Metal Family Tree

This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

Rivers of Nihil are a technical/progressive death metal band. Their line has been pretty consistent so far with only positions changing frequently being the drums and otherwise only having one guitar player change. Since the beginning the core has been, Vocalist Jake Dieffenbach, guitarist Brody Uttley and bassist Adam Biggs. Guitarist Jon Kunz was the original second guitarist until Jon Topore in 2014. Ron Nelson was the original drummer, replaced by Alan Balamut in 2014, who was replaced by Dylan Potts who was replaced with current Jared Klein. All members share writing credits except Dylan who didn’t not appear on an album. Brody has stated the he writes the majority of music, but there is collaboration to reach the final product.

John Coltrane

Miles Davis

David Bowie was an influential art rocker. Brody named him as an influence.

The Moody Blues are a progressive / psychedelic / symphonic rock band. Brody named them as an influence.

Frank Zappa was a influential, experimental and progressive rock leader. Brody named him as an influence.

Pink Floyd are one of the most well known progressive rock bands. Brody and Adam name them as an influence. Brody has named them as probably his favorite band.

Jethro Tull are a progressive rock band known for their front man’s flute playing. Brody named them as an influence.

King Crimson are an influential progressive rock band. Brody named them as an influence. Adam named them as his favorite band.

Yes are another influential progressive rock band. Brody and Adam named them as an influence.

Genesis are another influential progressive rock band although they explored new wave and a poppy sound later, Brody named early Genesis as an influence.

Led Zeppelin are one of the most influential bands. Brody said they were a band he grew up listening to.

Gentle Giant, again another progressive rock band named as an influence by Brody.

Rush are an influential progressive hard rock band. Adam named them as an influence.

Steve Vai are considered one of the great guitar virtuosos. Brody named him as an influence when it comes to lead playing.

Swans are an experimental rock band. Brody named them as an influence.

My Bloody Valentine are shoegaze pioneers. Kunz is a fan.

Death are considered by many, fathers of death metal, and for sure are responsible for taking death metal in a progressive/technical direction. Kunz named them as an influence.

Paul Gilbert

Neurosis started as a hardcore band and later turned into a post-metal, sludge, and industrial band. Kunz said he’s a fan.

Boards of Canada are an electronic duo. Bordy named them as an influence.

Soundgarden are pioneers of grunge. Jared said they were an influence on the band.

Cynic are a Progressive notably sharing mebers Sean Reinert and Paul Masvidal with Death at one time. Brody named them as an influence.

Nine Inch Nails are a popular industrial rock band. Brody named them as an influence.

Dream Theater are one of the biggest names in progressive metal. Brody named John Petrucci as an influence on his leads.

Cannibal Corpse are one of the best known Death metal bands. Adam named The Bleeding as a favorite album and CC as one of his biggest influences. — Cannibal Corpse are one of the best known Death metal bands. Adam named *The Bleeding* as a favorite album and CC as one of his biggest influences.

Suffocation are pioneers of brutal death metal. Alan named Mike Smith as an influence.

Slowdive are a dream pop / shoegaze band. Brody named them as an influence.

Aphex Twins are an electronic band. Brody named them as an influence.

Steven Wilson

Necrophagist are an influential technical death band. Adan said they are fans.

Marilyn Manson was the industrial staple music for goth kids in the late 90’s. Adam named Antichrist Superstar as a favorite album. — Marilyn Manson was the industrial staple music for goth kids in the late 90’s. Adam named *Antichrist Superstar* as a favorite album.

Nile are Egyptian themed brutal/technical death metal. Alan named George Kollias and Derek Roddy as an influence.

Behemoth are black/death juggernauts. Adam said they were an influence on them early on. Alan named Inferno as an influence.

Mogwai are a post rock band. Brody named them as an influence.

Cattle Decapitation are a death/grind and later became more technical. Adam named them as an early influence on them.

Sigur Rós are a Icelandic post rock band. Brody and Kunz named them as an influence.

Origin are a technical death band. Adam named them as an early influence on them.

Lamb of God are groove metal masters. Brody said As the Palaces Burn really got him into playing heavy. Topore also named them as an influence. — Lamb of God are groove metal masters. Brody said *As the Palaces Burn* really got him into playing heavy. Topore also named them as an influence.

Spawn of Possession are a technical death metal band. Adam said they are fans.

Explosions in the Sky are a post rock / instrumental rock band. Brody and Kunz named them as an influence.

Gojira are a progressive band with roots in death and groove metal. Adam said they are a band they have looked to for song writing influences.

Mastodon are a progressive band with earlier roots in sludge. Adam named them as a band they looked to for song writing influences.

The Black Dahlia Murder are a popular modern death metal band. Topore named them as an influence.

Russian Circles are a post rock/metal band. Brody named them as an influence.

Caspian an instrumental post rock band. Brody named them as an influence.

Beneath the Massacre are a technical death / deathcore band. Topore named them as an influence.

This Will Destroy You are a post rock band. Brody named them as an influence.

The Faceless are a technical death metal band. Brody named them as an influence particularly their album Planetary Duality. — The Faceless are a technical death metal band. Brody named them as an influence particularly their album *Planetary Duality.*

Soreption are a Swedish technical death band. Topore named them as an influence.

Brody said they all grew up with their dad’s listening to a lot of their progressive rock influences. He said after a long day of heavy metal they will listen to more relaxed stuff like Muse or Radiohead and said they were not against something like Coldplay or post-rock bands (which some the latter are noted above). He said in middle school he was big in to 80’s hair bands like Motley Crue, Ratt, Cinderella, Guns ‘n’ Roses, and Quite Riot.

Adam, when asked about song writing influences he said “maybe even Slipknot". If I see something more concrete I will add them above. Adam said he is more influenced by progressive rock than any metal band. He named his dad as a big influence and tells a story about him being forced to listen to Dark Side of the Moon, and it changed his life. He has talked about listening to rap and Faith No More.

I’m unsure who Jake’s influences are.

I’m unsure of Ron’s influences.

Jared said the band his influenced by Pink Floyd and King Crimson, but I’m not sure if those personal influences or his or just big influences on the band as a whole.

More Family Trees

Sources:

http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/musicians/brody-uttley-rivers-of_2.htm
https://metalnation.com/rivers-of-nihil-interview-brody-uttley-talks-writing-concepts-and-where-owls-know-my-name/
https://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/2014/07/08/brody-uttley-of-rivers-of-nihil-the-heavy-blog-is-heavy-interview/
https://metalinjection.net/interviews/rivers-of-nihil-modern-tech-death
https://exclaim.ca/music/article/rivers_of_nihil_the_death_metal_saxophone_act_you_didnt_know_you_wanted_are_coming_to_canada
https://fouroverfour.jukely.com/artist/rivers-of-nihil-interview/
https://www.antiheromagazine.com/interview-brody-uttley-of-rivers-of-nihil/
https://www.rockfantasy.com/wp/?p=3605
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyW3ku3GYvE
https://thethankslist.com/adam-biggs-rivers-of-nihil/
https://firstorderhistorians.wordpress.com/2013/10/23/5-questions-with-adam-biggs-from-rivers-of-nihil/#more-12172
https://www.metal-rules.com/2013/11/28/rivers-of-nihil-interview/
http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=105103
https://wonderboxmetal.com/2018/03/21/interview-with-rivers-of-nihil/
https://www.invisibleoranges.com/progspot-2-rivers-of-nihil/
https://sickdrummermagazine.com/the-drummers/future-sicko/alan-balamut/
https://thisisreno.com/2019/03/rivers-of-nihil-local-band-plays-slam-and-death-metal/