Elysia

"Complete History of Elysia"
written by zak and steven
Early 2003 -
- Elysium’s Revenge forms as just freshmen and sophomores in high school.
- Plays first show in april 2003 in Placerville, CA with local legends fiveminuteride. Members were; Alex Porte - guitar, Zak Vargas - vocals, Kevin Marquez - Drums, Andre Vocino - Guitar. Having no bass player, friend Pat Guild (currently playing guitar in killing the dream! Isn't that crazy how things work out?) filled in for the night.
- After first show Jeremy Chavez joins in on bass.
Late 2003 -
- December band changes name to "Elysia," and plays first show at Westcoast Worldwide (thanks to Mike Hood and Kirby Unrest.) W/ Nehemia and With Dead Hands Rising. Adds Justin Chambers (formerly at the time was in sacramento hardcore band xcherishx and actions aside,) on synth and second vocals.
Early 2004 -
- After demos of songs, "lust was heart," and "king of the hill." Elysia release EP "Killing Grounds," featuring new songs, "catharsis," "prayer for the end," and "killing grounds."
- Justin Chambers leaves band and starts singing for sacrmento's Plead the Fifth(Who are still around today, Check them out!) Who at the time also featured Garrett Gilardi on guitar.
- Elysia soon writes song, "incinerate," but does not record it yet. The intent of this song was to promote anti-homophobia, but being young the band doesn't convey the message too well and the songs lyrics confuse people.
- During this time Elysia plays Westcoast Worldwide benefit shows in Shingle Springs, CA as well as Westcoast Worldwide several times with such bands as Plead the Fifth, Hoods, These Days, Blood stands still, Murder Practice, Killing the Dream, Actions Aside, Set it Straight, Embrace the End, Suffokate, Skare Tactic, By my will, Reflux. All thanks once again to Mike Hood and Kirby Unrest!
Late 2004 -
- After playing months with hardcore bands and diy ethic venues the sound starts to rub off on Elysia and they write new hardcore songs while also experimenting with deathmetal.
End of 2004 -
-Elysia records three song 04 Demo, featuring, (first recording) "incinerate," "skirmish," and "massacre."
Beginning of 2005 -
- Zak puts on house show at Shawn Hannahs house in cameron park, featuring Suffokate, conducting from the grave, the frontline (now lose none, check em out!) Elysia release the 04 demo here.
Early 2005 -
- Elysia continue to play Westcoast Worldwise as the only venue they've playedin Sacramento. After going two months without shows they finally land a gig at the Underground in Sacramento. Unfortunately because of lyrics the band is banned from playing the underground. A day later Elysia plays their first out of town show in Fairfield, CA w/ heavy heavy low low, suicide silence, conducting from the grave, and more.
Middle 2005 -
- Elysia record and release song, "Triumph."
- Elysia go on first trip out of state and overnight shows. Dustin from Vegas welcomes Elysia in a relationship that is still remaining today. next day Elysia plays in Tehachapi, both dates with xtorn betweenx. Garrett Gilardi fills in on this tour for Jeremy.
- A month later Elysia finally plays the main venue in sacramento, The Boardwalk w/ the art of war(now named turn it around, check em out!)
- Two months after first Vegas trip Dustin asks Elysia to return to play a house show. Elysia play with vegas bands misericordiam and molotov solution, Garrett Gilardi fills in for Andre.
Late 2005 -
- Elysia record and release song, "Filthy." Being young again the band struggles to convey the message of this song correctly and people get confused just like with song incinerate.
- After disaster at Club Retro show Elysia is forced to let go of Andre, Jeremy decides to step away from the band as well. Fill in guitarist Garrett Gilardi becomes new guitarist and good friend Johnny Blue eyes takes role of bass.
-Elysia goes on first tour in December w/ molotov solution and impending doom, with a uhaul trailer and borrowed SUV. Elysia plays Bakersfield CA, Chain Reaction for the first time, Indio CA, a public park in Tuscon AZ, and again Dustin's house in Vegas. The band being on their first tour and being very young runs into many problems such as blown tires, illness, and zak getting mono and bronchitis at the same time and still playing shows.
