There are five artists named Algebra:
1) Thrash Metal
2) Progressive Rock
3) Soul
4) Malaysian band
5) Punk
1)
Algebra is a thrash metal band from Lausanne, Switzerland. Their influences are Slayer, Sepultura, old Metallica, Nuclear Assault and Exodus among others.
Discography:
2008 - Demo 2008 (demo)
2009 - Procreation (EP)
2012 - Polymorph (full-length)
During the year 2008, four musicians from Lausanne (Switzerland) coming from different backgrounds, coalesced into a stable and productive thrash metal band. Subsequently, a period of composition and practicing ensued, during which several cover songs were played to sharpen the skills of each. At this moment, the band’s style started directing itself towards fast thrash metal from the 80’s such as Slayer and Sepultura, nevertheless including technical and melodical elements of modern metal/death metal similar to bands such as Forbidden, Gojira and Pantera.
The first demo was recorded in Autumn 2008, allowing the band to play some gigs and make its name known on the local scene. In summer 2009, after a few months and a good amount of live experience, the band recorded its first EP, in order to begin pursuing clubs and labels more seriously. After the release of their EP “Procreation”, the band received positive critics from webzines and managed to play more interesting gigs such as the Metal Assault Festival, alongside Prostitute Disfigurement, The Sorrow and Eminence. Right now the band has 10 new tracks, which are being tested live and perfected for the new album, which is to be recorded at the beginning of 2011.
2)
The second is an Italian Progressive Rock Band with two albums to their credit, 1994's "Storia di un Iceberg" and 2009's "JL".
Algebra formed in Benevento, Italy, in early 80's, when keyboard player Rino Pastore and drummer Salvatore Silvestri met. They were soon reached by bassist Carmine Ielardi, and began to compose their own songs.
In January 1983 the line-up was completed by guitarist-singer Mario Giammetti. Two months later they were recording their first demo in a studio when met the boss of a small local radio, who asked them to release a single. Ielardi had to leave the band, so Rino, Salvatore and Mario (on bass too, since then) recorded another song, A Prayer, which became the A side of a single released on May 30th 1983 on the Radio Sannio Productions label.
Unfortunately the single didn't get great attention around, so Algebra split up in June 1984 after a handful of concerts.
In a few months time, Mario, Rino and Salvatore joined another band, called Taxirum, including guitarist Cris Pascale as fourth member. This band used to play a modern pop rock and was selected from the label Dischi Noi for an international project which unfortunately didn't happen anymore. In March 1988 Taxirum played their last gig, after which they split up.
After this separation Mario became a well known journalist for influential magazines as Ciao 2001, Rockstar and Jam, also writing various musical books and founding Dusk - The Italian Genesis Magazine.
By the way, at the end of 1993 Algebra's reunion happened, with all three original main members (Mario, Rino and Salvatore) plus some guests, including Maria Giammetti, Mario's sister, on sax. They recorded between January and April 1994 about one hour of new music, and the album, called Storia di un iceberg, was released in October 1994 on the Mellow Records label. The album, which also contains the two old songs previously released on single, includes tracks close to new age (Prologue, Epilogue) as well as more proper songs (Verso il nulla, Claudia), but the best is in the progressive tunes, from the acoustic delicacy of the title track to the long instrumental Russian Suite.
In May 1995 Mellow released The River Of Constant Change - A Tribute To Genesis, double CD produced by Mario Giammetti which was immediately well received (it went sold out in a few months and needed a reissue). Algebra opened the tribute with their own version of Dusk, considered from various critics as one of the best songs. In January 1996 the Genesis tribute album became a small tour in the North of Italy; Algebra were part of this tour, along with other bands, and their performances of Dusk and Open Door were enclosed in the video Each Day Will Seem So Long. At this stage, two new full members were in the band: Maria Giammetti on saxes and Roberto Polcino on keyboards and accordion. With this new line up, Algebra recorded songs for further various tribute albums, although a new drummer, Francesco Ciani, replaced Salvatore from 1998.
They contributed to tribute albums dedicated to Camel, Gentle Giant, Italian prog of the Seventies, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, the Canterbury movement and Jethro Tull.
Algebra recorded their second album inspired to Richard Bach’s legendary book Jonathan Livingston Seagull, featuring a few very special guest vocalists: Italian 70’s prog legends Aldo Tagliapietra (Le Orme) and Lino Vairetti (Osanna), the songwriter Goran Kuzminac and the rocker Graziano Romani.
In the meantime, the band continued to record songs for tribute albums. The first one, published in March 2006, is dedicated to the Moody Blues, followed by a cover of a Luis Miguel song, in the band wish to continuously explore new inspirations, while the rendition of Fairport Convention's The Lobster is still unreleased. In 2009, the band also recorded a song for a Marillion tribute which would have been released during 2010 along with a Genesis solo projects tribute album.
