Behold... The Arctopus

by Marisa Brown Colin Marston and Mike Lerner had been playing guitar together for over a year-and-a-half by the time they found a drummer who could keep up with their fast, technically difficult brand of progressive metal. After posting two demos (using a drum machine) online, Marston (on the Warr guitar, a 12-stringed instrument that covers the range of a bass and guitar and is generally played by tapping) and Lerner (on electric guitar) met Charlie Zeleny, who impressed the duo when he played a song of theirs for them at their first meeting and was immediately asked to join Behold...The Arctopus. Inspired by both metal and 20th century classical, as well as the improvisational nature of jazz, the band released their first full-length album, Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning, which combined a three-song EP of the same name and their debut, Arctopocalypse Now...Warmageddon Later, as well as four live tracks in 2006.