Alarum (band)

Alarum are an Australian progressive metal band which formed in 1992. Their first album, Fluid Motion, was self-released in 1998. The second album, Eventuality..., was released in Australia and United States on Willowtip Records in October 2004 and in Europe on Earache Records in June 2005. From April to June 2006 Alarum toured US with Necrophagist, Arsis, Cattle Decapitation and Neuraxis. They followed with shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland with Obituary. The group's third album, Natural Causes, was issued in Australia and US in October 2011 and in Europe in January 2012. Alarum released their fourth album Circle’s End on June 2020.

Alarum is also the Shakespearian spelling for alarm.

Alarum
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
GenresProgressive metal, technical death metal, jazz fusion
Years active1992 (1992)–present
LabelsPrey, Willowtip, Earache
Associated actsThe Berzerker, Dreadnaught, The Levitation Hex, Flatstick
Websitealarum.com
MembersMark Palfreyman
Scott Young
John Sanders
Past membersRyan Williams
Mark Evans
Matthew Racovalis
Luke Morris
Lester Perry
Chris Broome
Rob Brens

History

Alarum are an Australian progressive metal and technical death metal band which formed in 1992 in Melbourne.[1] The original line-up included Matthew Racovalis on drums, Mark A Evans and Christian Broome on Guitar. Broome soon left the band. [1] In 1994 Racovalis and Evans were joined by Luke Morris on vocals and Lester Perry on bass to record the track, "Silence", which was produced by Gary McKenzie; it appeared on the compilation album, Death Down Under (1994), on the Def label.[2]

By late 1995 the line-up was Racovalis, Evans, Mark Palfreyman on bass guitar and vocals, and Scott Young on guitar.[1][3]

Alarum are stylistically similar to early-1990s groups, Atheist and Cynic.[1]

Alarum's first album, Fluid Motion, was self-released in 1998 on Prey Music. It had been recorded in August–September 1997 at the Back Beach Studio in Rye.[4] Production was by Alarum and DW Norton (Superheist guitarist).[5] Norton also engineered the album and provided whispers, vocal noises and keyboards.[2] Christian Renner of The Metal Crypt described Fluid Motion as moving from "hardcore thrash riffs to an almost jazz inspired riff effortlessly and having it sound like it all belongs" and "excellent guitar work with great riffs and brilliant leads to the incredible drum work".[6]

Their second album, Eventuality..., was released in Australia and United States on Willowtip Records in October 2004 and in Europe on Earache Records in June 2005. The album had been recorded during 2004 at the same studio in Rye as their first but with Alarum and Theron Rennison co-producing.[7][8] The Metal Forge's Simon Milburn praised the album as "chock full to the brim of frantic and over the top jazz-fused riffs and bass lines along with dynamic and effective drum fills and rolls and vocals that flick schizophrenically between melody and growl".[9]

From April to June 2006 Alarum toured US with Necrophagist, Arsis, Cattle Decapitation and Neuraxis.[10] They followed, in mid-June, with shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland supporting US death metal group, Obituary. By December that year Racovalis departed the band and a replacement was found in Rob Brens,[7] and in May 2007 Young left the group.[11] Young pursued his solo material and also worked with gothic metallers, Darkest Dawn before eventually joining The Levitation Hex.[11] Also in May the group supported Obituary at a gig in Melbourne on the Australian leg of their Frozen in Time Tour.[12] In 2009 Ryan Williams began playing guitar at the band's live gigs.

When Evans left Alarum in mid-2011 the band recruited John Sanders as his replacement with Williams becoming a full-time member. On 18 October that year the group's third album, Natural Causes, was issued in Australia and US,[13] and in Europe in January 2012. The album had been recorded before Evans had left the group and Rennison was brought in again as their producer.[14] Metal Review's Ramar Pittance sees the group are "honing their songwriting chops and producing some of their tightest compositions to date. What's most impressive about Alarum in 2011 is how responsibly the players wield their technical prowess. At their best, the band pens compositionally straightforward and hooky thrashers and inform them with their meticulously honed and delightfully djanky chops".[13]

Rob Brens departed the band after 9 years in October, 2015, being replaced by Grahame Goode (Infernal Method, Automation, Killrazor), and then replaced for live shows by Liam Weedall (Voros, Dyssidia). The band are currently finishing recording their fourth release, working with Ben Hocking (The Levitation Hex, Aeon Of Horus) on the drums for the recording sessions.

Members

Current
  • Mark Palfreyman – bass guitar, lead vocals (1995–present)
  • Scott Young – guitar (1995-2007, 2013-present)
  • John Sanders – guitar, backing vocals (2011–present)

Former
  • Ryan Williams – live guitar (2009–2011), guitar (2011–2013)
  • Mark Evans – guitar/guitar synth (1992–2011)
  • Matthew Racovalis – drums (1992–2007)
  • Rob Brens – drums (2007–2015)
  • Luke Morris – vocals (1994-1996)
  • Lester Perry – bass (1994)

Timeline

Discography
Studio album
  • Fluid Motion (1998)
  • Eventuality... (2004)
  • Natural Causes (2011)
  • Circle’s End (2020)
Demo
  • Another World
  • Blueprint
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References
  1. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Alarum". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  2. "Alarum – Complete Discography". Alarum Official Website. 2001. Archived from the original on 6 October 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  3. "ASCAP – ACE Title Search". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Archived from the original on 6 March 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2012. Note: User to click on 'Titles' tab and enter track e.g. Velocity. Then click on appropriate result(s) found.
  4. "Fluid Motion [sound recording] / Alarum". Trove. National Library of Australia. 1998. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  5. Fluid Motion (CD). Alarum. Prey Music. 1998. RUM001.CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. Renner, Christian (2 October 2001). "Alarum – Fluid Motion Review". The Metal Crypt. Michael Renaud. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  7. "Alarum Announces New Drummer". Blabbermouth.net (Borivoj Krgin). 2 December 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  8. "Eventuality – Alarum". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  9. Milburn, Simon (27 April 2005). "Alarum – Eventuality...". The Metal Forge. Archived from the original on 8 January 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  10. Milburn, Simon (24 March 2006). "Earache Records". The Metal Forge. Archived from the original on 8 January 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  11. Dixon, Bradley (12 June 2007). "Scott Young Leaves Alarum". OzProg.com (Brad Dixon, Andrew Saltmarsh). Archived from the original on 14 April 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  12. Milburn, Simon (16 March 2007). "Obituary: Australian Tour 2007 Announced!". The Metal Forge. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  13. Pittance, Ramar (4 October 2011). "Review of Alarum – Natural Causes". Metal Review. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  14. "Natural Causes – Alarum". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
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