Biography
New England metal quartet Astronoid resist easy categorization. Their music fuses black metal, shoegaze, punk, and dream pop into a hybrid sound that suggests hypothetical pairings of Devin Townsend with Alcest, Deafheaven with Mew, or M83 with Deftones. Following the strong reviews that greeted their 2016 debut Air, the group kept refining this eclectic approach on later records, among them 2022’s Radiant Bloom.
The band originated in 2012 in Lowell, Massachusetts, when vocalist/guitarist Brett Boland and bassist Daniel Schwartz—both previously of post-hardcore thrashers Hetfield & Hetfield—launched the project as a school assignment that nearly faded into obscurity. Online uploads unexpectedly drew listeners, prompting the creation of their first EP, the two-track November. Its title cut “Astronoid” stayed rooted in pure black metal, marked by demonic growls, pummeling drums, and dense guitar haze. The next year brought the Stargazer EP, which introduced more harmonious vocal layers atop a melodic black metal core. Guitarists Casey Aylward and Mike DeMellia plus drummer Matt St. Jean joined at that point, and the expanded lineup recorded the 2016 full-length Air. Issued on Finland’s black metal Blood Music imprint, the widely praised album earned tags such as “blackgaze” and “dream thrash” for its striking blend of contrasting styles. After extensive national touring, Astronoid reentered the studio, though DeMellia left during the sessions.
The remaining quartet sharpened their heavy-yet-ethereal aesthetic on the self-titled sophomore album, which arrived in early 2019 to continued praise. Over the ensuing two years the musicians pushed further in both sound and subject matter. Drawing from sources that ranged from Smashing Pumpkins to Svalbard, Boland shaped fresh material exploring humanity’s imperfections, hardships, and pleasures. The resulting Radiant Bloom appeared in May 2022.
The band originated in 2012 in Lowell, Massachusetts, when vocalist/guitarist Brett Boland and bassist Daniel Schwartz—both previously of post-hardcore thrashers Hetfield & Hetfield—launched the project as a school assignment that nearly faded into obscurity. Online uploads unexpectedly drew listeners, prompting the creation of their first EP, the two-track November. Its title cut “Astronoid” stayed rooted in pure black metal, marked by demonic growls, pummeling drums, and dense guitar haze. The next year brought the Stargazer EP, which introduced more harmonious vocal layers atop a melodic black metal core. Guitarists Casey Aylward and Mike DeMellia plus drummer Matt St. Jean joined at that point, and the expanded lineup recorded the 2016 full-length Air. Issued on Finland’s black metal Blood Music imprint, the widely praised album earned tags such as “blackgaze” and “dream thrash” for its striking blend of contrasting styles. After extensive national touring, Astronoid reentered the studio, though DeMellia left during the sessions.
The remaining quartet sharpened their heavy-yet-ethereal aesthetic on the self-titled sophomore album, which arrived in early 2019 to continued praise. Over the ensuing two years the musicians pushed further in both sound and subject matter. Drawing from sources that ranged from Smashing Pumpkins to Svalbard, Boland shaped fresh material exploring humanity’s imperfections, hardships, and pleasures. The resulting Radiant Bloom appeared in May 2022.
Albums
Singles
