Aghora

A very unique and unusual heavy metal act, Aghora was first conceived in 1995 by guitarist/programmer Santiago Dobles, while he and initial co-conspirators Max Dible (guitar) and Andy Deluca (bass) were attending the Berklee School of Music. Come 1997, Dobles relocated to Miami, Florida, where he recruited his sister, vocalist Danishta Rivero, and guitarist Charlie Ekendahl, and a few years (and demos) later, the legendary rhythm section of progressive death metal pioneers Cynic, bassist Sean Malone and drummer Sean Reinert (also ex-Death). Meshing the latter groups' penchant for compositional inventiveness with Dobles' jazz fusion-based playing and Rivero's clear, melodic voice, Aghora recorded a self-titled debut album in 1999. Malone, Reinert, and Ekendahl soon moved on to other projects, but despite announcing replacements in Alan Goldstein (bass) and Richard Komatz (drums), Aghora has yet to produce any new music.