The Best Supergroups in Metal
Categories: Metal
Bereft's debut album, Leichenhaus, was released this week. Featuring members of Abysmal Dawn and Intronaut, and an ex-member of The Faceless, the group plays snail-paced doom-metal inspired by 90's U.K. acts like Paradise Lost and Anathema. Since it came out just this week, it is still too early to tell what kind of impact they will have, but they got us thinking about the best metal supergroups, which we have run down for you below.
Fantomas
Featuring members of Dream Theater, King Crimson, and Dixie Dregs
Drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist John Petrucci took a break in 1997 from prog-metal greats Dream Theater. They hooked up with then-King Crimson bassist Tony Levin and then-Dixie Dregs keyboardist Jordan Rudess. Over the course of two albums, Liquid Tension Experiment pushed the boundaries of instrumental prog-metal. At times they dangled precariously from the edge of pushing too far, but the success of these albums eventually paved the way for Rudess to join Dream Theater in 2000. 4. Shrinebuilder
Featuring members of Saint Vitus, Sleep, The Melvins, and Neurosis
In 2009, Om/Sleep bassist Al Cisneros joined up with legendary stoner-metal vocalist Scott "Wino" Weinrich, Melvins drummer Dale Crover, and guitarist Scott Kelly of post-metal pioneers Neurosis to form Shrinebuilder. The resulting self-titled album was an immensely punishing slab of stoner-doom. We're honestly not sure if a large enough shrine could be built to contain it. Subsequent live shows featured some of the heaviest floor-rumbling jams that we have personally experienced.
3. Fantomas
Featuring members of Faith No More, The Melvins, Slayer, and Mr. Bungle
Over the course of four albums from 1999-2005, this supergroup consisting of Mike Patton, Buzz Osbourne, Trevor Dunn, and Dave Lombardo lumped together elements of metal, classical music, jazz, and noise. They continuously challenged the ears of listeners; we found ourselves yelling, "I don't know what the fuck I am listening to, but it's awesome!" Fantomas may have been the hardest-to-digest project its members have been involved with, which is saying a lot, given their individual pedigrees.
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