Gigan is an American experimental death metal band. Characterized by their heavy psychedelic elements, the one-of-a-kind guitar style of their mainman Eric Hersemann, and the incredible complexity of their drum arrangements, they have become a cult favorite over the years.
Formed in 2006 by Eric Hersemann (guitar, bass, synthesizer, theremin, xylophone), Randy Piro (guitar, vocals), and Grover Norton III (drums) shortly after Hersemann left Hate Eternal, the band wasted no time in self-releasing the Footsteps of Gigan EP in 2007, though Norton quickly left and was replaced by Danny Ryan, and a debut full-length, The Order of the False Eye, was released in 2008. Assorted touring dates followed, including a tour supporting Belphegor and Neuraxis, along with a lineup change that resulted in the departure of Piro and Ryan and the welcoming in of John Collett and Kesava "Kaish" Doane, as well as a deal with Willowtip Records. Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes, their second full-length, followed in 2011, followed by more touring, though Collett and Doane quit in 2013 and were swiftly replaced by Eston Browne and Nate Cotton, and with that lineup came Multi-Dimensional Fractal-Sorcery and Super Science that same year. Having just finished up a brief tour, there's almost certainly more to come.
Discography:
- Footsteps of Gigan (2007) - EP
- The Order of the False Eye (2008)
- Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes (2011)
- Multi-Dimensional Fractal-Sorcery and Super Science (2013)
- Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence (2017)
This band contains examples of the following tropes:
- Covers Always Lie: They tend to have pretty goofy titles and cover for their albums, which belies the fact that they actually make fairly serious, extreme death metal.
- Eldritch Abomination: A common lyrical topic.
- The name comes from one of Godzilla's longtime kaiju foes, so it doubles as a Meaningful Name.
- Energy Being: "Transmogrification into Bio-Luminoid".
- Epic Rocking: A few of their songs last for 8 to 10 minutes.
- I Am the Band: Eric Hersemann.
- Nobody Loves the Bassist: They don't even have a full-time bassist. Eric handles it on the albums, while they use session players for live shows.
-
Promoted Fanboy: Eston Browne. - Revolving Door Band: In the seven years they've been around, they haven't had a lineup last for more than one album.
- Rock Trio: In-studio. They use session bassists for live shows.
- Scary Black Man: Eston, at least onstage.
- Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: All of their album titles and most of their song titles.
- Signature Style: Tons of odd time signatures, effects-laden guitar riffing, ridiculously complex drumming, lots of weird psychedelic soundscapes, and the occasional noodly bit.
- Start My Own: Eric quit Hate Eternal to form Gigan.
- Technical Death Metal: Of the mathy, screechy Gorguts-esque branch.
- Uncommon Time: Common time is a rarity here.
