Sikth
SikTh is a British progressive metal band from Watford, Hertfordshire, England, formed in late 1999.[1] Renowned for their complex polyrhythms, dual-vocalist approach combining clean and screamed styles, and genre-blending compositions drawing from mathcore and technical metal, the band is credited as a pioneer of the djent subgenre, influencing subsequent acts in the progressive metal scene.[2][3] The band's classic lineup features vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill, guitarists Dan Weller and Graham "Pin" Pinney, bassist James Leach, and drummer Dan Foord, who solidified in March 2001.[1] They gained recognition with their debut EP, Let the Transmitting Begin..., in 2002, followed by their debut studio album, The Trees Are Dead & Dried Out Wait for Something Wild, in 2003 and the critically acclaimed Death of a Dead Day in 2006, the latter showcasing their signature percussive guitar techniques and atmospheric elements.[1] After disbanding in 2007 due to internal challenges and label issues, SikTh reunited in 2014 for festival appearances and released their third studio album, The Future in Whose Eyes?, in 2017, marking a return with updated production while retaining their experimental ethos.[3] In recent years, the band has remained active, performing at major festivals like Download Festival and announcing original-lineup shows in 2025 and 2026 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Death of a Dead Day.[4]History
Formation and early releases (1999–2002)
Sikth was formed in 1999 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, by guitarists Dan Weller and Graham "Pin" Pinney, who sought to create complex, progressive metal music amid the dominant nu-metal trends of the era.[1] The band's initial phase involved experimentation with lineup and style, drawing from local Watford's music scene to refine their intricate guitar work and rhythmic structures.[5] By March 2001, Sikth had solidified its core six-piece lineup with the addition of vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill, bassist James Leach, and drummer Dan Foord, establishing the dual-vocalist dynamic that would define their energetic, conversational vocal interplay.[6] This configuration allowed for a blend of clean and screamed vocals over technical instrumentation, setting the foundation for their progressive metal approach. Early rehearsals and demos focused on capturing this synergy, with the group performing initial live shows in nearby venues such as High Wycombe to test their material.[2] The band's debut release came in the form of the independent EP Let the Transmitting Begin in 2002, which included three studio tracks recorded the previous year and showcased their chaotic yet melodic style with songs like "Such the Fool." Following promising demo recordings that highlighted their technical prowess, Sikth signed with independent label Gut Records in 2002, marking a shift toward professional production.[7] They quickly followed up with the EP How May I Help You? on Gut later that year, featuring re-recorded tracks from the prior EP alongside new material, which began attracting underground buzz in the UK metal scene through its innovative fusion of math metal and melody. These early independent efforts and local performances fostered a dedicated cult following via word-of-mouth in the progressive and metalcore communities, positioning Sikth as an anomaly in the early 2000s British heavy music landscape before their major label breakthrough.[5]Debut album era (2003–2005)
In 2003, Sikth recorded their debut album The Trees Are Dead & Dried Out Wait for Something Wild across multiple studios in London, including Konk Studios, Fortress Studios, and Rollover Studios. The album was released on August 18, 2003, through Gut Records, marking the band's first full-length studio effort following their early EPs.[8][9] The lead single "Scent of the Obscene" preceded the album's release and achieved notable recognition, peaking at number 12 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart in November 2003. Critics praised the album for its groundbreaking approach to progressive metal, highlighting the band's complex song structures that blended frantic rhythms, abrupt shifts, and atmospheric interludes, as well as the dynamic vocal interplay between Mikee Goodman's erratic, spoken-word style and Justin Hill's aggressive screams and cleans. Reviews described it as a disorienting yet exhilarating journey, showcasing Sikth's virtuosity while establishing them as innovators in the genre.[10][9][11] To promote the record, Sikth undertook extensive touring in the UK and Europe, including a support slot on Machine Head's "Through the Ashes of Europe Tour" in late 2003 alongside acts like Kill II This. The band made their major festival debut at Download Festival at Donington Park in June 2003, performing on the Scuzz Stage, which featured headliners Iron Maiden and Limp Bizkit on the main stage. In 2004, Sikth expanded internationally by supporting Anthrax and Killswitch Engage in Japan before delivering a standout set at Fuji Rock Festival, where they shared the bill with artists like Lou Reed and The Chemical Brothers, earning early acclaim beyond the UK scene.[12][13][14][15]Second album and tensions (2006–2007)
