Ligeia

Ligeia draws its name from the unsettling 1838 tale by Edgar Allan Poe. The band arose from the western Massachusetts hardcore community that spawned Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh in the 1980s, yet its style also reflects the prevailing metalcore currents of its era. Distinct from the British goth rock outfit that shares the name, Ligeia assembled in Springfield, MA, in 2003, featuring vocalist Keith Holuk, guitarists Ryan Ober and Chris Keane, bassist Matthew Bennett, and drummer Phil Fonseca. Ferret Records, the New Jersey metalcore label associated with Maylene and the Sons of Disaster and similar acts, signed the group and issued its debut album, Your Ghost Is a Gift, in spring 2006. After the record appeared, Matthew Bennett and Phil Fonseca exited, succeeded on bass by Bryan Forbes and on drums by Ryan Irizarry.