The last seventeen years have been a rocky old road for West Virginians, Byzantine. Formed in Charleston in 2000, the band have undergone numerous changes in personnel, and split up on more than one occasion. Records have had to be released independently, and although the recording sessions for latest album The Cicada Tree (Metal Blade) ran smoothly enough, the process was hindered slightly by the full time work commitments of the members. Not to be disheartened, the band took the unusual step of recording the guitar solos and vocal sessions via a live stream on the internet. For a couple of hours a night, fans were able to interact with the band, even proposing different ways to play certain parts.Continue reading →