Following the departure from Gut Records in December 2004, Sikth signed a new deal with American label Bieler Bros. Records.[16] The band then recorded their sophomore album, Death of a Dead Day, over a six-week period in 2005 at Bieler Bros. Studios in Pompano Beach, Florida, where they self-produced the effort in collaboration with label head Jason Bieler.[17][18] Released on June 6, 2006, in the United States and June 26 in the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number 94 on the UK Albums Chart. Critics praised the record for its increased maturity, with more structured songwriting and refined production that built on the chaotic energy of their debut while incorporating broader dynamic ranges and melodic elements.[19] To promote Death of a Dead Day, Sikth issued singles such as "Bred 22" and undertook extensive touring across the UK and Europe, including a standout performance at the 2006 Download Festival that drew massive crowds and reinforced their reputation for high-energy live shows.[20] In October 2006, the band released the Flogging the Horses EP through Bieler Bros., which included three original tracks alongside remixes of album cuts, serving as a creative extension of the LP's experimental ethos. Despite the favorable reception highlighting the album's evolution toward more accessible yet intricate progressive metal, sales fell short of the debut's long-term impact, reflecting challenges in broader market penetration for the genre at the time.[21] As touring intensified in late 2006 and early 2007, internal tensions began to surface within the band, particularly involving vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill. These issues came to a head with their joint announcement on May 8, 2007, stating they would depart Sikth after the July "This Ain't the Summer of Love" tour to focus on other musical endeavors, signaling the start of significant lineup instability.[22]Hiatus and dissolution (2007–2013)
Following the mounting tensions during the recording and promotion of their second album Death of a Dead Day, vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill announced their departure from Sikth on May 8, 2007, citing a desire to pursue other musical projects.[22] Their final performance with the band took place on September 14, 2007, at the Carling Academy in Islington, London.[23] The exit left the remaining members—guitarists Dan Weller and Graham "Pin" Pinney, bassist James Leach, and drummer Dan "Loord" Foord—grappling with the band's future amid the progressive metal scene's evolving demands. In the months after the vocalists' departure, the core instrumental lineup attempted to soldier on by auditioning potential replacements, but they struggled to find suitable vocalists who could replicate the dual-vocal dynamic central to Sikth's sound.[24] These efforts ultimately proved unviable, leading to the official announcement of the band's dissolution on May 27, 2008. In a joint statement, the four remaining members expressed pride in their achievements but noted that a "combination of factors" had made continuation impossible, emphasizing their shift toward individual new projects.[25] During the hiatus, band members pursued separate endeavors outside the Sikth banner. Guitarist Dan Weller transitioned into production and mixing, notably helming Young Guns' debut album All Our Kings Are Dead in 2011 and later working with acts like Enter Shikari.[26] Drummer Dan Foord, meanwhile, contributed to Primal Rock Rebellion's 2012 album Brave Words, toured with Devil Sold His Soul, and joined the black metal band The Infernal Sea.[5] Bassist James Leach and guitarist Pinney maintained lower profiles, focusing on session work and personal pursuits without major public releases tied to their Sikth tenure. Sikth issued no new music or undertook any tours from 2008 onward, with the band widely regarded as defunct by 2010 amid the rise of djent-influenced acts that built on their legacy.[27] Speculation among fans about a potential reunion gained traction around 2012, spurred by the band's reactivation of an official Facebook page on January 15 to reissue merchandise, though no concrete plans materialized at the time.[28]Reunion and ongoing activity (2014–present)
