Cleric (band)

History

Cleric got together in 2003 and put out their first EP, The Underling, which cost only $200 to record. They soon started writing music for films, contributing to the Punk Rock Holocaust slasher series and the adult film company Burning Angel. In 2008, they earned an AVN Award nomination for Best Music for their work on Porny Monster, a porn parody of Party Monster. Their demo Allotriophagy and the 7-inch single Cumberbund got some good reviews and attention from critics. After that, they signed with Web of Mimicry, the label run by Trey Spruance, known for Secret Chiefs 3 and Mr. Bungle.

Their first full album, Regressions, came out on April 27, 2010. It was produced by Colin Marston, who said it was the hardest and most time-consuming project he’d ever taken on because the music was so dense and complex. Critics liked it, praising the band’s aggressive style and willingness to try new things. In September 2010, after a show in Brooklyn, someone stole a lot of their gear, which stopped their recording and touring plans. They got some of it back by finding items in pawn shops and by asking fans to help through a Kickstarter campaign. In 2013, they finally went on a delayed tour for their debut album and put out a digital single called Resumption. They went back to work with Colin Marston on a new album and also started planning a collection of their film music. That November, they began their first tour across the country, which ran through December. Their second album, Retrocausal, came out on December 8, 2017, on Web of Mimicry. In August 2018, the John Zorn box set The Book Beri'ah was released by Tzadik Records, which included Cleric’s third album, Chokhma.