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Isis

United States · formed 1997 · last active 2017

Isis were an American post-metal band formed in Boston in 1997 and later based in Los Angeles, active until their breakup in 2010. Building on roots in hardcore punk and doom metal, they helped pioneer and evolve the post-metal sound established by Neurosis and Godflesh, favoring lengthy compositions built on repetition and gradual structural evolution. Led by Aaron Turner, founder of Hydra Head Records, the band's core lineup remained consistent across five studio albums including the acclaimed Oceanic (2002) and Panopticon (2004). They disbanded in June 2010, just before a split EP with the Melvins, and reunited once in 2018 as Celestial for a tribute show.

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SCORE PROFILE

JazzyBalkanHardcoreSurfBarbershopDeathBlackTechnicalGlitchTheatricalFolkDoomDroneShoegazeAmbient8-bit
Jazzy1
Balkan0
Hardcore4
Surf0
Barbershop0
Death1
Black0
Technical5
Glitch2
Theatrical1
Folk0
Doom5
Drone3
Shoegaze3
Ambient4
8-bit0

Accent numbers counted towards the index. Hover an axis — or hold it on a phone — for what it means.

MEMBERS

CONNECTIONS

member · 11
collaboration · 2
  • Pelicanpath →

    Aaron Turner of Isis made a guest appearance on Pelican's 2009 album What We All Come to Need. source ↗

  • Zozobrasatellitepath →

    Zozobra toured the United States with Isis in early 2007, and Isis drummer Aaron Harris played drums on Zozobra's Bird of Prey (2008). source ↗

remix · 4
  • James Plotkinpath →

    James Plotkin remixed Isis's "The Other" for the Oceanic Remixes/Reinterpretations series (2004), credited "Remix" at track level. source ↗

  • Jesupath →

    Justin Broadrick, under the Jesu name, remixed an Isis track. source ↗

  • Melvinspath →

    Melvins (with Lustmord) remixed Isis's "Not in Rivers, But in Drops" — the Melvins/Lustmord Remix appears on the Holy Tears release (2008) and later on the Temporal compilation (2012). source ↗

  • Pusciferpath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) remixed Puscifer's "Trekka" as "The Great Unwashed Mix" for the "V" Is For Viagra – The Remixes compilation (2008), credited "Remix" at track level. source ↗

split release
label founder · 12
  • Botchpath →

    Botch released both of their studio albums on Hydra Head Records, the label founded by Isis frontman Aaron Turner. source ↗

  • Cave Inpath →

    Cave In's core catalog was released on Hydra Head Records, founded by Aaron Turner, frontman of Isis. source ↗

  • Fantômaspath →

    Isis released their major albums including Oceanic and Panopticon through Ipecac Recordings, the label co-founded by Mike Patton of Fantomas. source ↗

  • Greymachinepath →

    Greymachine's debut album Disconnected (2009) was released on Hydra Head Records, the label run by Isis frontman Aaron Turner. source ↗

  • House of Low Culturepath →

    Hydra Head released Live from the House of Low Temperature! (2004, HH666-101) — anchored at Isis, the label's defining band (both are Aaron Turner projects). source ↗

  • Jesupath →

    Jesu's second album Conqueror (2007) was released on Hydra Head Records, the label run by Isis frontman Aaron Turner; Jesu also made their US live debut in March 2007 opening for Isis. source ↗

  • Jodispath →

    Jodis released Secret House (2009) and Black Curtain (2012) on Hydra Head Records, the label founded by Isis frontman Aaron Turner. source ↗

  • Khlystpath →

    Khlyst's album 'Chaos Is My Name' was released in 2006 by Hydra Head Records, the label co-founded by Isis frontman Aaron Turner. source ↗

  • Old Man Gloompath →

    Old Man Gloom albums were released on Hydra Head Records (via its Tortuga imprint), the label founded by Aaron Turner, frontman of Isis. source ↗

  • Pelicanpath →

    Pelican's early releases, including their 2003 debut album Australasia, came out on Hydra Head Records, the label co-founded by Isis frontman Aaron Turner. source ↗

  • Split Craniumsatellitepath →

    Split Cranium's self-titled 2012 debut was released on Hydra Head Records, the label founded by Isis's Aaron Turner. source ↗

  • Zozobrasatellitepath →

    Zozobra's debut Harmonic Tremors (2007) and Bird of Prey (2008) were released on Hydra Head Records, the label co-founded by Isis frontman Aaron Turner. source ↗

producer
  • Convergepath →

    Kurt Ballou recorded/produced early Isis releases including The Mosquito Control EP and The Red Sea at GodCity. source ↗

tour · 7
  • Baronesspath →

    Baroness were among the support acts (with Big Business, Cave In and Melvins) on Isis's headlining Wavering Radiant tour, US/Europe/Japan/Australia, 2009-2010. source ↗

  • Cave Inpath →

    Cave In toured with Isis in 1999 (the tour ended early when Cave In's van caught fire, per Cave In's own account), and Cave In was among the support acts on Isis's headlining Wavering Radiant tour, 2009-2010, per Isis's own account. source ↗

  • Godfleshpath →

    Godflesh toured North America with High on Fire and Isis in 2002, following the short-lived line-up's final shows and preceding Justin Broadrick's hiatus from the band. source ↗

  • Jesupath →

    Justin Broadrick's Jesu supported Isis on tour, per Isis's own account ("has supported Isis on tours") — a separate fact from the pair's existing label-owner, artwork, and remix edges. source ↗

  • Mastodonpath →

    Isis and Mastodon were co-support acts on Tool's 10,000 Days tour, 2006 — a co-support tie per ruling 8 (2026-08-07). Sourced to Tool's own Wikipedia page, which names both as the tour's supporting acts. source ↗

  • Melvinspath →

    Melvins were among the support acts (with Baroness, Big Business and Cave In) on Isis's headlining Wavering Radiant tour, US/Europe/Japan/Australia, 2009-2010. source ↗

  • Toolpath →

    Isis was the opening act for Tool's late-2006 North American tour in support of 10,000 Days; independently confirmed on Tool's own page, which names Isis and Mastodon as the tour's supporting acts. source ↗

artwork · 15
  • Baronesspath →

    Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Aaron Horkey: Baroness's "Yellow & Green" (2012, Logo By) and Isis's "Shades Of The Swarm" (2008, box cover/insert Illustration). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7, the exception to hub-and-spoke) — Horkey is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. One representative Discogs credit cited; the companion credit is logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Botchpath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) is credited "Design [DVD Package Design]" on Botch's 061502 DVD (2006, Hydra Head Records -- Turner's own label). Member-artist hub-and-spoke per the Aaron Turner/O'Malley/Baizley/Bannon precedent -- Turner is an atlas band member (Isis). source ↗

  • Cave Inpath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) created the cover artwork for Cave In's Antenna (2003). source ↗

  • Convergepath →

    Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Aaron Horkey: Converge's "Bloodmoon•I" (2021, Typography, with Chelsea Wolfe) and Isis's "Shades Of The Swarm" (2008, box cover/insert Illustration). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7, the exception to hub-and-spoke) — Horkey is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. One representative Discogs credit cited; the companion credit is logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Cult of Lunapath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) is credited "Artwork By, Design" on Cult of Luna's debut Unfold The Inside / The Art Of Self Extermination (2001, Hydra Head Records -- Turner's own label). Member-artist hub-and-spoke per the Aaron Turner/O'Malley/Baizley/Bannon precedent, not the pairwise rule -- Turner is an atlas band member (Isis). source ↗

  • Dillinger Escape Planpath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) provided artwork and design for The Dillinger Escape Plan's self-titled debut EP (1999). source ↗

  • Envypath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) designed the artwork for the Envy/Jesu split (2004). source ↗

  • Jesupath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) designed the artwork for the Envy/Jesu split (2004). source ↗

  • Kayo Dotpath →

    Both credited to freelance artist James O'Mara (Discogs artist id 979440): Kayo Dot's Coyote (2010, layout & construction) and Isis's In The Absence Of Truth (2006, LP construction). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — O'Mara is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗

  • Neurosispath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) is credited "Artwork" on Neurosis's Sovereign (2000, Neurot Recordings). Member-artist hub-and-spoke per the Aaron Turner/O'Malley/Baizley/Bannon precedent -- Turner is an atlas band member (Isis). source ↗

  • Oxbowpath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) is credited "Artwork [Art], Layout [Construction], Photography By" on Oxbow's Love That's Last (2006, Hydra Head Records -- Turner's own label). Member-artist hub-and-spoke per the Aaron Turner/O'Malley/Baizley/Bannon precedent -- Turner is an atlas band member (Isis). source ↗

  • Pelicanpath →

    Both credited to freelance artist James O'Mara (Discogs artist id 979440): Isis's In The Absence Of Truth (2006, LP construction) and Pelican's Australasia (2006, artwork color treatment). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — O'Mara is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. source ↗

  • Phantomsmasherpath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) is credited "Design, Artwork [Logo, Construction]" on Phantomsmasher's self-titled album (2002, Ipecac Recordings). Member-artist hub-and-spoke per the Aaron Turner/O'Malley/Baizley/Bannon precedent -- Turner is an atlas band member (Isis). source ↗

  • Sunn O)))path →

    Both bands' cover art/design work was done by freelance artist Aaron Horkey: Isis's "Shades Of The Swarm" (2008, box cover/insert Illustration) and Sunn O)))'s "CroMonolithic Remixes For An Iron Age" (2004, Artwork). Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7, the exception to hub-and-spoke) — Horkey is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. One representative Discogs credit cited; the companion credit is logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Zozobrasatellitepath →

    Aaron Turner (Isis) did artwork/design for Zozobra's "Unreleased Tracks" — credited Artwork. Multi-anchor credit (Aaron Turner is a member of 11 atlas bands); tied to every home band per ruling 9 (2026-08-22). source ↗

label · 20
2 split releases →

FURTHER LISTENING

Nearest score profiles in the atlas.

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  • Post-metalEI 8
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  • Post-metalEI 4
    Pelican
    TechnicalDoomHardcore

    Pelican is an American instrumental post-metal band formed in Chicago in 2001, known for heavy, atmospheric, almost entirely instrumental compositions with extended track lengths. Their debut EP and albums such as Australasia (2003), The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw (2005), and City of Echoes (2007) appeared on Hydra Head Records before the band moved to Southern Lord Records around 2009. The founding lineup pairs the two guitars of Trevor de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec with the rhythm section of brothers Bryan and Larry Herweg.

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  • Post-metalEI 17
    Neurosis
    DoomHardcoreTechnical

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  • Post-metalEI 15
    The Ocean
    TechnicalDoomHardcore

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  • Post-metalEI 11
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    TechnicalAmbientDoom

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  • Turner-verse / Hydra HeadEI 9
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    DoomTechnicalHardcore

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  • Mathcore / DEP-verseEI 4
    Zozobrasatellite
    DoomHardcoreTechnical

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  • Turner-verse / Hydra HeadEI 17
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