The Absence
Proving that South Florida is still home to thrash metal at its most aggressive, the Absence are a Tampa-based band whose furious guitar work, monstrous vocals, and pummeling rhythms have won them the approval of discerning fans of extreme hard rock. The Absence were formed in 2001 by vocalist Jamie Stewart and guitarist Patrick Pintavalle; both were veterans of the Tampa metal community but believed that the scene was growing stale and needed fresh blood. Both Stewart and Pintavalle were fans of the new breed of Scandinavian metal, which they embraced as a key inspiration as they assembled the first lineup of the Absence; they made their debut in 2002, playing an opening set for Mastodon. However, neither Stewart nor Pintavalle were happy with the new group's progress, and they began working up material with two like-minded friends, guitarist Peter Joseph and drummer Jeramie Kling. While they were all pleased with the results, Joseph and Kling were busy with another band and couldn't commit to the Absence full-time. However, in time that changed, and in 2005 Stewart, Pintavalle, Joseph, Kling, and bassist Nick Calaci came together as the Absence and recorded a demo that impressed Metal Blade Records enough to sign the band.
In the fall of 2005, the Absence released their first album, From Your Grave, and the group toured extensively in support of the disc, both as a headliner and opening for the likes of Ion Dissonance, Entombed, Through the Eyes of the Dead, Dead to Fall, and Nuclear Assault. In 2007, the Absence returned to the studio to record their second album. Featuring guest appearances by James Murphy (guitarist with Death and Testament), Jonas Granvik (vocalist for Without Grief and Edge of Sanity), and Jonas Kjellgren (of Scar Symmetry and Carnal Forge, who also produced the sessions), the Absence's sophomore release, Riders of the Plague, was released in August 2007; in support, the group hit the road as part of the Metal Blade 25th anniversary tour with labelmates Cannibal Corpse, the Black Dahlia Murder, and the Red Chord. In 2008, Kling left the band and was replaced by Justin Reynolds. The following year the band went back into the studio, but was delayed after Reynolds was injured in a serious car accident. Jeramie Kling returned to the band to once again play the drums, and in 2010 the Absence released their third album, Enemy Unbound. The ensuing years saw the Absence settling on the core lineup of Stewart, Kling, Per Nilsson, Michael Joseph Leon, and Taylor Nordberg, and in 2015 they issued the single "Oceans" in anticipation of the release of their fourth studio long-player, A Gift for the Obsessed, which arrived in early 2018.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
Discography
18 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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A Gift for the Obsessed
Metal - Released by M-Theory Audio on 23 Mar 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
From Your Grave
Metal - Released by Metal Blade Records on 6 Sep 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Riders of the Plague
Metal - Released by Metal Blade Records on 7 Aug 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Do What You Want
Metal - Released by M-Theory Audio on 17 May 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Misery Trophies
Metal - Released by M-Theory Audio on 12 Mar 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Choirs of Sickness
Metal - Released by M-Theory Audio on 31 Mar 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Walking Shadows
Metal - Released by M-Theory Audio on 10 May 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Black Providence
Metal - Released by M-Theory Audio on 1 Jun 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Enemy Unbound
Metal - Released by Metal Blade Records + on 10 Sep 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Just me and you (Just ME&U)
Dance - Released by High Step Production on 29 Aug 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Breeding Hysterics
Metal - Released by The Absence on 28 Mar 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Communion Carbonized
Metal - Released by The Absence on 15 Feb 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Gift for the Obsessed
Metal - Released by M-Theory Audio on 19 Jan 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo