NASHVILLE'S PROGRESSIVE METAL WEATHER BAND!

(EST. 2011 - Gallatin, TN)


   MEMBERS... 

     Ben Forbes   _   Front Vocals & Guitar

  Brian Ellis   _   Lead Guitar & Vocals

Steven Jacobs   _   Guitar & Vocals

       Chris Healey   _   Bass & Backing Vocals

   Mathias Fodor   _   Drums, Samples, & Backing Vocals

Contact us here.

What is... Convection?

CONVECTION, /kənˈvekSH(ə)n/, (noun):

1.) The act of conveying or transmitting.

2.) The movement caused within a fluid by the tendency of hotter and therefore less dense material to rise, and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in transfer of heat - the root cause of the most extreme weather on Earth and elsewhere in space.

3.) A PROGRESSIVE METAL QUINTET FROM GALLATIN, TN   - FORMED IN 2011.

[CONVECTION: Used as a metaphor for the never ending cycle between forces to constantly attempt arrival at a more balanced equilibrium...]

     ^ (Some details are referenced from the Dictionary.com definition.)

DISCOGRAPHY...

INTO DARKNESS (Early Years) - 7/20/14

BLIND DRIVE AHEAD (DEMOS) - 12/1/15

POLARITY - 4/28/17

KEPLER - 2/20/20

THE GHOST OF ALBERT GALLATIN EP - 11/24/23

"THE STORY OF CONVECTION"


     Back in 2011, 'Convection' was merely a few experimental ideas in the mind of the founding member and leader - Brian Ellis. Due to his insatiable interest in meteorology and metaphor alike, the writings would carry a combination of both in theme. These few ideas grew over the next 3 years into a 17 track album entitled "Into Darkness", which was independently released in the summer of 2014. Featuring a sound akin to groups like Tool, Alice in Chains, Foo Fighters, etc., this album was an experimental fruitcake of adolescent frustrations and dispositions. Songs like 'The Light', 'Acid Trip', and 'Take Me Away' would prove to be the favorites among listeners. The only problem: Brian had performed all the instruments from the ground up, along with recording and producing the record almost entirely on his own. Thus, the search for a talented group of musicians to take Convection to the stage, and beyond, was on.

     A few more years, and a plethora of line-up changes later, another album was on the cusp of making it into the light. "POLARITY", released in the spring of 2017, would mark a major turning point in the band's future. This record would feature a much more progressive - heavy metal sound vs. the more progressive rock aspects of 2014's 'Into Darkness'. Also, Brian's knowledge of audio production and list of studio gear were both greatly improved this go-round. Together, with the intense lead vocal power and lyrical mastery of Ben Forbes, the soaring harmony match up of clean vocals and rhythm guitars provided by Steven Jacobs, and the additional idea vault and bass mastery developed by Ben Morris, the group was ready to hit the road! BUT WAIT... the only thing missing was a solid, dedicated drummer. Even so, the guys would go on to perform their first dozen shows in support of 'Polarity' without a drummer - using backing tracks and searching the crowd for interest in the open position each night. Songs like 'Supercell', 'Barrage', and 'Equilibrium' caught fire among the growing fan base of Convection during this time. 

     Finally, near the end of 2018, a new animal would enter the fold. Drummer, Mathias Fodor, ascended to the throne as the best man for the job, proving to be a dream come true for Convection. 2019 would be a year full of awesome shows and more pen-to-paper for the long awaited quintet line-up. Unfortunately, by the end of the year, bassist Ben Morris had to make the difficult decision to leave the on-stage line-up in pursuit of new musical paths, and also to deal with other pressing matters in his personal life. Surprisingly, the slot would be filled soon after by an 'Into Darkness' era member who was previously one of the guitarists. Freshly turned bassist, Chris Healey was indeed the fuel needed to keep Convection's fire burning.

     On February 20, 2020, Convection would bring to fruition their third and current release...

     Entitled "KEPLER", this record will supply you with tight grooves, heavy riffs, and deep layers of atmospheric euphoria unlike anything Convection has developed before. Kepler is described by the band as a story of intra-personal struggle and strife drawn from their own experiences, set to an interstellar theme that transcends space and time. This work of art is engineered as a repeatable journey which pans out across twelve tracks that flow together, including a cutting-edge three part title track epic within. Track two, "FOUNDRY", features 'Meshuggah-esque' polyrhythmic grooves and atmospheres, while other tracks like "BEYOND THE RIFT" and "RELATIVITY" feature ground-breaking 'djent' riffs and playing styles akin to that of Periphery, The Contortionist, and even Animals as Leaders. Kepler also features (for the first time) a tight knit five piece line-up that has maintained influence over the artistic direction and finality of the project throughout its entire conception.

     The tale of Convection continues to this day...

"...May the cycles of music never end..." ~ CVN_2020

- BAE

ABOUT THE BAND...

