorded on the (*A)EYEHATEGOD tribute)

Greg Howell - guitar (did not play on any recordings)

Graham Millner - bass (did not play on any recordings)

-This line-up went out on the band's 4th and final full-length(*B) tour in Oct-'06 and played the band's final show in Baltimore on November 1st, 2006(*C).

(*A)-In addition, for the EYEHATEGOD tribute song, "Bloodmoney," Chad Heath of TRIAC filled in to record the bass tracks. TRIAC themselves have a track they recorded for the tribute as well, which is awesome.

(*B)-However, this line-up and those in the past saw numerous in and around the area/out-of-state shows and weekend warrior 2-3 day type tours, too many and scattered to remember. We never got to do more full-length touring due to frequent line-up changes.

(*C)-Additionally, for the ending of that very set, the final 3 songs specifically, both Jon-John Michaud(drums) and Chris Csar(guitar, that night) came back to see the band out, 1st tour style, minus a bass player.

And THAT is the full line-up history folks, straight from the horse's ass (me). I figured this would solve any confusion and answer some questions I periodically receive about when and who played on what and so on and so forth.

-Pete/SOTL

Sounds Like: Mastodon, Burnt By The Sun, Converge, Isis, Neurosis, Botch, Breach, the Dillinger Escape Plan, Today Is The Day... and more
Record Label: Abacus, At A Loss, and Reptilian Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

THANK YOU ALL FOR 8 YEARS....COME OUT TO OUR LAST SHOW

So, it has reached its end. After 8 years, I have decided to put the monster, the rolling ball of chaos that it is, to rest for the long hall.I never thought I..d reach that point with this project. B...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Tue, 24 Oct 2006 02:31:00 PST

SOTL on tour with MISERY INDEX!

So far...(subject to change)11/1/06 - The Ottobar - Baltimore, MDw/ Goatwhore, Misery Index, Strong Intention11/2/06 - Cabot Street Pub - Chicopee, MAw/ Goatwhore, Misery Index, Strong Intention11/3/0...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Mon, 11 Sep 2006 08:27:00 PST

SOTL on EYEHATEGOD TRIBUTE ALBUM

Emetic Records will release an EYEHATEGOD tribute album, entitled "For The Sick - A Tribute To Eyehategod", sometime in the fall. A statement from the label reads as follows: "All the artists involved...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Sun, 30 Apr 2006 11:55:00 PST

SOTL REFORMED!!

Hello all, been a while since we've had an update to report from our neck of the woods but we have great news!!  We would like to announce the addition of two brand new members of the band: Greg...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Fri, 07 Apr 2006 12:22:00 PST

SOTL ANNOUNCE NEW MEMBERS/SEARCH FOR OTHER NEW MEMBERS

SWARM OF THE LOTUS ANNOUNCE NEW DRUMMER: SOTL would like to welcome drummer extraordinaire Jimmy Rhodes(ex-Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, current-All Else Failed, yes they are still together) ...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Sat, 07 Jan 2006 12:28:00 PST

Our Video for "HOOKWORM" Debuts Today!! (10/6/05)

Thursday-October 6"HOOKWORM" VIDEO DEBUTS TODAY!! It can viewed on www.ifilm.com, you have to register as a user but it is free!! We are very excited for everybody to see what we worked really hard on...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Thu, 06 Oct 2005 12:06:00 PST

ION DISSONANCE PORTION OF OUR TOUR CANCELLED!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Due to lack of funds and a broken up packaged tour trying to be carried on by only 2 out of the 5 bands that were supposed to play it, the SOTL/Ion Dissonance tour has come to ...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Mon, 01 Jan 1900 12:00:00 PST

"Hookworm" Video Shoot

Hey All, So we just got back from sunny Los Angeles, CA, where we filmed the video for our song "Hookworm" off of our upcoming album("The Sirens of Silence").  The shoot went amazing.  We h...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Mon, 01 Jan 1900 12:00:00 PST

"The Sirens of Silence" to be released July 12!!!!!!

That's right. Our new and second full-length album, "The Sirens of Silence," will be released worldwide on July 12, 2005 on Abacus Recordings. 2 month tour to follow release, stay on the lookout fuc...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Mon, 01 Jan 1900 12:00:00 PST

HUGE UPDATE: NEWS, TOUR, VIDEO, ETC!!!!!!!!

We have a bunch of really cool shows coming up and some great news for the band!!!! Hope to see all you fuckas bangin your friggin heads at all of 'em!!!!!! As follows: Saturday-May 21 Swarm of ...
Posted by Swarm of the Lotus on Mon, 01 Jan 1900 12:00:00 PST