SikTh announced their reunion on December 16, 2013, with plans to perform at the Download Festival in June 2014, marking their first show since 2007 and featuring the original lineup of vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill, guitarists Dan Weller and Graham "Pin" Pinney, bassist James Leach, and drummer Dan Foord.[29] The performance on June 14 at Donington Park was a triumphant return, headlining the Red Bull Bedroom stage and reigniting interest in the band's progressive metal sound.[30] Following the festival, the band committed to additional live dates, including a UK tour in late 2014 and appearances at events like Euroblast Festival X, solidifying their reformation.[31] In 2015, SikTh released their EP Opacities on December 4 through Peaceville Records, under license from their own SikTh Productions, which allowed the band to maintain self-managed control over their output for the first time since their early independent days.[32] The six-track EP, featuring songs like "Behind the Doors" and "Philistine Philosophies," showcased the band's continued evolution with intricate rhythms and dual vocals, receiving praise for bridging their classic style with fresh energy.[33] The band entered the studio in 2016 to record their third studio album, The Future in Whose Eyes?, produced by guitarist Dan Weller and completed in 2017.[34] Released on June 2, 2017, via Millennium Night (an imprint of Snapper Music), the album debuted at No. 100 on the UK Albums Chart, reflecting sustained fan support. During the recording of the album, vocalist Justin Hill departed in June 2016 after the Camden Rocks Festival to focus on production work, with Joe Rosser stepping in as co-vocalist alongside Mikee Goodman for the album and subsequent tours.[35] In March 2022, SikTh announced Justin Hill's return for a limited run of shows celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album The Trees Are Dead & Dried Out Wait for Something Wild, performing with the original lineup at venues in the UK during November 2022.[36] This reunion highlighted the band's enduring chemistry and fan demand, leading to further activity. By 2025, SikTh continued their momentum, headlining the Dogtooth stage at Download Festival on June 15, where they delivered a set blending classics and newer material to a receptive audience.[37] In interviews around the event, band members confirmed ongoing development of new material, emphasizing a desire to explore psychedelic and progressive elements while honoring their roots.[38] The year also saw consistent UK and European tours, including festival appearances such as Download Festival, with a focus on preserving their legacy through full-album performances and archival releases. In June 2025, SikTh announced two special shows in February 2026 to mark the 20th anniversary of Death of a Dead Day, performing the 2006 album in full at Manchester's Academy 2 on February 27 and London's O2 Forum Kentish Town on February 28, featuring the original lineup including Justin Hill for the first time on that record live.[39] These events underscore the band's commitment to their catalog and community, amid broader European touring plans.Musical style and influences
Core characteristics
Sikth's music is characterized by a progressive metal style that emphasizes complex polyrhythms and odd time signatures, creating an intricate and unpredictable rhythmic foundation. Their guitar work features dissonant riffs and technical interplay between dual guitarists, often incorporating jarring, syncopated patterns that blend aggression with experimental flair. This is complemented by atmospheric elements such as clean arpeggios and occasional breakdowns, alongside bursts of ethereal melody and experimental noise that add depth to their otherwise intense compositions.[40][41] A defining aspect of their sound is the dual vocal approach, with Mikee Goodman delivering harsh screams, high shrieks, and deranged growls, while Justin Hill provides contrasting melodic clean singing and softer, emotive tones, resulting in layered harmonies and dynamic contrasts that enhance the band's theatrical and evocative delivery. The rhythm section, featuring bassist James Leach and drummer Dan Foord, underscores this with precise interplay, where Foord's technically proficient drumming incorporates polyrhythmic structures and fusions of jazz and funk influences for an organic yet challenging groove.[42][41][43] Sikth's songs typically range from four to seven minutes, blending mathcore's high-intensity aggression with progressive structures that allow for evolving sections and unconventional progressions. Their debut album exhibits a more chaotic and scattershot energy, while later works introduce greater melodic accessibility without fully abandoning the avant-garde edge that defines their approach.[40][41]Influences and evolution
