Tomahawk (band)
| Company type | Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
| Founder | Mike Patton, Duane Denison |
| Headquarters | Nashville , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Mike Patton (vocals, keyboards), Duane Denison (guitar), John Stanier (drums), Kevin Rutmanis (former bassist), Trevor Dunn (bassist) |
| Products | Studio albums, live performances |
| Website | tomahawklives |
Tomahawk is a rock supergroup originating from Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1999 when vocalist and keyboardist Mike Patton (known for Faith No More and Mr. Bungle) connected with guitarist Duane Denison (of The Jesus Lizard), their collaboration began through exchanging recorded tapes. Denison brought in drummer John Stanier (from Helmet), while Patton invited bassist Kevin Rutmanis (formerly of Melvins and Cows). Between 2000 and 2007, the group released three studio albums and toured extensively before entering a period of inactivity. They reunited in 2013 with Trevor Dunn stepping in to replace Rutmanis on bass.
Formation and early period (1999–2000)
Following the breakup of Faith No More in 1998, Mike Patton launched the record label Ipecac Recordings, resumed activities with Mr. Bungle, and created the metal supergroup Fantômas, collaborating with Buzz Osborne from the Melvins and Slayer's Dave Lombardo. In 1999, Patton encountered Duane Denison at a Mr. Bungle concert held in Nashville; this meeting sparked a musical exchange and informal jam sessions between the two musicians.
Debut album: Tomahawk (2001–2002)
During May and June 2001, Tomahawk recorded their first album in Nashville, with production handled by Joe Funderburk. The self-titled album was released on October 30, 2001, followed by an extensive global tour that included stops across the United States, Australia, Europe, and Japan. While mostly headlining their own shows, they also opened for acts such as Tool. On Tool's North American summer tour in 2002, Tomahawk encountered mixed audience reactions, including some negative responses due to their confrontational stage presence. Additionally, they appeared at prominent events like Australia's 2002 Big Day Out festival.
Mit Gas era (2003–2004)
The group's sophomore release, Mit Gas, came out in 2003 under the production of Joe Barresi. That year saw Tomahawk participate in the "Geek Tour," sharing the bill with labelmates Melvins and Fantômas, which helped broaden their exposure. The band became known for unconventional promotional strategies—such as donning police uniforms—that contributed to their distinctive image. After completing tours supporting both Tomahawk and Mit Gas by late 2003, Tomahawk took a short break from activity between 2004 and 2006 as members focused on other endeavors.
Anonymous period (2007–2008)
On June 19, 2007, Tomahawk released their third album, Anonymous, through Ipecac Recordings. During the recording sessions, bassist Kevin Rutmanis departed from the band for undisclosed reasons. Denison and Stanier tracked their parts in Nashville before sending them to San Francisco where Patton added vocals and samples. The band did not perform live during this timeframe and remained inactive from 2008 until 2011.
Oddfellows (2012–2014)
In July 2011, Mike Patton revealed that Tomahawk was gearing up to record their fourth studio album. By early 2012, Trevor Dunn—known for his work with Mr. Bungle, Fantômas, John Zorn, MadLove, and Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant—had joined the group as bassist. On April 21, 2012, they issued Eponymous To Anonymous, a vinyl box set compiling their first three albums. Later that year, the band performed live for the first time since 2003. The music video for the lead single "Stone Letter" debuted on December 3, 2012. Their album Oddfellows was released on January 29, 2013. The band canceled their planned concert in Mexico in March 2014 due to health issues. Subsequently, on April 9, 2014, they announced two previously unreleased tracks from the Oddfellows recording sessions; the single M.E.A.T. was pressed on vinyl and released on May 23, 2014.
Tonic Immobility (2020–present)
Duane Denison disclosed in February 2020 that Tomahawk was actively writing and recording new songs. On January 21, 2021, the band unveiled the single "Business Casual" alongside the announcement of their fifth album, Tonic Immobility, which was released on March 26, 2021. Bassist Trevor Dunn mentioned that most instrumental recordings had been completed approximately four years earlier, with Mike Patton adding vocals during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
On October 15, 2024, Tomahawk declared their participation in the upcoming 2025 Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas—their first live appearance since 2013—but the event was canceled a month later due to organizational complications.
Musical style and influences
Tomahawk's music fuses elements of alternative metal, alternative rock, avant-garde metal, and experimental rock. Their sound also draws from genres such as art rock, avant-prog, noise rock, post-rock, progressive metal, and progressive rock. In a 2002 description, they referred to their style as "cinematic rock," highlighting their affinity for film soundtrack aesthetics.
Their self-titled debut album combines rock with experimental influences alongside country and hardcore punk undertones. Critic Blake Butler from AllMusic regarded it as one of Mike Patton's more straightforward rock endeavors but noted its diverse nature might limit mainstream appeal. The follow-up album Mit Gas integrates metal and punk components interspersed with instrumental transitions. The 2007 release Anonymous incorporates Native American musical elements. Meanwhile, Oddfellows showcases a more approachable "avant-pop" style enriched with jazz influences.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album information | Highest chart rankings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US Heat. |
US Ind. |
AUS |
BEL (FL) |
NOR |
UK | ||
| 2001 | Tomahawk
|
— | 31 | 20 | 37 | — | — | — |
| 2003 | Mit Gas
|
137 | 3 | 7 | 28 | — | 17 | 98 |
| 2007 | Anonymous
|
158 | 2 | 12 | 32 | — | 31 | — |
| 2013 | Oddfellows
|
69 | — | 9 | 37 | 149 | — | — |
| 2021 | Tonic Immobility
* Release date: March 26, 2021 * Label: Ipecac * Available formats: CD, Digital, LP |
— | — | — | 18 | 182 | — | — |
Box sets
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Eponymous to Anonymous
* Release date: April 21, 2012 * Label: Ipecac * Format: LP |
Singles
}Music videos
The band's inaugural official music video was created for "Rape This Day" from the album Mit Gas, which included a guest appearance by Queens of the Stone Age member Nick Oliveri. No visual content was produced to accompany the album Anonymous. For the 2013 album Oddfellows, music videos were released for both "Stone Letter" and the album's title track. In August 2014, more than a year following the album’s launch, a video for "South Paw" was unveiled. Beyond these four official productions, numerous unofficial and fan-created videos have also emerged inspired by the band’s work.
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Rape This Day" | Mit Gas |
| 2007 | "Sun Dance" | Anonymous |
| 2012 | "Stone Letter" | Oddfellows |
| 2014 | "M.E.A.T." | |
| 2021 | "Business Casual" | Tonic Immobility |
| 2021 | "Dog Eat Dog" | Tonic Immobility |
| 2021 | "Predators and Scavengers" | Tonic Immobility |
| Year | Song |
|---|---|
| 2003 | "Rape This Day" |
| 2012 | "Stone Letter" |
| 2013 | "Oddfellows" |
| 2014 | "South Paw" |
| 2021 | "Dog Eat Dog" |
| 2021 | "Predators and Scavengers" |
- Articles with short description
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- Heavy metal musical groups from Tennessee
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