Iceburn, known later as the Iceburn Collective, was a musical group formed in 1991 in Salt Lake City, Utah, US, by guitarist/vocalist/composer Gentry Densley, the sole constant member through multiple personnel changes. They were known for their unique style that combined elements of jazz, heavy metal, punk, and classical music. Releasing albums on Revelation Records and Victory Records, Iceburn achieved little mainstream attention, but earned critical praise for their unusual music.

Iceburn
OriginSalt Lake City, Utah, United States
GenresPost-hardcore
Alternative metal
Alternative rock
Avant-garde metal
Math rock
Jazz fusion
Years active19912000
LabelsVictory, Revelation
Past membersGentry Densley, Doug Wright, Dan Day, James Holder, Joseph Chad Smith aka Chubba, Jeremy Chatelain, Greg Nielsen, Aaron Hansen, Jared Russel, Josh Dixon, Chris Hill, Ed Rodriguez, Chad Poppel, Cache Tolman, Adam Lane, Austin Booth

Band history

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Their early output could be classified as jazzcore, blending the speed and energy of hardcore punk and metal with the intricacy of jazz and progressive rock. For their first few years and albums, Iceburn were, for the most part, a classic "power trio" of guitar, bass guitar and drums.

Around 1996, with the release of Meditavolutions, a 70-minute continuous piece in the form of a musical palindrome, the band began to go by the name the Iceburn Collective, to reflect the dynamic nature of the group's membership. The lineup expanded with a saxophonist, percussionist on conga drums, and a second guitarist. Critic Bret Love writes of the album, "the eclectic sound of this Utah-based septet flows so seamlessly that it may take a few songs before you realize you've never heard anything quite like it."[1]

The band gradually introduced more and more improvisation. By the time they disbanded in about 2000, Iceburn was a completely improvised avant-garde jazz unit, featuring saxophone and other woodwind instruments.

Densley went on to participate in Ascend, a collaboration with Greg Anderson.

Most of their albums featured artwork by Californian Rich Jacobs.

Iceburn reunited for one concert in February 2007 to celebrate the 18th anniversary of Slug Mag (Salt Lake Underground, devoted to local music and arts), a longtime booster for Iceburn and Densely's music.[2]

Discography

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Albums

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Singles

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References

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