The latter part of 2008 and the first months of 2009, however, were particularly spent to finish Algebra second album, for which the band was lucky enough to secure two international special guests: flutist John Hackett and even his brother Steve Hackett, legendary former Genesis guitarist. The album was released on the AMS label on October 23rd with the title "JL".
In the meantime, the band continued to record songs for tribute albums. The first one, published in March 2006, is dedicated to the Moody Blues, followed by a cover of a Luis Miguel song, in the band wish to continuously explore new inspirations, while the rendition of Fairport Convention's The Lobster is still unreleased. Later on, the band also recorded songs for Marillion and Steve Hackett tribute albums.
The 2-CD set "Deconstructing Classics", third Algebra’s album, is out on September 9th 2019.
A rarities compilation for a band that has only released two albums may appear a little weird, we know. ButAlgebra has a very long story, as slow as it can be, and we thought it was time to put together all the covers we have recorded over the years that were scattered on several Various Artists albums, along with extra tracks. Doing covers is not something a musician should generally be proud of, but on the other hand it represented, for us, a way to grow, because we approached other artists’ songs, since the first one recorded in 1994, with the idea of deconstructing and redoing it in our own way. So not tributes, but spontaneous reinterpretations in our own style. Later on, we applied the same criteria to some of our own compositions. Hence the title, Deconstructing Classics.The songs included on cd 1 have all been officially released except the first (featuring two immense artists and friends like Anthony Phillips and Steve Hackett) and they represent hopefully Algebra at their best over a quarter of century.Cd 2 (completely unreleased) is quite the opposite: next to songs properly recorded that for some reason were never released, there are improvisations, live songs, experiments et al. So the second cd (with reversed chronological order)may be less enjoyable than the first one, but we think it features some nice stuff too and we hope the listener will forgive any mistakes, out of tune guitars, small imperfections or wobbly rhythms.
3)
Ironically there are no textbooks or classroom instructions that could help one balance the equations of Kedar Massenburg's newest protégé, ALGEBRA. The Atlanta native insists that one can only discover her sonically. As an R&B solo artist with such a simple solution, when mainstream success seems to be more about the right hair, nails and make -up, ALGEBRA’S debut album PURPOSE is the perfect curriculum for breathing life back in to a genre overwrought by factory made clones.
No stranger to performing, ALGEBRA has been lending her melodic voice to projects by Monica and Bilal for years. However, singing for other artists was about as out of character for her as having someone write songs for her. "Even when someone else wrote a song specifically for me, I felt like I was still being a background singer for myself”.
As the music scene in Atlanta became the hot bed of popular music, ALGEBRA taught herself to play guitar and performed regularly at open mics. This pivotal point in her career afforded her the time to develop her writing and performance skills even further without the harness of a prescribed format. "Soon you learn not to care what others think, you learn to perform for you. I would come back week after week and I learned to perform for balance and for freedom. I was becoming alive”.
This organic approach permeates her music. ALGEBRA can easily be pop, rock, rap funk or crunk, yet she can breathe ballads effortlessly. Collaborating with award-winning songwriter and producer Brian Michael Cox on "What Happened" quickly proved to be a true showcase of her brilliance. This soulful ballad is delivered so honestly and with such vulnerability that it sounds like it could be her autobiography. A song filled with PURPOSE.
ALGEBRA’S definitive voice and identity is one of full disclosure. "I don't want to be boxed," she asserts. The litmus test of what she would create lies in being relatable and in offering complete truth in every word she sings. On the song “At This Time" she pours her heart out, placing herself on display to someone whom she has waited a long time to unite with citing descriptive and colorful lyrics, “My arms brag to each other bout how you feel/From conversations I know what they feel is real”. The current single “Run & Hide” produced by the creator of the polka-dot error in hip hop himself, Kwame’ is a testament to all fellas that Miss ALGEBRA will not settle for just any ‘ol guy with lame game. Better come correct or don’t come at all.
As the first artist to be released on the revamped Kedar Entertainment Group, ALGEBRA enters the contemporary soul music landscape following legacies created by artists like D'Angelo, Erykah Badu and India.Arie all of whom developed under the watchful eye of Massenburg. However her sound is unique. ALGEBRA at first is unassuming, but it takes mere moments for you to recognize that she is not just a tempest in a teapot but more like the catalyst of a paradigm shift.
When asked the question, what does PURPOSE mean to her and this project that she has waited so long to share with the world; ALGEBRA replies “The defining moment of purpose is when you realize all that you have is worth less than nothing and still, life is worth living.” With there being only two universal languages in this world - Math and Music; fate would have it, southern songbird ALGEBRA represents both!
4) A Malaysian nasheed group which has released album called "Yang Benar Tetap Benar" (The Truth Are True). The lyrics are based on the poem written by the ex-mufti of Perlis - Dr MAZA. His web could be accessed here - drmaza.com.
5) Algebra is an instrumental post-punk/noise rock band from Romania.
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…shrink me down again