Sullen (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Justin Slazinik, Shanna Kiel |
| Headquarters | St. Louis , United States |
| Products | Music albums, demos |
Sullen was a rock group originating from St. Louis, Missouri, formed by Justin Slazinik (guitar/vocals) alongside Shanna Kiel (guitar/vocals).
History
Slazinik and Kiel first connected during their high school years and began collaborating musically in 1999.
That same summer, the band self-produced the demo Five Songs for Billy Brown. On November 12, 1999, they served as the opening act for Chicago’s rock duo Local H at The Karma venue in St. Louis, which led to an ongoing professional association. Subsequently, Local H’s lead singer Scott Lucas invited Kiel to provide vocals on the track “5th Ave. Crazy” from their album Here Comes the Zoo.
In early 2000, Sullen embarked on a national tour alongside Local H, featuring Kiel, Slazinik, drummer Bryan Weitekemper, and bassist Scott Freeman. Following the tour, Weitekemper departed, prompting Freeman to transition to drums.
Their follow-up 10-track demo caught the interest of Wes Kidd, frontman of Chicago’s Triple Fast Action, who took on the role of Sullen’s manager through Silent Partner Management.
In May 2003, Sullen unveiled their first full-length album Paint the Moon via Thick Records, with Tommy Schmitz handling drums and bass duties alongside Adam Gillespie on bass.
Just days before their February 27, 2004 performance at St. Louis’ Creepy Crawl, Kiel announced the dissolution of the band.
Although Kiel mentioned a potential reunion in 2006, it proved brief. On April 1, 2017, Sullen (comprising Slazinik, Kiel, and Freeman) reunited for a concert at Delmar Hall.
Following the split, both founding members continued their musical endeavors:
Kiel launched her solo career with the release of Orphan on Thick Records in 2006. She later collaborated with Stephanie Sandman to form Sibylline; after relocating to Los Angeles in 2005, they reassembled as Black Fur and toured throughout California alongside The Hold Steady.
Slazinik headed Short and Sweet featuring guitarist Zach LaRose, drummer Ryan Harding, and bassist Phil Blythe; this group toured with Local H in 2005. In 2008, Slazinik and Harding moved to Chicago and established Left Brain Heart. Their debut album Sweetie Pie the Tornado (2005) was recorded prior to officially forming the band; their sophomore release Hunter/Gatherer was produced in 2009 at Million Yen Studios—the same facility where Sullen recorded Paint the Moon. Left Brain Heart toured with Local H during summer 2010 before disbanding later that year.
In 2021, Slazinik reunited with Zack LaRose along with former Sullen members Adam Gillespie and Bryan Weitekemper to create the band Slazinik. Their first album was recorded in spring 2022 at Encapsulated Studios and is scheduled for release in April 2023.
Critical reception
Johnny Loftus from Allmusic awarded Paint the Moon a rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars, observing that although Sullen skillfully merges quiet/loud contrasts and male/female vocal interplay, their influences remain quite evident throughout the record. Shawn Merrill of Exclaim! referred to Sullen as "the demon child of Sonic Youth" and described the album as "captivating, if not definitive." Megan from Punknews.org gave it a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars, applauding its raw intensity and claiming that Sullen "surpasses any rivals effortlessly."
Discography
- Paint the Moon (Thick Records, 2003)