The Appleseed Cast

The late 1990s witnessed Appleseed Cast taking shape amid heightened Midwestern emo activity. Their material rested on chiming guitars, propulsive rhythms, and emotionally charged vocals that typified the more introspective strains of post-hardcore. Across the subsequent two decades the group’s approach grew increasingly experimental and measured, a trajectory that began with the 2001 paired releases Low Level Owl, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2. Those albums and the works that followed integrated textural components and unconventional structures, fusing emo-rock foundations with detailed production choices and thereby establishing the groundwork for 2013’s Illumination Ritual.

Appleseed Cast originated in 1997 as December’s Tragic Drive, a name taken from a Sunny Day Real Estate lyric. The original members were singer/guitarist Christopher Crisci, guitarist Aaron Pillar, bassist Jason Wickersheim, and drummer Louie Ruiz. In 1998 the band adopted its present name, relocated to Lawrence, Kansas, joined Deep Elm Records, and issued the full-length The End of the Ring Wars. Now featuring drummer Josh Baruth, the group released the single “Skatter Ik Ignito” in 1999 along with a split EP shared with labelmates Planes Mistaken for Stars and Race Car Riot. Mare Vitalis appeared in early 2000, foregrounding Baruth’s intricate drumming and the band’s dense, atmospheric character. Nothing in that record, however, anticipated the pair of Low Level Owl albums that arrived in 2001. Complex, refined, and boldly experimental, the two sets drew inspiration from Radiohead’s Kid A and steered the band toward space rock and electronica, leaving only faint traces of emo. Though commercial results remained modest, the records’ daring confirmed the group’s willingness to pursue radical stylistic changes.

Lost Songs followed in 2002, uniting four previously unreleased 1999 tracks with five new songs. By overdubbing fresh elements onto the older material, Appleseed Cast merged the taut emo of its beginnings with the expansive experimentation of its later work. Two Conversations arrived in 2003 on Tiger Style, extending the exploration of atmospheric textures within conventional rock frameworks; an extensive tour supported the album. After Tiger Style folded, a brief hiatus preceded a return on a new label. Peregrine emerged in March 2006 on Militia Group, followed by performances on both coasts. At that point the lineup comprised founders Crisci and Pillar, bassist Marcus Young, and drummer Nathan Richardson, formerly of the Casket Lottery. Sagarmatha appeared in 2009. Subsequent personnel shifts brought John Momberg into the group after Young departed to concentrate on studies and was replaced by Nate Whitman. Later that year the band signed with Graveface Records, releasing its first recording for the label, the EP Middle States, in 2011. Additional changes occurred before the next album, with Taylor Holenbeck joining on guitar and Nathan Wilder assuming drums. Under this configuration the group delivered its sixth album, Illumination Ritual, in spring 2013. Touring remained intermittent, and six years elapsed before the more mature The Fleeting Light of Impermanence appeared in 2019.