Conan

Conan
Background information
Origin	Liverpool, England
Genres	Doom, Sludge
Years active	2006 - Present
Labels	Head of Crom, Burning World Records, Napalm Records, Heavy Psych Sounds
Associated acts	Ungraven, Fudge Tunnel DOS, Agent of The Morai, Dread Sovereign, Krawwl, Malthusian, Sodb, Altar of Plagues, Abaddon Incarnate, OMV, Nomad, Coltsblood, Black Magician, Drought, Intensive Square, Flayed Disciple
Website	Official Website
Current members	Jon Davis David Riley Johnny King
Band Logo

Conan are a doom metal band based out of Liverpool, England. Founded in 2006 initially as a duo before quickly morphing into a trio. Conan's sound is characterised by a heavily distorted and downtuned sound that the band describes as "Caveman Battle Doom", drawing heavily from Norse mythology and fantasy themes. Gaining notoriety with 2012's Monnos, Conan would attain further critical acclaim upon signing with Napalm Records and releasing subsequent works such as Blood Eagle and Revengeance.

One of the most revered doom metal acts of the 2000s into the next decade, Conan have released four studio albums to date with a fifth in the works, among several splits and live albums. Along with several releases, Conan have toured all over the world including Europe, North America, Australia and Japan. The band's name is derived from the iconic fantasy hero Conan The Barbarian, created by Robert E. Howard and premiered in Weird Tales circa December 1932.

History

Hawk As Weapon: Foundation and Monnos (2006 - 2013)

Conan would be founded in the Summer 2006 by guitarist and vocalist Jon Davis, along with drummer Richie Grundy. The duo would record a demo entitled Battle in The Swamp in February 2007. Grundy would depart with Paul O'Neill taking over on drums before the band went on nearly a year-long hiatus. Once activity resumed, the band would return as a trio with John McNulty as the band's first bassist. Following the recording of a demo in 2010, Horseback Battle Hammer would see release via Throne Records on 23 April 2010 to positive reception.

McNulty would leave in 2011 with David Perry joining on bass in time to record a split 12" with Slomatics (Released 8 May 2011 via Head of Crom Records) and tours of the UK and Ireland. Phil Coumbe would join in time to record the band's debut album with Chris Fielding at Foel Studios. Signing with Burning World Records, Monnos would see release on 1 April 2012 to critical acclaim from numerous publications.

In support of Monnos, Conan would tour Europe for the first time surrounding appearances at Droneburg Festival, Catadoomed Festival and Roadburn Festival, the latter being released as a live album entitled Mount Wrath: Live at Roadburn 2012 via Burning World Records and Roadburn Records. Along with numerous short tours in 2012, the band would support the likes of Sleep and Eyehategod.

In 2013 Conan would take an older song entitled "Beheaded" and present it for a split release. This would appear on a split 12" with Bongripper and surrounding a UK tour by both bands to support the split, including an appearance at Desertfest London. Bongripper / Conan would attain positive reception.

On 30 April 2013 it would be announced that Conan had signed a worldwide deal with Napalm Records. Following a UK tour in 2013, work would begin on a second album, recording again with Chris Fielding.

Total Conquest: Napalm Records, Blood Eagle and Revengeance (2014 - 2017)

Conan's second album Blood Eagle would be released on 28 February 2014 via Napalm Records, with a music video for "Foehammer" released two weeks prior on Valentine's Day. Blood Eagle would garner further critical acclaim. Touring with the likes of Bast, Church of Misery, Belzebong and High on Fire, Conan would tour heavily throughout Europe and the UK in support of Blood Eagle, including appearances at Temples Festival, Hellfest, Desertfest Belgium and Dutch Doom Days. The band also perfomed their first tour of Australia in 2014.

Longtime drummer O'Neil, who had performed on both of the band's full-length albums, was replaced by Rich Lewis in 2014. Chris Fielding, who engineered and produced the first two albums, would join the band on bass and vocals in 2014. Conan would start 2015 touring Europe with Ufomammut and making notable appearances at DesertFest Berlin and Heavy Days in Doomtown. On 31 March 2015, the band announced that they would be headlining their first North American with support Samothrace and Mantar. The tour consisted of 11 dates, including Psycho California and Maryland Deathfest. Following a summer UK tour with Khost and occasional festival appearances, work would begin on a third album with the trio of Davis, Fielding and Lewis.

Recording at Skyhammer Studio and announcing the third album on 15 October, the band announced their third full-length album would be titled Revengeance, as well as a release date of 29 January 2016. Like the prior effort, Revengeance would garner critical acclaim. Conan would tour extensively through the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and North America to support Revengeance.

On 3 August 2017 the band announced on their Facebook page the departure of Lewis. Johnny King would join the band in time for a performance at Psycho Las Vegas. In November 2017 Conan would release Man Is Myth, a collection of demos spanning from 2006 - 2012.

Prosper on The Path: Existential Void Guardian and Fifth Album (2018 - Present)

Following a Spring tour of North America, a Spring tour with Monolord and the band's first tour of Japan, work would be finished on a fourth record. Recording in the Spring of 2018 Skyhammer Studio, Existential Void Guardian would see release via Napalm Records on 14 September 2018. Existential Void Guardian would garner further critical acclaim from several publications.

