These Arms Are Snakes

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Biography

These Arms Are Snakes was an American post-hardcore band that formed in 2002 and featured former members of Botch (band)|Botch and Kill Sadie . The band was known for their intense live shows, which often feature vocalist Steve Snere crowd surfing and spending a large portion of the live performance in the audience. Before disbanding in 2009, they released three studio albums: Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home (2004), Easter (These Arms Are Snakes Album)|Easter (2006) and Tail Swallower and Dove (2008). Former members of These Arms Are Snakes currently play in Russian Circles , Narrows (band)|Narrows , Minus the Bear and Hooves .

They toured with such notable bands as Minus the Bear, Big Business (band)|Big Business , Mastodon (band)|Mastodon , Cursive (band)|Cursive , The Blood Brothers (band)|The Blood Brothers , Engine Down , Hot Water Music , Isis (band)|Isis , Pelican (band)|Pelican , Chiodos , and Against Me! .

History

Formation (2002–2003)

The band formed as a five-piece Supergroup (music)|supergroup of sorts (though rarely referred to as such) in 2002 with Steve Snere of Kill Sadie , Brian Cook (musician)|Brian Cook of Botch (band)|Botch , and Ryan Frederiksen of Nineironspitfire in addition to Joe Preston and Jesse Robertson. They chose the name "These Arms Are Snakes" as their band name because it was "ridiculous and really sound like any other band name that's out there." The group announced that they had signed to Jade Tree Records in March 2003, and released their debut EP This Is Meant to Hurt You in August of that year. This was the only release with a full-time keyboardist , as Jesse Robertson left the band in 2004 after having differences in opinion about the group's touring style. They continued as a four-piece band from this point forward. Before recording their follow-up album to This Is Meant to Hurt You , Joe Preston also left the group and was replaced by Erin Tate who played in Kill Sadie with Steve Snere and Minus the Bear . Preston and other members of These Arms Are Snakes got into a van accident with a semi-truck following his farewell show.

Oxeneers (2004–2005)

Losing a full-time keyboardist had an impact on their sound and stage performance, though Cook would still occasionally perform keys throughout the remainder of the group's existence. According to Ryan Frederiksen, this move opened up more space on stage allowing them to "run free across the whole stage," allowing for a more intense live show. The loss of Robertson also allowed These Arms Are Snakes to focus on their overall sound and create "stripped-down, spacious arrangements." These changes impacted their debut full-length Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home (often referred to more simply as either The Lion Sleeps or Oxeneers ) released though Jade Tree in September 2004.

In support of Oxeneers , These Arms Are Snakes joined the "Totally Badical Tour" with headliner Underoath and openers The Chariot (band)|The Chariot , Hopesfall , and Fear Before the March of Flames . The band was not warmly received on this tour. Audience members bought merchandise, though according to the group this felt more like an "empty gesture." Band members also experienced friction between themselves and some of the other bands on the tour. Underoath is composed of Christian band members that would openly express their thoughts on religion and politics and would frequently conflict with the ideals of These Arms Are Snakes.

These Arms Are Snakes followed up their debut album with Like a Virgin (split)|Like a Virgin , a split EP with Seattle group Harkonen (band)|Harkonen through Hydra Head Records . The EP featured two new tracks from both bands, and one track written and performed by both groups. This would be the second and final release with drummer Erin Tate, who was replaced by Ben Verellen in 2005 before going on tour with Minus the Bear.

Easter (2006–2007)

Verellen quit the band without an explanation given in 2005, and was quickly replaced by drummer and Record producer|producer Chris Common. Ben Verellen would later go on to form his own amplifier company called Verellen Amplifiers. The group's previous conflicts with Underoath would loosely inspire their second studio album, Easter (These Arms Are Snakes Album)|Easter , released through Jade Tree in 2006. While These Arms Are Snakes weren't trying to make a public statement about organized religion, themes about religion (most notably on "Perpetual Bris") were present. A more prominent lyrical theme throughout Easter was vocalist Steve Snere trying to examine the "bigger picture" of life and existence.

At the end of 2006, they toured in support of their new album with Thrice , Planes Mistaken for Stars , Mouth of the Architect and Young Widows . In early 2007, These Arms Are Snakes did a small headlining tour in Europe with various bands, and returned to America to open for Against Me! and Mastodon (band)|Mastodon .

