From Dallas-based URIZEN comes a unique vision in metal: Autocratopolis. With something for everyone, from crushing blast beats to soothing lounge pianos, Autocratopolis aims to please. Also included is the secret to happiness... AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE

12 MP3 Songs
METAL: Heavy Metal, METAL: Black Metal



Details:
URIZEN (pronounced "YER-is-en" not "Yer-EYE-zen) was born from the ashes of Colorado based Black Metallers "Dunwich Horror" in a vague transitional period between the summer of 2001 and spring 2002. From the original lineup of "Dunwich Horror" remained Thomas and Daniel Drinnen (guitars and keyboards, respectively) left with the arduous task of finding new members willing and able to help metamorphose and evolve the crude Black Metal ideas of "Dunwich" into the strange musical creature URIZEN. Fate would step in triumphantly in the acquisition of drummer extraordinaire: Julio Escamilla. The story, quickly retold, finds the Drinnen brothers hundreds of miles from their home in Colorado standing in front of a concert venue (then-called "Dreamworld Music Complex" located in Arlington, Texas) to see Norway's Dimmu Borgir. As luck would have it, despite arriving at the concert hours ahead of time, Thomas and Daniel would have some company in the form of a tall, skinny Mexican named Julio. Information was exchanged and a few months later Julio would find himself on a Greyhound bus bound for Denver, Colorado. Here, the newly formed trio would hone their skills together, and begin work on the debut URIZEN LP "autocratopolis".
Fall 2003 would find URIZEN in its new home of DFW, Texas, a move that afforded the trio of musicians time to slowly craft their desired sound. The process would involve switching from screaming Black Metal style vocals to all clean singing (a role taken over by guitarist Thomas), incorporating a wider spectrum of musical influences and interests, and creating musical oddities that would bind the songs to the conceptual mold of "autocratopolis". Towards the end of summer 2004 the writing process for "autocratopolis" was approaching an end, and the Uri-Men set out to stage test the material at local venues all around the metroplex. Following a search for bassists in the surrounding areas, URIZEN acquired Louisiana-born Matt Garrison and began their campaign across Dallas, Arlington, and Ft. Worth. Highlights of this period include appearances at 2 Ridglea Metal Fests in Ft. Worth, the Dallas New Music Festival, and Arlington's SluggFest. With growing acclaim in Dallas/Ft. Worth, URIZEN set out to put the finishing touches on "autocratopolis".
The album was conceived and created entirely by the Uri-Men themselves, from the recording, production, mixing and mastering to the album artwork, and on August 19th, 2005, URIZEN's "autocratopolis" was released to a wanting crowd at the Ridglea Theater in Ft. Worth. Now, "autocratopolis" in hand, URIZEN is ready to strike out into the world delivering their quirky brand of metal, "the goods" and "the secret to happiness" (see track 10 of "autocratopolis") to all who would accept them. After all, URIZEN aims to please!