Hailing from the ever-gray skies of Eugene, OR, USA comes YOB, a band already well on their way to make their mark in the doom metal scene worldwide. Formed in 1996 by founding member Mike Scheidt, YOB started creating and destroying ideas that would become the foundation for one of doom metal’s most shining hopefuls.
The first three song self-titled demo was submitted to Stonerrock.com in 1999, sending shockwaves into the stoner rock/doom scene worldwide. This demo was a bold statement of intent: uncompromising heavy doom metal. Within YOB's sound, which is equal parts Sleep, Burning Witch, Neurosis, High On Fire and Electric Wizard, YOB has accomplished song craft that is as much their own sound as it is paying homage to the doom metal greats of both times of yore and present.
In 2001 YOB recorded its first full-length record for 12th Records in Spokane, Washington titled Elaborations Of Carbon. This offering received dozens of rave reviews from magazines and fans worldwide, securing YOB's place as one of the best doom metal bands in the scene today. The Lollipop Magazine review of Elaborations of Carbon says, "Six mighty songs of beautiful doom-laden sound, full and expansive. Inverted, hanging riffs, Melvenoid spacey trudging, Tab-esque motion, and a deep well of compositional creativity...only a complete dupe would say this isn't a good one".
2002 saw YOB secure a recording contract with Lunasound/Abstract Sounds. Their first CD for this label, Catharsis, hit the streets worldwide November 4th, 2003. Featuring a stronger production and three songs clocking in at 50 minutes, those who have heard it proclaim it is the best YOB record yet.
Kicking Doors In
YOB's third full length release The Illusion of Motion was a bold statement of utterly mammoth proportions. Released on label heavyweight Metal Blade Records, the band was handpicked by legendary Brian Slagle. With this newfound support, YOB was introduced to a much wider audience and garnered much attention for this record's unheard of approach to the doom metal genre. One just needs to listen to the track Exorcism of the Host to instantly recognize that the band was head and shoulders above their metal brethren. Following the release of the album, YOB went on to headline a tour through May and June.
The End of the Road
In 2005 the band released their most ambitious and most accomplished studio production yet, entitled The Unreal Never Lived. The hypnotic pound-everyone riffing remained while at the same time they pushed the envelope of Doom Metal to its maximum capacity. Classics such as Grasping Air stomped in such a crushing way as to make one check the yard for dinosaurs. The album also explored dynamics and progression unheard of before on cuts like Kosmos. Doom fans and Metalheads alike the world over were turning their undivided attention to this entity seemingly trapped out of time. But unfortunately as the old saying goes, "All that we build, all that is destroyed."
In a press release dated January 10th, 2006:
"This is Mike from YOB. I regret to say that YOB is disbanding after almost 10 years of existence. The time we spent with YOB exceeded our wildest expectations and hopes and it has truly been a dream come true. Travis Foster and Isamu Sato left the band in July, and I have been trying to decide what to do for the last six months. YOB has had 3 other line-ups, but this one was the best. At the end of the day the best thing for YOB is to call it a day. I want to thank everyone who has been supportive to YOB over the years....labels, bands, fans, the venues, our families....without you none of this would have been possible. I will be working on a new band called AGE that will very much be in the vein of YOB, with some new twists. Until then, be well and stay HEAVY! ENDLESS DOOM!!!" - Mike (YOB)
The follow-up band, Middian, disbanded after numerous legality issues. They only released one album, "Age Eternal". After this, in 2008, the band has reformed and has confirmed the recording of a new album to be released in Summer 2009.
The Great Cessation album, by YOB, has been released in July 14th 2009. It is absolutely one of the heaviest albums yet, and this band is great live.
There is also another artist called yoB.
yoB (with a capital B) A Songer Singwriter from Hackney. With songs that cover heartbreak, paternity leave, make-up and immoral support. Look out for the New E.P 'A Boys Eye View' coming to an illegal file sharing site near you.....
For the next year. At the end of every month. yoB will be releasing a free piece of music. Limited to 200 downloads. Available from www.yobmusic.bandcamp.com.