Conan would embark on their most extensive touring cycle to date in support of Existential Void Guardian. Already having toured extensively through the world, Conan would tour Europe to support their fourth album, followed by touring Australia and New Zealand with Bell Witch. In 2019, Conan would tour twice through North America, the second of which surrounding a headlining appearance at The Maryland Doom Fest.

On 6 July 2019 Conan would announce that a fifth album was in the works. Originally intended for 2019 it would be slated for May 2020 and the band's intended final release on Napalm Records. Further touring and this fifth album would be planned for 2020 but would ultimately be delayed due to the CO-VID19 Pandemic. To hold fans over, Conan would release a live album entitled Live at Freak Valley on 12 March 2021, chronicling their appearance at Freak Valley Festival in 2017.

The band would eventually resume touring in the Fall of 2021 amid sporadic appearances at Riffolution Festival, Høstsabbat, Desertfest Belgium and Damnation Festival. The band would confirm that work had begun on a fifth studio album in the Fall of 2021, slated for a 2022 release.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Monnos (2012, Burning World Records)
• Blood Eagle (2014, Napalm Records)
• Revengeance (2016, Napalm Records)
• Existential Void Guardian (2018, Napalm Records)
• TBA (2022, Napalm Records)

Splits

• Conan vs. Slomatics (With Slomatics) (2011, Head of Crom Records)
• Zero Talent / Beheaded (With Bongripper) (2013, Holy Roar Records)
• Conan / Kurokuma / Granule (With Kurokuma, Granule) (2018, Self-Released)
• Doom Sessions Vol. 1 (With Deadsmoke) (2020, Heavy Psych Sounds)

Live Albums

• Mount Wrath: Live at Roadburn 2012 (2013, Burning World Records; Roadburn Records)
• Bannermans Bar - August 2012 (2014, Self-Released)
• Live at Freak Valley (2021, Napalm Records)

Other Releases

• Battle in the Swamp (Demo) (2007, Self-Released; 2010, Self-Released)
• Horseback Battle Hammer (Extended Play) (2010, Throne Records)
• Man is Myth (Compilation) (2017, Napalm Records)

Personnel

Current Members

• Jon Davis Guitar, Vocals (2006 - Present)
• Johnny King - Drums (2017 - Present)
• David Riley - Bass, Vocals (2023 - Present)

Former Members

• Richie Grundy Drums (2006)
• Paul O'Neill Drums (2007 - 2014)
• John McNulty Bass, Vocals (2009 - 2011)
• David Perry - Live Bass (2011, 2014)
• Phil Coumbe Bass, Vocals (2011 - 2013)
• Rich Lewis Drums (2014 - 2017)
• Chris Fielding Bass, Vocals (2014 - 2023)
• Renata Castagna - Live Bass, Vocals (2016)
• Dan Mullins - Live Drums (2017)
• Adam Holbrook - Live Bass (2019)

List of Known Tours

• November 2010 Mini-Tour (With Charger) (2010)
• 2011 Mini-Tours (Select dates with Serpent Venom) (2011)
• Spring 2012 European Tour (2012)
• Fall 2012 Mini-Tours (2012)
• Winter 2013 European Tour (2013)
• March 2013 Finland Tour (With Horse Latitudes) (2013)
• April 2013 UK Tour (With Bongripper, Humanfly) (2013)
• Fall 2013 UK Tour (2013)
• Blood Eagle UK Tour (With Bast) (2014)
• Blood Eagle Spring European Tour (Select dates with Belzebong, The Moth) (2014)
• Summer 2014 European Tour (With High on Fire) (2014)
• Blood Eagle Australian Tour (With Yanomamo) (2014)
• Fall 2014 European Tour (2014)
• April 2015 European Tour (With Ufomammut) (2015)
• May 2015 North American Tour (With Samothrace, Mantar) (2015)
• June 2015 UK Tour (With Khost) (2015)
• Revengeance North American Tour (With Serial Hawk) (2016)
• The Majestic Hammer (2016)
• Revengeance Spring European Tour (With Samothrace) (2016)
• Revengeance Australia / New Zealand Tour (With Weedeater) (2016)
• Revengeance Fall European Tour (With Samothrace) (2016)
• Spring European Tour 2017 (With Downfall of Gaia, High Fighter, Hark) (2017)
• Revengeance Tour 2017 (With North) (2017)
• Fall European Tour 2017 (With Monolord) (2017)
• Existential Void Guardian North American Tour (With The Ditch and The Delta) (2018)
• Spring 2018 Japan Tour (With Kurokuma, Granule) (2018)
• Spring 2018 European Tour (With Monolord) (2018)
• Existential Void Guardian European Tour (2018)
• Existential Void Guardian Australia / New Zealand Tour (With Bell Witch) (2018)
• Existential Void Guardian UK Tour (With Conjurer) (2018)
• 20 Years of Sonic Brewtality (With Black Label Society, The Atomic Bitchwax) (2019)
• North America Summer 2019 (With Witchkiss) (2019)
• Cold Blackened Violence (With Un, Sixes) (2019)
• 2021 UK Tour (2021)
• The North 2022 (With Grave Lines) (2022)
• 2024 North American Tour (2024)

External Links

• Official Website
• Bandcamp
• Facebook
• Instagram