Penance (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Defunct | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , United States |
| Products | Doom metal music albums and EPs |
Penance was a doom metal group originating from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.
Biography
Following the dissolution of Dream Death, Penance was established as its former members sought to explore a more classic doom metal style. Drummer Mike Smail and guitarist Terry Weston, both ex-members of Dream Death, formed the stable core of the band throughout its tenure. The lineup also featured distinguished musicians such as Mary Bielich (known for her work with Novembers Doom).
Their first album, The Road Less Travelled (1992), included Brian Lawrence—also an ex-Dream Death member—handling vocals and guitar duties. This release came out on Lee Dorrian's Rise Above Records and stood among the label’s initial ventures into doom metal alongside Revelation. To promote the album, Penance embarked on a European tour with fellow bands Cathedral and Sleep.
In 1994, they released Parallel Corners through the European label Century Media. This album is often celebrated by fans as their finest achievement and a definitive doom metal record of the 1990s. Later albums introduced elements of psychedelic music while still preserving their foundational doom metal sound.
Their last studio effort, Spiritualnatural (2003), was followed by a 2004 European tour where they performed alongside Well of Souls and Orodruin. The band ceased activity that same year. Subsequently, in 2005, The Road Revisited was issued, containing the original unreleased version of their debut album.
After Penance ended, Mike Smail went on to join Internal Void as well as the influential doom band Pentagram.
Albums
- The Road Less Travelled (1992)
- Parallel Corners (1994)
- Proving Ground (1999)
- Alpha and Omega (2001)
- Spiritualnatural (2003)
- The Road Revisited (2005)
Demos/EPs
- Living Truth (1990)
- Bridges to Burn (1998)