Why Isles & Glaciers Should Stay Dead—An Op-Ed

For 45 minutes, the band were back together. Surely Isles & Glaciers' teaser tweet prefaced a massive reunion announcement, flanked by a world tour and new material.

That blissful speculation was short-lived though, as an official remix EP & vinyl (out next week on Equal Vision Records) announcement quickly followed. Fans kicked and screamed before appreciating the band's offering, clinging to four years of scene hopes and dreams. While the pleading may never stop, the faithful haven't realized the truth: It's best for everyone that Isles & Glaciers stay dead.

Paddle back to 2010, when The Hearts Of Lonely People released after years of development. The supergroup's strength came from their combined resumes, but the pecking order was different then. Between Bone Palace Ballet, his removal from Chiodos and the pending formation of D.R.U.G.S., Craig Owens was the biggest draw. With Emarosa on the rise and a successful solo release, a pre-scandal Jonny Craig wasn't far behind. Pierce The Veil hadn't taken over the globe yet, though Vic and Mike Fuentes certainly brought their fair share of followers. Rounding out the lineup with Brian Southall (the Receiving End Of Sirens), Nick Martin (ex-Underminded), and Matt Goddard (Chiodos), Isles & Glaciers showed a balance of trendy newcomers, established stars and veteran musicians that made for a beloved collaboration.

Nowadays, the balance has shifted. Fuentes and Martin hold the crowns, enjoying massive success with Pierce The Veil and Sleeping With Sirens (who recruited Martin in 2013). Back in his rightful throne, Owens has successfully captained Chiodos through their comeback record, Devil. Jonny Craig is heading up his latest band, Slaves, while Brian Southall is back on the road as an industry-favorite tour manager. Each member’s current paths are cued for far more interesting results than a new Isles & Glaciers record could provide.

Take Owens, who's suddenly armed to create a legendary album. A recent Chiodos lineup change brought Thomas Pridgen (the Mars Volta) and Joe Troy (RX Bandits) to the team, which already featured Thomas Erak (the Fall Of Troy) and Goddard. Instantly, Chiodos became post-hardcore's most-talented band. With the solid-but-safe Devil under their belt, the group has the leeway necessary to explore their sound and utilize their musicians’ full potential. Getting these guys into a studio is of the utmost importance: No supergroup reunion can threaten what could be the most important Chiodos record to date.

Meanwhile, Sleeping With Sirens and Pierce The Veil are taking over the world. Since the bands' vocalists teamed up on “King For A Day,” both have shot straight to the top. PTV's Collide With The Sky debuted at No. 10 with over 27,000 units; SWS doubled those numbers to the tune of 60,000 units and a No. 3 debut, the highest debut in Rise Records history. With a winter co-headliner scheduled and new material expected in early 2015 from both acts, it's laughable to suggest any members take a sabbatical (especially Martin, who's still new to SWS). These are bands poised for universal domination and touring year round. Isles & Glaciers needed two years to record one EP, supported by a single show. The math just isn't there.

Though most would welcome new material from Brian Southall, the multi-instrumentalist already released the rightful Isles & Glaciers follow-up to deaf ears. As the group's primary songwriter, much of The Hearts Of Lonely People evolved from demos originally intended for his new band, the Company We Keep. Featuring Southall's musicianship, melodies and lyrics from Justin Pierce (Motion City Soundtrack), percussion via Branden Morgan (Misery Signals, Emarosa), and dynamic vocals from newcomer Haden Brightwell, TCWK’s full-length Sound / No Sound should have resonated with Isles & Glaciers fans. Musically, it was Isles & Glaciers – a tweaked, but familiar continuation of The Hearts Of Lonely People. The album’s lukewarm reception quickly faded following Brightwell’s pregnancy announcement days after the record release, causing TCWK to disband before fans knew what they missed.

The one guy who could use Isles & Glaciers? Jonny Craig. Back when Fuentes wrote the songs, Jonny was stunning; his performances on “Empty Sighs and Wine” and “Viola Lion” may be Isles & Glaciers' best moments. However, while the PTV/SWS co-headliner hits 2000-3000 person venues (that’ll likely sell out nationwide), Slaves’ headliner capped out around 500 capacity joints—nothing to laugh at, but certainly on a different scale. Even so, we have a feeling that with exposure gleaned from Slaves’ impending tour with Chiodos, things could heat up for Craig, thus solidifying that now is just not the time for the return of this beloved supergroup.

No, Isles & Glaciers is best left to fond memories and nostalgia. That's what makes the remixes so perfect: They bring new flavor to old material, encouraging us to revisit a monumental release in a fresh way. Beggars can’t be choosers, and we should take what we can get from defunct bands. Let's enjoy and stop asking for something that can't (and shouldn't) happen.