Early 2006 -
- Elysia continue to play Westcoast Worldwise with the help of Lee(trash talk singer, check em out!) booking show at this time, thanks lee!
- Zak books show at a community center and brings up to sac, friends stick to your guns.
- Elysia play central CA and bay area dates.
- Elysia decide it's time to grow up and start working on socially and politically conscious new songs for a full-length release to be put out on This City is Burning Records(Thanks you Josh and Serra for all the help and the shows during this era!)
Middle 2006 -
- Westcoast Worldwide sadly shuts down, thanks to mike hood wcww style shows continue at the VFW hall in orangevale CA. Elysia play one of the first shows there with Hoods and Murder Practice Cd release show(check em out!)
- Elysia see killwhitneydead is going on tour and send them an email, turns out kwd wants them on the westcoast dates so Elysia sets out on their first big tour ever with The demonstration and of course killwhitneydead.
- Unfortunately the full-length cd does not finish in time for this tour.
- This tour named "the all hells breaks loose tour," hits up reno NV, sacramento CA, san jose CA, Elysia drive home from all three shows so they can spend time pressing more t-shirts on their own, thanks to help from good friend Kyle Terry. Elysia hurries and meets back up with the tour the next day in fresno CA, then Bakersfield CA, San Diego CA, Azusa CA, anaheim CA, Las Vegas CA, Phoenix AZ where band gets jumped for their first time for their lyrics to the song filthy, which obviously bums out the band since they have a new cd they couldn't bring on tour, which actually features a song about womens rights and sexism "masochist." Elysia pushes onwards and makes the next day in El Paso TX, then plays a abandoned gas station in San Antonio TX, then drives home.
Late 2006 -
- Elysia finally release full-length cd "masochist." Which features 3 old songs, 1 from 2004 and 2 from 2005, and 7 new songs. However, the cd does not release on this city is burning records as planned, due to a problem. Band decides to DIY the album and sells it online themselves as well as printing and selling their own merch online, with help of good friend and longtime merchd00d Kris dubiesnack.
- Three members of the band graduate and it makes a huge impact on the direction of the band.
- Kevin Marquez is forced to leave the band by personal decision to move to San Diego.
- Johnny decides to step down as bass player to pursue other interests
- Elysia recruit Joey Rommel on drums(formely in sactos death perception.)
- Jeremy Chavez returns on bass.
- Elysia go on short tour in december with Molotov Solution and Knights of the Abyss, however, with Garrett still in highschool Elysia are forced to become a 4-piece. The tour hits up vegas, phoenix, san diego, and fullerton.
Early 2007 -
- Elysia unhappy with the production of their cd, "masochist," and wanting distribution of the cd, strike deal with Tribunal Records(KWD singer), to rerecord Masochist with Jamie King (btbam, glass casket.) and rerelease the cd on tribunal records. (This is why Elysia is featured on the Tribunal sampler if anyone has ever wondered.) Unfortunately Joey Rommel respectfully steps down as drummer right before Elysia go into Castle Ultimate studios(all shall perish, trash talk, embrace the end,) which is where they decided to rerecord the cd instead of Jamie King.
- Elysia are forced to not rerecord the cd because of the castle schedule and must break deal with tribunal records.
- One of the largest impacts upon the band occur when Alex(who wrote all guitar on masochist.) makes it clear he would like help from a second guitarist on the next cd. Zak not wanting to but realizing he has no choice lets go of garrett as second guitarist and Alex asks his roommate Mark underwood to join.
- Elysia embark on tour with Jake(current fate drummer,) filling in on drums. Tour features Impending doom and moria and hits up anaheim ca, phoenix az, el paso tx, mcallen tx, fort worth tx, tulsa ok, albuquerque nm, vegas, and lancaster ca.
- Elysia run into many problems on this tour even missing a date due to their 86 suburban breaking down every day. This major harsh time for the band takes its toll on members relationships as the band sinks into large debt due to the numerous problems on this tour.
Middle 2007 -
- Immediately when back from the tour Elysia find new drummer Steven Sessler(former drummer of sactos finest ;) indie band Ambrosia Caprice, check em out!)
