Mineral

Mineral's dissolution arrived in 1998, after the Austin quartet had existed for just four years and issued only a pair of albums, yet their imprint on the wider indie rock terrain remains impossible to ignore. Formed in 1994, the group immediately set about crisscrossing the United States and issuing a steady stream of 7"s, first aligning with the imprints of fellow road warriors Christy Front Drive, The Audio Concept, and Caulfield Records. A Colorado zine editor struck by the band's unprecedented fusion of force and feeling forwarded one of those singles to Jeff Matlow, founder of the fledgling Crank! label. Matlow responded with a flurry of calls the same day, forging a relationship that would elevate both the band and the company to cult prominence. Mineral's debut album, The Power of Failing, proved an immediate force, cultivating an intensely devoted audience within the scene. The quartet's command of dynamic shifts and introspective lyrics chronicling the transition to adulthood left a lasting mark on countless indie acts, with echoes of their approach still reverberating through underground circles. End Serenading marked the close of Mineral's run; an agreement had already been reached for the follow-up to appear on Interscope, though that project never materialized. Still in their early twenties, the members pursued separate paths, with singer/guitarist Chris Simpson and bassist Jeremy Gomez forming The Gloria Record while drummer Gabe Wiley joined Pop Unknown.