Thou (American band)
Thou is an American sludge metal band formed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2005. The current lineup of the band consists of Bryan Funck (vocals), Andy Gibbs (guitar), Matthew Thudium (guitar and vocals), Mitch Wells (bass), KC Stafford (guitar and vocals), and Tyler Coburn (drums). History The band was formed by guitarists Andy Gibbs and Matthew Thudium, bassist Mitch Wells, and drummer Terry Gulino. Thou released their first full-length effort, Tyrant, in 2007 after the arrival of the vocalist Bryan Funck. These were followed by their second studio album Peasant in 2008 and a string of EPs, including Malfeasance – Retribution (2008), The Retaliation of the Immutable Force of Nature (2008), Through the Empires of the Eternal Void (2009) and Baton Rouge/You Have Much to Answer For (2010). Their third full-length album, Summit was released in 2010. The band's fourth studio album, Heathen, released in 2014, was met with critical acclaim. This album marked the first time in the band's career that the band had featured cleanly sung vocals from collaborator Emily McWilliams. The album was named the best metal album of 2014 by music website Pitchfork. Thou has toured with and collaborated frequently with fellow sludge metal band The Body, whom they most recently collaborated with on the album entitled, You, Whom I Have Always Hated. On October 30, 2020, they released a collaboration album called May Our Chambers Be Full with Emma Ruth Rundle. Style and artistry Thou's style has been labeled as "experimental doom", stoner metal and sludge metal. On the band's style, AllMusic critic Gregory Heaney stated that "the band's sound blends the shuddering heaviness of doom with the oppressive atmospherics of black metal, giving the band a monolithic sound that feels, at times, inescapable." Thou has taken a 'do it yourself' approach to touring which has become a defining characteristic of the band and its aesthetic. Thou's lyrics often espouse anarchist views. Thou also has covered artists from various rock music genres, including Nine Inch Nails' "Terrible Lie" (with The Body) and Nirvana songs "Something in the Way", "Sifting", and "Aneurysm". Band members Current members Bryan Funck – vocals (2007–present) Andy Gibbs – guitar (2005–present) Matthew Thudium – guitar (2005–present) Mitch Wells – bass (2005–present) Tyler Coburn – drums (2018–present) KC Stafford – guitar/bass/vocals (2018–present) Former members Terry Gulino – drums (2005–2010) Josh Nee – drums (2010–2018) Timeline Discography Studio albums Tyrant (2007, One Eye Records) Peasant (2008, Level Plane Records) Summit (2010, Gilead Media) Heathen (2014, Gilead Media) Magus (2018, Sacred Bones Records) Collaborative releases Released from Love (collaborative EP with The Body) (2014) You, Whom I Have Always Hated (collaborative album with The Body) (2015) May Our Chambers Be Full (collaborative album with Emma Ruth Rundle (2020) The Helm of Sorrow (collaborative EP with Emma Ruth Rundle (2021) Myopia (collaborative album with Mizmor) (2022) Splits Thrive and Decay (Split 7" with Black September) (2008) We Pass Like Night... From Land to Land (Split-LP with Leech) (2008) Reincarnation Prayer (Split 7" with Haarp) (2009)