Milemarker (band)

Milemarker is an American post-hardcore group from North Carolina, United States.

Milemarker
OriginChapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S.
GenresPost-hardcore
Years active1997–present
Labels
Members
  • Dave Laney
  • Ben Davis
  • Al Burian
  • Noah Leger
  • Monika Bukowska
  • Tim Remis
  • Greg Norman
  • John Bowman
  • Tony Lazzara
Past members
  • Roby Newton
  • Sean Husick
  • Tim Herzog
  • Nandini Khaund
  • Patrick Zung
  • Joseph DeVeaugh-Geiss
  • Seth Freedman
  • Jeffery McGovern

Their sound has ranged from experimental electronic to alternative rock. Formed in Chapel Hill, the band became a prominent part of the underground music scenes in both Chapel Hill and Chicago. They released albums including "Anaesthetic" in 2001 and "Ominosity" in 2005. The band took a hiatus between 2005 and 2008 but did not officially disband. They resumed with a European tour in 2008 and a US tour in 2017. Milemarker is also known for their wordplay and ironic lyrics that often address social issues. In addition, original members Al Burian and Dave Laney, along with Tim Remis, released an album under the side project Challenger in 2004.

History

Milemarker originally formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. For a number of years they were part of the Chapel Hill and Chicago underground music scenes. The band became known for their eclectic stylings; their sound shifted from an experimental electronic format to heavier alternative rock in more recent years.

In 2001 Milemarker released an album, Anaesthetic on the Jade Tree label.[1] Milemarker released their album Ominosity in 2005, and embarked on a tour of the US in support. The album featured heavy drums following winding guitars and vocals alternating from contemplative and narrative to shrieking and visceral. From 2005 to 2008, although the band did not officially break up, circumstances prevented the band from further recording and touring.[2]

In 2008, the band played a show with the original line up of Al Burian, Dave Laney, and Ben Davis, and had a 12-date tour in Europe before playing at a musical festival in Lärz, Germany.[2] They toured the US in 2017.[3]

Milemarker often used word play and ironic lyrics in their songs. Examples include "Frigid Forms Sell You Warmth" ("there's a product line attached to every form of suicide") from 2000's Frigid Forms Sell; "A Quick Trip to the Clinic" ("died of pneumonia that I got on the walk to get my flu shot") from 2001's Anaesthetic; "From Russia With Love" ("everybody loves a good Red Scare") from 1999's Changing Caring Humans; and "Virtual Sex" ("it's not too personal to get personable with the personnel") from 2005's Ominosity. The title of the band's six-song EP Satanic Versus—including three tracks recorded by Steve Albini[4]—is itself a play on Salman Rushdie's book "Satanic Verses". Milemarker also often employ a satirical or introspective slant toward social issues such as materialism ("Frigid Forms Sell You Warmth", "A Quick Trip to the Clinic", "Shrink To Fit"), technology ("Internet Relay Chat with the Central Intelligence Agency", "Server Error", "Ant Architect", "Virtual Sex"), and women's roles ("Food For Worms"), and have also referenced Orwellian ("New Lexicon") and apocalyptic ("Tundra", "Sun Out") themes.

Challenger, a more hard rock-oriented side project of Milemarker consisting of original members Al Burian and Dave Laney and newcomer Tim Remis, released their debut album Give People What They Want in Lethal Doses in 2004.[5]

Discography
Year ReleaseLabel
1998 Future IsmsStickfigure
1998 Non Plus UltraParalogy
1998 Receiver 7"Clocked Out Records
1999 Split 7" w/ The Blood BrothersBoards Don't Hit Back Records
1999 Sex Jam 7"Bloodlink Records
1999 Changing Caring HumansStickfigure Records
2000 Frigid Forms SellJade Tree Records/Lovitt Records
2000 Bomb Threat/From Russia With Love 7"208 Records
2001 AnaestheticJade Tree Records
2002 Satanic VersusJade Tree Records/Day After Records
2005 OminosityEyeball/Stick Figure Records
2015 Conditional Love 7"Lovitt Records
2016 OverseasLovitt Records

References
  1. "CD REVIEWS: Tori Amos, Live, Macy Gray and many more". Chart Attack, September 18, 2001 By: Debbie Bento and Brian Pascual.
  2. Reed, Bryan, Chapel Hill's Milemarker plays its first show in two years, Independent Weekly, 28 June 2008
  3. "Milemarker". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  4. Ott, Chris, Review of Satanic Versus EP, Pitchfork, 7 October 2002
  5. "Challenger | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
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