Group

Kayo Dot

From: Boston, United States
Since: 2003–present
Rating: ★ 4 (2 votes)
Releases: 23

post-metal
art rock
avant-garde metal
avant-prog
experimental rock
avant-garde
drone
post-rock

About

Kayo Dot is an American avant-garde metal band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2003 by Toby Driver after the break-up of Maudlin of the Well. The band revolves around the partnership of Driver and Jason Byron, with Driver writing the music and Byron writing the lyrics.

The band released their debut album Choirs of the Eye on John Zorn's Tzadik Records in 2003. Their lineup has drastically changed over the years with Driver remaining the sole consistent performing member. Kayo Dot's sound features a wide variety of instrumentation including guitar, drums, bass, violin, saxophone, vibraphone, synthesizers, clarinets and flutes. The band is currently based in Brooklyn, New York.
Over the years, in addition to the rotating lineup and constantly changing sounds, Kayo Dot has been signed to a number of different record labels, Tzadik, Robotic Empire, Hydra Head, Driver's self-release imprint, Ice Level Music, The Flenser, and Prophecy Productions. AllMusic describes them as a meld of "progressive, atmospheric, and black metal with abstract electro-acoustic and modern chamber composition, as well as gothic rock."
The band has released eleven studio albums, one EP and one split throughout their ongoing tenure.

From Kayo Dot on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Members

Terran Olson 2003–2003, 2008–now, 2010–2013 · original member keyboard, woodwind
Sam Gutterman 2003–2004, 2023–now · original member drums (drum set), background vocals, percussion, guitar
Jason Byron 2003–2006, 2020–now · original member task
Greg Massi 2003–2006, 2020–now · original member guitar
Toby Driver 2003–now · original member bass guitar, bell, cello, clarinet, double bass, guitar, keyboard, lead vocals, organ, percussion, piano, tuba
Ron Varod 2012–now guitar, keyboard
Leo Didkovsky 2019–now drums (drum set)
Timb Harris 2023–now
Matthew Serra 2023–now
D.J. Murray now sampler
Forbes Graham 2003–2006 · former background vocals, trumpet, euphonium, guitar
Nick Kyte 2003–2006 · original member · former bass guitar
Ryan McGuire 2003–2006, 2008–2012 · former bass guitar, double bass, keyboard
Mia Matsumiya 2003–2013 · original member · former guitar, keyboard, viola, violin
John Carchia 2004–2006 · former guitar
Tom Malone 2004–2006 · former drums (drum set)
David Bodie 2008 · former drums (drum set)
Patrick Wolff 2008–2008 · former woodwind, keyboard
Tim Byrnes 2009–2014 · former French horn, trumpet, synthesizer
Kim Abrams 2010 · former drums (drum set)
Daniel Means 2010 · former percussion, synthesizer, clarinet, saxophone
Philip Price 2017 · former drums (drum set)