Skullflower

The experimental noise rock band Skullflower was formed in London, England, in 1987. With guitarist Matthew Bower serving as the main architect of the group's free-form sound, Skullflower mixed the dark, thunderous thump of doom metal with atmospheric sounds like feedback and drones. The debut EP Birthdeath introduced this sound in 1988, followed by the full-length albums Form Destroyer and Xaman in 1989 and 1990, respectively. As Skullflower's ever-shifting lineup became more fluid, so did its sound, with the band abandoning the traditional structures of rock music in favor of improvisation and musical deconstruction. Records like 1994's Carved Into Roses showcased this approach, while 1995's Adieu, All You Judges highlighted the group's strength as a live act. One year later, 1996's Transformer downgraded Skullflower's high-volume onslaught and adopted a more ambient sound, and the band briefly retired after releasing This is Skullflower several months later. Matthew Bower and Stuart Dennison later reformed Skullflower in 2003, with Bower once again emerging as the group's leader and sole consistent member. Skullflower released a dozen albums before the decade came to a close, then continued its prolific streak with records like 2012's Funeral Rites and 2014's Draconis. A decade later, the band contributed music to the Netflix film Metal Lords, with the song "Machinery of Torment" becoming a viral hit across multiple countries.