Morgion (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Headquarters | Orange County , United States |
| Products | Doom/death metal music |
Morgion was a doom/death metal group originating from Orange County, California, established in 1990 by Dwayne Boardman (guitars), Jeremy Peto (vocals, bass), Mike Davis (guitars), and Rhett Davis (drums). Their initial demo, Rabid Decay, debuted in 1991, followed by the 7" release Travesty in 1993. In 1994, with the addition of Bobby Thomas (guitars) and Ed Parker (keyboards), Morgion recorded Among Majestic Ruin, which was licensed to Relapse Records and released in 1996. After Parker's departure in 1995, Gary Griffith took over keyboard duties; when Thomas left in 1998, Griffith expanded his role to include both guitar and keyboards. The band’s album Solinari was issued by Relapse Records in 1999.
Due to promotional difficulties and the exit of Peto, Relapse shelved subsequent projects, causing the band to enter a hiatus. Morgion later returned with bassist Justin Christian and collaborated with Dark Symphonies to produce their final album, Cloaked by Ages, Crowned in Earth, released in April 2004. They participated in the Doomination Tour across Europe but disbanded afterward; although announced for the US leg of Doomination, they ultimately did not perform there. The group officially dissolved in 2004.
On April 19, 2008, former members Boardman, Christian, Griffith, and Surowski reunited briefly at Hollywood’s Murderfest to celebrate the launch of Relapse Records' Morgion: The Relapse Years, a remastered compilation featuring Among Majestic Ruin, Solinari, along with unreleased tracks, demos, and rehearsal recordings from their time with Relapse. This reunion lineup was formed following internal disagreements and marked Morgion's final live appearance.
In 2012, Dark Descent Records issued a collection of early demos under the title God of Death & Disease. The original lineup from the Solinari era intended to perform at Maryland Deathfest 2012 but postponed due to injury. A planned reunion show in 2013 was subsequently canceled amid further internal conflicts.
Trivia
The band's name, Morgion, is taken from the deity of plague and sickness within the Dragonlance lore, reflecting themes present on their debut demo Rabid Decay. Their album Solinari also references a Dragonlance god—the deity of magic and leader of white-robed wizards. Rhett Davis (responsible for lyrics and titles) misunderstood the lore, believing Solinari referred to the black moon; however, it actually denotes the white moon. The black moon is named Nuitari, which aligns more closely with the album’s artwork and may have been the intended title.
Final line-up
- Dwayne Boardman – death vocals, guitars (1990–2001, 2002–2004)
- Gary Griffith – guitars, clean vocals, keyboards (1995–2004)
- Justin Christian – bass (2002–2004)
- Rhett Davis – drums (1990–1999, 2001–2004)
Former members
- Jeremy Peto – death vocals, bass (1990–2001)
- Bobby Thomas – guitar (1994–1996)
- Ed Parker – keyboards (1994–1995)
- Mike Davis – guitar (1990–1993)
- Jason Likus – guitar (1993)
- Brandon Livingston – keyboards (1999; deceased 1999)
- Peter Surowski – keyboards (2001–2002)
- Adrian Leroux – clean and death vocals on Doomination Tour (2003)
Timeline
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Colors=
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bar:Adrian text:"Adrian Leroux" bar:Dwayne text:"Dwayne Boardman" bar:Mike text:"Mike Davis" bar:Bobby text:"Bobby Thomas" bar:Ed text:"Ed Parker" bar:Gary text:"Gary Griffith" bar:Brandon text:"Brandon Livingston" bar:Peter text:"Peter Surowski" bar:Jeremy text:"Jeremy Peto" bar:Justin text:"Justin Christian" bar:Rhett text:"Rhett Davis"
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Discography
- Rabid Decay (1991)
- Live Rehearsal (1992)
- Travesty (1993)
- Among Majestic Ruin (1996)
- Solinari (1999)
- Cloaked by Ages, Crowned in Earth (2004)
- Morgion - The Relapse Years (2008)
- Morgion - God of Death & Disease (2012)