Tail Swallower and Dove (2008–2009)

For their third studio album, These Arms Are Snakes signed to Suicide Squeeze Records —a label that far better supported the band than their previous record label, Jade Tree. Over their former label, they praised Suicide Squeeze's treatment of the band and ability to market and sell records, in addition to being with more familiar groups like Minus the Bear. Tail Swallower and Dove was released in October 2008. It was again produced by Chris Common and was only recorded in one month—the shortest recording period of an album for the group. The album was seen as a departure from their more Hardcore punk|hardcore -sounding songs and took a more experimental approach, and also more traditional song structures.

During this period, These Arms Are Snakes also released a number of split releases. They released Pelican / These Arms Are Snakes|PLCN/TAAS , a split release with Pelican (band)|Pelican through Hydra Head. A Russian Circles / These Arms Are Snakes|limited edition 12" split with Cook's side project Russian Circles was released on tour, and a split with Tropics, Meet Your Mayor / Future Gets Tense was also made in limited quantities. The band's final release before disbanding was All the Saints / These Arms Are Snakes|a split single with All the Saints , which was originally released as a limited edition 7" vinyl through Touch and Go Records , but later released as a digital download. Their contributed track "Washburn" was recorded during the Tail Swallower and Dove sessions.

Break up (2009–2010)

On January 12, 2010, These Arms Are Snakes announced that they had broken up. Though the announcement was made in 2010, the band had been inactive since late 2009 with most of the members focusing on their respective side projects and other groups. Guitarist Ryan Frederiksen formed Narrows (band)|Narrows with former Botch vocalist Dave Verellen and released their debut album New Distances in May 2009. Bassist Brian Cook continued work in Russian Circles and released their third album Geneva (Russian Circles album)|Geneva in October 2009. Prior to disbanding, These Arms Are Snakes expressed interest in taking their music in a new direction for a potential fourth studio album. Writing and recording was expected to begin in December 2009. Also in 2009, the group announced they had recorded tracks for a split with Minus the Bear and a compilation covers album paying tribute to Nirvana (band)|Nirvana 's In Utero (album)|In Utero —both of which have yet to be released.

Members

Final lineup

Chris Common – Drum set|drums (2005–2009)

Brian Cook (musician)|Brian Cook – bass guitar , pump organ , guitar , MicroKORG (2002–2009)

Ryan Frederiksen – guitar, MicroKORG, didgeridoo (2002–2009)

Steve Snere – vocals , KAOSS pad (2002–2009)

Former members

Joe Preston – drums (2002–2004)

Jesse Robertson – keyboards (2002–2004)

Erin Tate – drums (2004–2005)

Ben Verellen – drums (2005)

Discography

Studio albums

Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home ( Jade Tree Records|Jade Tree , 2004)

Easter (These Arms Are Snakes Album)|Easter (Jade Tree, 2006)

Tail Swallower and Dove ( Suicide Squeeze Records|Suicide Squeeze , 2008)

EPs

This Is Meant to Hurt You (Jade Tree, 2003)

Split albums

Like a Virgin (split)|Like a Virgin (Split with Harkonen (band)|Harkonen ) ( Hydra Head Records|Hydra Head , 2005)

PLCN/TAAS (Split with Pelican (band)|Pelican ) (Hydra Head, 2008)

Russian Circles / These Arms Are Snakes 12" (Split with Russian Circles ) (Sargent House, 2008)

Meet Your Mayor / Future Gets Tense 7" (Split with Tropics) (We-Be, 2008)

All the Saints / These Arms Are Snakes 7" (Split with All the Saints) ( Touch and Go Records|Touch and Go , 2009)

7" Split with Minus the Bear (Vinyl Collective, TBA)

Singles

Good Friday 7" (Suicide Squeeze, 2006)

Music videos

Year	Song	Album
2006	"Horse Girl"	Easter
2009	"Red Line Season"	Tail Swallower and Dove

Other contributions

Year	Contributed song	Album	Label
2006	"Old Paradise"	Slaying Since 1996	Suicide Squeeze
TBA	" Heart-Shaped Box "	Nirvana cover album	Robotic Empire

References

External links

Category:American post-hardcore musical groups
Category:Musical groups from Washington (state)

Copyright Citations

This article is licensed under the GNU License
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