 Ben Forbes (Front Vocals, Guitar):

     Ben Forbes, a practicing human, is a character who is currently and always in search of answers in regard to what planet he is really from.  When asked about his belief in his extraterrestrial origin, all he said was “I don’t know, man. I don’t remember being born here! Do you?”  Ben has always been heavily influenced by hard rock and metal music.  He accredits this to his father who at an early age introduced him such bands as Metallica, KoRn, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, etc.  However when with his mother, he would hear such things as Christina Aguilera, KC and the Sunshine Band, Elton John, and the soundtracks to many different Disney movies.  Creating what he calls a heavy metal fruitcake.  Overall he is “hella stoked” about the “dope-ass” opportunity to play with such a tight and talented group as Convection.


Brian Ellis (Lead Guitar, Vocals):

     Born into a life of music and creativity, this character was most influenced at an early age by artists such as Rush, Guns n' Roses, and Ozzy Osbourne / Black Sabbath. The first instrument ever touched was a drumset at age three. He's kept exceptional time since that age and continues to experiment with time signatures and tempos constantly. Brian picked up guitar at age 7 and subsequently became a multi-instrumentalist at the age of 10 by taking on the drums. He mastered both of these by the age of 16 but will sustain that there is ALWAYS room to grow. Other instruments learned include Bass, Trumpet, and a bit of Keyboard / Synth. He's got the goods in the music world I guess... and he also has a BIT of an ego, as you may have noticed here. No surprise however - if you knew him you'd understand. Either way, as the caretaker and creator of CONVECTION, he takes on a great deal of responsibility. Protective as hell and dedicated beyond belief, there is no rest for the wicked in this case... nor for the egotistical bastards. In all honesty (despite the chaos of life), he's humble and respectful, especially towards those who deserve it - other fellow musicians, artists, fans, family, friends, bandmates, etc. After performing 95% of the recordings and instruments on "INTO DARKNESS", he's been able to include more of a complete band appeal for recent releases - especially 'Kepler.' After all, that has been his goal since the beginning.

      "I find that success is not how big or popular you are, fuck that. Success is relative; many things are actually. I feel success when I'm happy doing what I love and when I'm doing so with the people I love and care about. It's not about the money, it's about the journey, and the lessons learned. Success is dying as happy as you can because you've done what you've wanted to do your whole life, and you wouldn't change it for anything. Fuck all that being rich with a big mansion and fifteen cars and shit - I'd rather get struck by lightning while double-fisting beers. I want to be able to sit back one day, pour some Yeager & Cranberry, roast some jazz cabbage, and watch the sunset thinking 'I did it, I lived life, I made it, I made a difference, and I would trade it for nothing.' That's the dream - my dream." - Bri Guy

     Brian's position in the band today (aside from doing the recording, mixing, production, and being the band leader) is as the Lead Guitarist / Vocalist. His more recent influences include but are not limited to: Periphery, Tool, Deftones, APC, Twelve Foot Ninja, TesseracT, Plini, Monobody, and Sithu Aye. He expects great things for the band and its future, and won't give it up for anything. Not even a free unlimited supply of ALL the alcohol and Chinese food he could ever want. Now THAT'S dedication.


 Steven Jacobs (Guitar, Vocals):

     Steven Jacobs, the man with a plan, plays a huge role in keeping the band together. This character is great at spotting and dealing with the small problems while keeping the band's finances straight, retaining a firm foundation, and providing valuable insight in general. His earliest exposure to music came in the form of bands like August Burns Red, Bullet for my Valentine, and SOAD to name a few. He picked up a guitar during his middle school years and subsequently began leveling up. He became friends with Chris Healey (our old lead guitarist from Cycle 1) and they played in a local house band together for a while. This is actually the same band Brian and Steven were in together when Brian filled in on Bass for a show. Shortly after that early in their high school years, Steven and Chris joined Brian in his ongoing unreleased project called 'Convection'. They played a small assortment of shows locally including a couple school talent events before the release of their first album shortly after graduation, and the rest is history.

     Steven now enjoys a wide assortment of influences including the likes of Periphery, Meshuggah, APC, Veil of Maya, Chelsea Grin, Coheed & Cambria and even some other non-metal influences. You can find him zipping around on his motor bike during his spare time (which is RARE) and more commonly low-riding with his souped up BASS CANNONS. Most of the time however he is busting ass at work to make sure all ends meet.

     When asked how he feels about Convection and the guys today, he responded sarcastically, "I mean, It's pretty cool... beats being bored at home I suppose". Statements like this are common from him and are identified as the main reason he's still around, not because he's good at guitar or anything. In Summary, Steven looks forward to many wonder-filled days of music to come.


Chris Healey (Bass, Backing Vocals):

     We're proud to announce the reunion of our long-lost fellow, this time on a new instrument! More to come on Chris soon...

Mathias Fodor (Drums, Samples):

     I'll tell you what - the character we call the MATH man is something else entirely.

We'll be getting to his story soon, it's just a LOT to tackle with him being from L.A. and all... so, COMING SOON.....