An Isolated Mind is the solo experimental extreme metal project of Eureka-denizen Kameron Bogges. Having produced music since about 2008 under the moniker of Four Hoove Death Pig—a banana bread-themed metal opera project (it sounds outlandish and it is, but trust me, it’s pretty neat)—Kameron decided to stray this path sometime in 2018 to embark on a new endeavor. As he describes, An Isolated Mind was birthed into existence as a result of an existential crisis he endured after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and spending a week in a psychiatric hospital. For a year following this tumultuous experience, Kameron says he “spent the following year walking the fine line between psychotic delusion and spiritual epiphany, systematically doubting and reconstructing my psyche to accommodate my newfound reality.” He then adds that his debut LP, I’m Losing Myself, serves as an auditory journal “documenting the terrors and bliss of losing oneself to the mystery beyond reason.” Given the album’s hefty and utmost personal subject matter, Kameron felt it would not gel too well with the zany compositions commonplace to Four Hoove Pig Death, hence the creation of a new odyssey, An Isolated Mind.

I’m Losing Myself released back in March 2019 (surprise surprise, both Connor and I are fashionably late to the party in dissecting this one). Since its publication, Kameron released in January 2020 an album called Self-Titled, which is comprised of two EPs that he deems as “prequels” to I’m Losing Myself. Though arguably not as gnashing as I’m Losing Myself, Self-Titled etches the fascinating blueprint that lays the groundwork for what would soon become the emotionally perplexing leviathan.

Much of what we find compelling about I’m Losing Myself is its non-adherence to extreme metal tropes. Song structures unfurl and wind in untraditional wanderings, often basking us in grainy veils of claustrophobia-inducing atmosphere. Creaks and skitters from unspecified metallic objects, either digital or corporeal, gnaw at the fabric of each composition, though behind these scrawling noises an uncanny vacuity suppresses. Drums cleave and bleed with barbarous fervor, rollicking through labyrinths of bewildering patterns as coils of guitar notes dissonant and melodic intertwine and collapse upon each other to create heart-rending turmoil. All the while, Kameron’s cathartic and, at times, desperate barks puncture the isolating knot bulging in our jugulars. Both Connor and I had heaps to say about this record and we sincerely hope you enjoy our discussion of it. I also read a couple of excerpts from some insightful interviews conducted by Invisible Oranges and Angry Metal Guy during this episode. I wanted to link them here in case you’re intrigued to learn more about the history of this project. Thank you so much for tuning in.