Kayo Dot

BIOGRAPHY

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Kayo Dot (2003-present): a Progressive Metal band from Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

ayo Dot's presence to heavy metal is tenuous at best. It is the follow-up effort to Maudlin of the Well, a group that, though fascinating in its own right, was only occasionally in the heavy metal world as well. At one time Kayo Dot featured several of 'Maudlin's members, and the style resulted in a clear extension to what 'Maudlin was doing, focusing on drawn-out, classically oriented semi-ambient soundscapes, often with a very dischordant tone, with a multitude of eclectic instruments in the mix.

Starting out under the membership of Toby Driver (guitars/vocals/electronics: tracks 1, 3/bells: tracks 3, 4/cello: track 4/double bass: track 5), Greg Massi (guitars/vocals: track 1), Nick Kyte (bass/vocals: tracks 1-3), Sam Gutterman (drums/vocals: tracks 1, 3, 5), Terran Olson (Hammond organ: tracks 1, 3-5/Rhodes piano: tracks 1, 4/piano: tracks 2, 5/flute: track 1/clarinet: track 3/saxophone (alto: tracks 3-5), Todd Neece (recitation: track 1) and Mia Matsumiya (violin: tracks 3-5/viola: tracks 4, 5), Kayo Dot would debut with Choirs of the Eye in 2003.

The first line-up change to go to record would be with Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue (2006) to feature D. Thomas Murray (guitars/keyboards/effects), Ryan McGuire (bass/vocals), Tom Malone (drums/percussion), John Carchia (R.I.P. 2024; guitars/vocals) and Forbes Graham (trumpet/euphonium/percussion/vocals).

Blue Lambency Downward would reduce the band to a duo of Mia Matsumiya and Toby Driver, but the follow-up Coyote saw the band expand again to now include Tim Byrnes (trumpet/French horn), David Bodie (drums/percussion/gong) and Daniel Means (saxophone (alto)) added as members. The band added two more members for Gamma Knife (2012) in the form of Keith Abrams (drums) and Ron Varod (audience direction).

Ron Varod now took guitars got Hubardo (2013). Coffins on Io (2014) and Plastic House on Base of Sky (2016) followed.

For Blasphemy (2019) the band was reduced to a duo again, and Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike (2021) had the band as a solo effort with only Toby Driver. Every Rock, Every Half-Truth Under Reason (2025), however, saw the band's membership explode again to boast Bodie, Gutterman, Massi, Olson and Driver now with Jason Byron on vocals/lyrics, and Matthew Serra on guitars.