The Human Abstract formed in Los Angeles around 2005, with guitarist A.J. Minette and drummer Brett Powell at the core. They eventually brought in vocalist Nathan Ells, guitarist Dean Herrera, and bassist Alex Varkatzas. The band's debut album 'Nocturne' came out in 2007, but it was their 2009 album 'Self Portraits of the Instincts' that drew more attention.
That album gave them songs like 'Calm In The Chaos' and 'A Dead World At Sunrise,' which mixed complex guitar work with introspective lyrics. Some listeners found the material heavy, dealing with themes of mental struggle, but it connected with a segment of the progressive metal audience.
After that period, the band's activity slowed. They didn't maintain a steady output of albums, and their lineup shifted over time. Their recorded work remains anchored by that mid-2000s stretch when they were active in the Los Angeles scene.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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