| U.S. Christmas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Marion, North Carolina, United States |
| Genres | Americana, Sludge Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Space Rock, Folk |
| Years active | 2002 - 2012, 2015 - ? |
| Labels | Nomass, R.A.I.G., Wrest, Neurot Recordings |
| Associated acts | The Poison Snake, The Ritualist, The Sabbathian, Anu, Demoncy, Hour Of 13, Mountain Of Judgement, Profane Grace, Set, Seven Foot Spleen, Torturecide, Graceless, Uktena |
| Website | U.S. Christmas Official Page via Wayback Machine |
U.S. Christmas (Abbreviated to USX) are a psychedelic rock/Americana band from Marion, North Carolina. Usually as a five-piece bands but incorporating as many as six or seven members with an ever-changing lineup, the sound exudes an ever-changing sound of psychedelic with elements of folk, Americana, country, space rock and doom metal.
Since forming in 2002 USX has released five studio albums (The last three albums released via Neurot Recordings) and have toured frequently in the USA and Europe.
History[]
U.S. Christmas (USX) started playing together in 2002. They created very loud, loose and free music in a definite nasty psychedelic vein, but never jammy or amorphous. Everyone creates their own individual sound, and writes their own parts. And together they change things around a lot, probably because they don’t remember what they played the last time they played. The bandmates mention many bands that shaped their sound: classic psychedelic, blues, guitar slingers, modern metal, doom, and sludge, as well as old country artists - Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Hawkwind, Neurosis and Caustic Resin. Beginning to playing shows in late 2002, the band eventually composed their first studio album in late 2004 on Bad Heart Bull. With more performances through the Carolinas and Tennessee areas, the band followed up with Salt The Wound in 2006. Scott Kelly (Neurosis) got word of this album and upon hearing it, got the band signed to Neurot Recordings.
Drawing heavy influence from Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian and the natural world, Eat The Low Dogs was released via Neurot on 10 June 2008 with a North American Tour surrounding it. What would follow would be the most extensive touring cycle of the band known to date the next year, with two extensive tours of the US and Europe (Including appearances at Roadburn Festival and Scion RockFest). By 2010 the lineup would change and mutate (With Hall, Greene and Johnson being the sole original members) as the band went into the studio for their fourth album. Run Thick in The Night saw it's release on 21 September 2010 to critical praise. A follow-up in the form of a single 38-minute song entitled The Valley Path on 31 May 2011. Surrounding the release of The Valley Path would be shows with Neurosis, Yob, Batillus, Hull, Black Skies and Generation of Vipers.
While the band would perform a handful of shows in 2012, the members of USX would concentrate on solo projects including Nate Hall's solo debut A Great River on 11 May 2012. Eventually the band would tour in April 2015 once again with Generation of Vipers before going on a hiatus of sorts, with the respective members concentrating on solo endeavors.
Members[]
- Nate Hall - Guitar, Vocals (2002 - 2012; 2015 - ?)
- Tim Greene - Drums (2002 - 2012; 2015 - ?)
- Matt Johnson - Theremin, Guitar, Synthesizer (2002 - 2012; 2015 - ?)
- Josh Holt - Bass, Synthesizer (2010 - 2012; 2015 - ?)
- B.J. Graves - Drums (2010 - 2012; 2015 - ?)
- Justin Whitlow - Drums, Synthesizer (2010 - 2012; 2015 - ?)
- Meghan Mulhearn - Violin, Vocals (2010 - 2012; 2015 - ?)
- Travis Kammeyer - Hammond Organ, Effects (2010 - 2012; 2015 - ?)
- John Presnell - Bass (2002 - 2009)
- Scott Isenhour - Synthesizer, Guitar (2002 - 2003)
- Chad Davis - Synthesizer, Guitar (2003 - 2009)
- Ben Teeter - Synthesizer (2007 - 2009)
Discography[]
Studio Albums[]
- Bad Heart Bull (2004, Nomass; 2012, Play The Assassin Records)
- Salt the Wound (2006, R.A.I.G)
- Eat The Low Dogs (2008, Neurot Recordings)
- Run Thick In The Night (2010, Neurot Recordings)
- The Valley Path (2011, Neurot Recordings)
Other Releases[]
- Prayer Meeting (Demo) (2003, Self-Released)
- A Cryptic Mess - Alive And Sloppy (2003/2004, Self-Released)
- USCHRISTMAS (EP) (2007, Neurot Recordings)
- Subramanium / U.S. Christmas - Split 7" (Split with Subramanium) (2007, Wrest)
- Hawkwind Triad (Split with Harvestman and Minsk) (2010, Neurot Recordings)
- The Grand Astoria X US Christmas (Split with The Grand Astoria) (2012, 668,Flower Punk , Dans Le Vide, Crumble Fight, Setalight Records)
List of Known Tours[]
- October 2008 North American Tour (2008)
- 2009 Spring European Tour (With Saviours) (2009)
- 2009 Summer North American Tour (With Pontiak) (2009)
- 2009 Fall European Tour (2009)
- 2009 Fall North American Tour (With Earthless, Baroness) (2009)[1] (2009)
- March 2010 North American Tour (With Weedeater, ASG, Torche (Partially Canceled); Later with Black Cobra)
- 2011 Mini-Tours (With Various band in January, March and May) (2011)
- 2015 North American Tour (With Generation of Vipers) (2015)