Ether
YOB Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two words made up of dust
The dust the essence of ageless pain
Never will I see the sun again
The planet the race
Enthralled with ice and snow
Glacial rivers of compressed hate
Never will I see the sun again
Never will I be able to defend
Never will I be the same again
Awake in ageless time
No place to call home
Searching the expanse for a sign
Never will I see the sun again
The tears sting my eyes
Like liquid diamonds fall
Ablaze in the all in the ecstasy
Never will I see the sun again
The lyrics to YOB's song Ether depict a sense of loss and hopelessness as the singer describes the destruction of their world. The first line, "Inside two worlds explode," could refer to both a physical and emotional explosion, suggesting that the singer is experiencing intense inner turmoil. The next line, "Two words made up of dust," is more abstract, but it could be interpreted as a metaphor for the fleeting nature of language and communication. The following lines describe the planet and its inhabitants as "enthralled with ice and snow" and "glacial rivers of compressed hate," indicating a sense of apathy and anger that has taken over.
The refrain of "Never will I see the sun again" repeats throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's sense of loss and despair. The following line, "Never will I be the same again," suggests a profound transformation has taken place, leaving the singer unable to defend themselves or find a sense of home. The image of "tears sting[ing] my eyes/Like liquid diamonds fall" is both beautiful and painful, suggesting that the singer finds some bittersweet beauty in their suffering. The final line, "Ablaze in the all in the ecstasy," is a complex one, suggesting that there is still something transcendent in the singer's experience, even if it is painful and overwhelming.
Overall, the lyrics to YOB's "Ether" depict a world that has been destroyed by some unknown force, leaving the singer lost and alone. The repeated refrain of "Never will I see the sun again" emphasizes the sense of mourning and hopelessness, while the images of "glacial rivers of compressed hate" and "liquid diamonds" suggest a world that is both beautiful and terrifying.
Line by Line Meaning
Inside two worlds explode
Two opposing forces clash with such magnitude that it feels like two separate worlds are violently colliding with each other.
Two words made up of dust
The conflict between those two forces can be boiled down to just two words, which are essentially meaningless and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
The dust the essence of ageless pain
The lingering aftermath of that conflict is a profound feeling of pain that has existed for centuries and will continue to exist for just as long.
Never will I see the sun again
The intensity of that pain has left the artist feeling permanently disconnected from the world and unable to experience any form of joy or happiness ever again.
The planet the race
The planet and its inhabitants are both tied together in an endless cycle of destruction and rebirth, doomed to repeat their mistakes over and over again.
Enthralled with ice and snow
The world is gripped in a perpetual winter that exacerbates the feelings of isolation and hopelessness that the singer is experiencing.
Glacial rivers of compressed hate
The singer sees the icy rivers as a physical manifestation of the intense hatred and animosity that exists in the world, and how it has frozen over everything in its path.
Never will I be the same again
The experiences that the artist has gone through have fundamentally changed them as a person, and they know that they will never be able to go back to who they used to be.
Never will I be able to defend
The pain and trauma that the artist has endured have weakened them to the point that they feel powerless to defend themselves against any future harm that may come their way.
Awake in ageless time
The artist feels trapped in a timeless existence, unable to move forward or escape the cycle of pain and suffering that they are trapped in.
No place to call home
The singer has nowhere in the world where they feel truly at home, and they are constantly searching for a sense of belonging that they know they will never find.
Searching the expanse for a sign
Despite their despair, the artist refuses to give up hope entirely and is always searching for some sign of light and hope in the vast, empty expanse that surrounds them.
The tears sting my eyes
The singer is experiencing intense emotional pain and is crying tears that feel like they are made of sharp, cutting diamonds.
Like liquid diamonds fall
The tears are so pure and powerful that they feel like a precious gemstone falling from the singer's eyes.
Ablaze in the all in the ecstasy
Despite their pain and suffering, the singer is still capable of experiencing moments of intense joy and ecstasy, even if those moments are fleeting and rare.
Never will I see the sun again
The pain and despair that the artist is feeling is so all-consuming that it feels like they will never again experience any form of happiness or joy in their life.
Contributed by Camilla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.