Sikth's primary influences include the experimental chaos of Mr. Bungle and the vocal versatility of Faith No More, which shaped their unorthodox approach to melody and structure from the band's inception. Early in their career, they drew from mathcore pioneers like The Dillinger Escape Plan, adopting intricate rhythms and aggressive technicality that defined their initial sound.[44] As their style evolved, Sikth incorporated elements of djent, a subgenre characterized by low-tuned, percussive guitar work and polyrhythms; they are widely recognized as pioneers of this movement, predating its mainstream emergence through bands like Meshuggah and influencing later acts such as Periphery and TesseracT.[45][6] The band's debut album, The Trees Are Dead & Dried Out Wait for Something Wild (2003), captured a raw, frenetic energy with its chaotic time signatures and high-intensity riffs, establishing their reputation for boundary-pushing progressive metal.[46] In contrast, their second album, Death of a Dead Day (2006), demonstrated greater thematic maturity and a tighter compositional focus, refining the earlier unpredictability into more cohesive yet still complex arrangements.[47] This shift highlighted Sikth's growth toward balancing brutality with accessibility, incorporating deeper structural layers without sacrificing their core intensity. Following a hiatus from 2007 to 2013, the band's reunion marked a return to fundamentals in their 2015 EP Opacities, which revisited the technical and melodic hallmarks of their classic era while reaffirming their influence on modern metal.[48] Their 2017 full-length The Future in Whose Eyes? further refined this evolution through heightened experimentation, blending progressive elements with broader sonic explorations to maintain relevance in a djent-dominated landscape.[49] In recent interviews, vocalist Mikee Goodman has teased upcoming psychedelic influences, signaling potential new directions in their ongoing development.[38]Band members
Current lineup
As of 2025, SikTh maintains a stable six-piece lineup that has been consistent since Justin Hill's return in 2022, enabling the band to perform their classic material and plan future releases without reported changes.[50] Mikee Goodman serves as the lead clean vocalist, a role he has held since the band's formation in 1999, renowned for his melodic phrasing that weaves intricate, emotive lines through the group's progressive structures.[16] His contributions emphasize soaring, narrative-driven delivery, complementing the band's complex arrangements.[51] Justin Hill provides screamed and harsh vocals, positions he occupied from 1999 to 2007 and 2013 to 2016, resuming in 2022 to the present, delivering aggressive contrast that heightens the dynamic tension in SikTh's sound.[39] This reinstates the original vocal duo's synergy from the reunion era.[28] Dan Weller handles guitar duties since 1999 (with hiatus 2008–2013), acting as the primary songwriter and producer whose riffing and production choices drive the band's innovative compositions.[52] Graham "Pin" Pinney rounds out the guitar section, since 1999 (with hiatuses 2008–2013 and 2018–2022), focusing on rhythmic complexity through polyrhythmic patterns and layered textures that underpin SikTh's technical foundation.[16] James Leach has played bass since 2001 (with hiatus 2008–2013), supplying the low-end drive that anchors the band's intricate grooves and maintains propulsion across their evolving catalog.[1] Dan Foord rounds out the rhythm section on drums since 2001 (with hiatus 2008–2013), bringing technical prowess influenced by his versatile background to execute the demanding, shifting time signatures central to SikTh's style.[16]Former members
