Khemmis (band)
Khemmis is an American heavy metal band from Denver, Colorado, that formed in 2012. The band's music combines elements of doom and traditional heavy metal with extreme subgenres such as death and black metal. The band released their first two studio albums through independent label 20 Buck Spin, while their third album "Desolation" and subsequent mini-LP "Doomed Heavy Metal" were licensed worldwide by Nuclear Blast. In 2021, the band released their Nuclear Blast debut record "Deceiver". They are named after an ancient city located in Egypt, now known as Akhmim. History. Khemmis was formed in 2012  after guitarist Ben Hutcherson moved to Colorado to pursue a doctorate at the University of Colorado. The band recorded their debut album, "Absolution", with producer/engineer Dave Otero. It was released by 20 Buck Spin on July 7, 2015, and was ranked 9th on Decibel Magazine's Top 40 Albums of 2015. Their second studio album, "Hunted", arrived in October 2016. It was ranked 11th on "Rolling Stone"′s 20 best metal albums of 2016, 1st on "Decibel" magazine's Top 40 Albums of 2016, 7th on PopMatters' Best Metal of 2016, and 6th on Consequence of Sound's Top 10  Metal Albums of 2016. In July 2017, the band announced that they had signed to Nuclear Blast (via licensing deal with 20 Buck Spin) for the release of their third album. The band toured North America alongside Enslaved, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Myrkur as part of the 2018 Decibel Magazine Tour. They released their third album, "Desolation", on June 22, 2018. The album was ranked 9th on Decibel Magazine's Top 40 Albums of 2018 and 12th on Consequence of Sound's Top 25 Metal + Rock Albums of 2018. In February 2019, the band announced that they  had signed a worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast. In August 2019, the band's cover of "A Conversation with Death," which was previously only available on a 2017 split 7" with Spirit Adrift, was featured in the video game series "The Dark Pictures Anthology". In 2019, the band completed two headlining American tours--a summer East Coast/Midwest tour with support from Cloak and a West Coast tour with support from Un-as well as a European tour with Iron Walrus. Khemmis released "Doomed Heavy Metal", a collection of rarities, live tracks, and a newly-recorded cover of Dio's  Rainbow in the Dark, on April 17, 2020. The album was co-released by 20 Buck Spin and Nuclear Blast. In 2020, they released a cover of "Down in a Hole" by Alice in Chains as part of Magnetic Eye Records' "Dirt (Redux)". Prior to their livestreamed performance for Decibel Magazine's 200th Issue Show Extremely Ex-Stream in April 2021, the band announced that original bassist Dan Beiers had left the band in December 2020. The band released "Deceiver", their fourth studio album overall and their first worldwide release on Nuclear Blast, on November 19, 2021. The record was  ranked 2nd on Decibel Magazine's Top 40 Albums of 2021.