- Due to the toll that the last tour took on members relationships the second to last standing original member, and 1 of the 2 people who started the band, Alex leaves the band.
- The underground with a new promoter let's elysia back and elysia plays steven's first show and alex's last. The most emotional show for elysia still to this day, since zak and alex started the band together when they were only 14. Now at 18 it was really hard for them to let go.
- Zak questions if the band should continue or breakup with the departure of alex, however with a full U.S. tour obligation in less than a month the rest of the band must find a fill in guitarist and meet this obligation and question the bands future later.
- Elysia recruit Danny Lomelli(former bedlam guitarist) to fill in.
- Elysia embark on full U.S. tour with Knights of the abyss and arsonists get all the girls. Have a great time with the bands and meet awesome people, however, Elysia constantly gets things stolen and gets jumped for the second time, forcing the band into even more debt and takes a huge toll on zak moral for the future of elysia.
Late 2007 -
- Elysia returns from tour in large debt as well as personal debt since member s were unable to pay themselves because of the band debt.
- In low moral the band attempts to write new music and nothing seems to come out.
- Elysia sign with Ferret.
- Right before a short mini-tour w/ molotov solution and impending doom, Elysia discovers money issues between the band and mark as well as uncovering issues of commitment and decide to part ways with him.
- Zak realizes, with the departure of another member, that it's definitelytime to let go of the band and quit, which would mean elysia breakup, despite recently being signed. However with the 3 day tour literally starting the day he quit, he was forced to meet the obligation.
- Elysia fly out friend from Iowa who was at the time a roadie for warriors, Chris Cain, to play guitar in marks place.
- The tour hit bakersfield(where zak announced that this would be the last time they would ever see these songs played,) showcase, and a house show in palmdale.
- When elysia returned home zak still felt the same way and the band prepared to play final shows and make an announcement.
- Since the band was newly signed Zak was forced to make some sort of desperate act to save the band and still be happy. Since Zak was only unhappy with the band and was looking forward to finishing college it would take a miracle.
- Zak asks former elysia guitarist and best friend Garrett Gilardi to rejoin the band and write a new cd with him and steven. Garrett accepts.
- Now with the future a little brighter the band decides to accept another full U.S. and Canada tour with Stick to your Guns and catherine.
- Since the tour was in a few weeks garrett had no time to relearn the songs and danny filled in once more.
- A few days in the tour jeremy for personal reasons, returned home. Friend John Mal(former ambrosia caprice guitarist,) flew in to play bass.
- The band returns home from tour and John becomes permanent bassist.
- The band leaves a week later on a short tour to and from Saints and Sinners festival in New Jersey, unfortunately Garrett was still unable to play these shows and Danny filled in again, however, garrett came along :)
- The band returns home from the most disastrous tour yet, due to poor scheduling and booking the band had driven 3 days straight without a show or getting out of the van and had several poor shows and off dates. Large debt was added to the current debt and the band was forced to let go of their booking agent.
- Elysia spend December writing and play last show with danny in san diego for new years.
Early 2008 and future!
- Now with a solid new lineup of john, steven, garrett, chris, and zak, elysia spend the rest of january writing for their new cd. Which will showcase the maturity of this band from being kids to becoming a solid, cooperative, and collective group of musicians. The new cd will be a blend of everyone's individuality, it will display zak's history in coming up in the hardcore scene playing wcww and attending shows there as well as his taste in experimental aggressive music, it will display john and steven's history together in an indie band as well as their history together playing metal, garrett's taste in musicianship and creativity, and chris' understanding of hardcore.
-Now begins a new era for Elysia, so please do not expect the same band as this is a whole new face of Elysia. This is Elysia 4 years later from some of their older material that got them here.
- This new era will begin with a tour to Godcity Studio in Salem, MA where the new cd will be recorded and produced by Kurt Ballou(converge.) Then the new era will kick off with its first tour, with This is hell, ruiner, and soldiers. In hopes that new and old fans can be accepting of their aggressive, heavy, experimental, and angry new sound.
- Look out for new tours and the NEW ALBUM in Spring on Ferret!