Joe Rosser served as the band's second vocalist from 2016 to 2021, replacing Justin Hill after the latter's second departure.[35][53] Rosser, known for his work in the progressive metal band Aliases alongside SikTh guitarist Graham "Pin" Pinney, contributed vocals to the band's 2017 album The Future in Whose Eyes?, bringing a versatile range that complemented Mikee Goodman's style and helped maintain the group's dynamic dual-vocal approach during their post-reunion phase.[1] His final performance with SikTh was at Wacken Open Air in 2019, after which he amicably stepped away in 2021 to focus on other projects, though specific reasons such as family commitments were not publicly detailed.[53] Prior to the band's stable lineup forming in 2001, several early members departed during SikTh's formative years. Tristan Lucey handled initial vocals from 1999 to 2000, contributing to the group's experimental sound before being replaced as the band sought a more defined dual-vocal structure.[1] Jamie Hunter played bass briefly in 1999–2000, laying foundational grooves in the pre-debut era but exiting as James Leach joined to solidify the rhythm section.[1] An unidentified member also participated in 1999–2001, likely in a supporting role, though details remain sparse; these early changes reflected the band's evolution from a loose collective into a cohesive unit.[1] The most impactful departures occurred in 2007, when co-vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill left following the release of Death of a Dead Day, citing commitments to solo projects and the challenges of maintaining the band's demanding dual-vocal dynamic.[54] Hill, an original member since 1999, had been integral to SikTh's innovative vocal interplay, blending clean singing, screams, and spoken word across their first two albums.[16] The remaining members—guitarists Dan Weller and Graham "Pin" Pinney, bassist James Leach, and drummer Dan "Loord" Foord—attempted to recruit interim vocalists in 2007–2008 but found no suitable replacements, leading to an indefinite hiatus rather than rushed lineup changes.[54] This period marked a pivotal fracture, halting momentum after SikTh's rising influence in the progressive metal scene. Hill briefly rejoined for the 2014 reunion but departed again in 2016, unable to align his production schedule with the band's intensified touring and recording plans, including a new album and U.S. dates.[55] His exits underscored the vocal role's centrality to SikTh's identity, with each transition testing the band's adaptability. No major departures followed the 2013 reunion aside from Rosser's in 2021 and Pinney's exit in 2018 (before his 2022 return), preserving core stability amid ongoing activity.[56]Timeline of changes
Sikth's lineup has evolved over the years, reflecting periods of formation, departure, hiatus, and reunion. The band began with a core group in late 1999, consisting of guitarist Dan Weller, guitarist Graham "Pin" Pinney, vocalist Mikee Goodman, vocalist Justin Hill, early members including bassist Jamie Hunter and vocalist Tristan Lucey, and an unspecified early drummer, before consolidating.[1] In 2001, the lineup stabilized with the addition of drummer Dan Foord and bassist James Leach replacing early bass duties, alongside the core group of vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill, guitarists Dan Weller and Graham Pinney.[6][16] In 2007, vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill departed following the completion of touring commitments.[54] The remaining members announced the band's dissolution in 2008, leaving no active lineup.[57] The band reunited in 2014 with the core instrumentalists Dan Weller, Graham Pinney, Dan Foord, and James Leach on bass, alongside vocalist Mikee Goodman; Justin Hill also returned for initial reunion performances.[28] In 2016, vocalist Joe Rosser joined as a replacement following Justin Hill's departure from full-time duties, though Hill made occasional appearances.[55] By 2022, Justin Hill rejoined for special anniversary shows, restoring the classic vocal duo with Mikee Goodman.[58] Since 2022, the band has maintained lineup stability with the classic configuration of vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill, guitarists Dan Weller and Graham Pinney, bassist James Leach, and drummer Dan Foord, continuing through performances up to 2025, including announcements for 2026 anniversary events.[39]| Year | Key Lineup Change |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Formation with Dan Weller (guitar), Graham Pinney (guitar), Mikee Goodman (vocals), Justin Hill (vocals), early members including Jamie Hunter (bass) and Tristan Lucey (vocals), and early drummer. |
| 2001 | Dan Foord joins on drums; James Leach joins on bass, replacing Jamie Hunter; lineup consolidates with core members. |
| 2007 | Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill depart on vocals. |
| 2008 | Band splits; no active lineup. |
| 2014 | Reunion with core instrumentalists (Weller, Pinney, Foord, Leach), Mikee Goodman, and Justin Hill. |
| 2016 | Joe Rosser joins on vocals after Justin Hill steps back. |
| 2018 | Graham Pinney departs. |
| 2021 | Joe Rosser departs. |
| 2022 | Justin Hill and Graham Pinney rejoin, restoring classic lineup. |
| 2022–2025 | Lineup stable with classic members; no further changes reported. |