Phyllomedusa

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Phyllomedusa is an experimental project from Annapolis, Maryland. It was created in 2007 by Big Frog and is infamous for its extreme amphibious and misanthropic themes, releases of mass quantity, harsh sounds, and loud volume. Phyllomedusa is very pro-animal, especially from the amphibian side.

History

In early 2007, "Big Frog" put his other noise project Omphalectoicxanthopsia on hiatus, and wanted to start something so completely different than anything else. Due to the fact he couldn't find a drummer to play the speed he wanted, Big Frog learned every instrument himself. Going through multiple ideas, and animal-themed projects before picking a favorite of his childhood, the frog, and all amphibians in general.

"Eggs of the Monkey Frog" was the first demo to be printed and released to a small audience. His labels Sloth Clatter Media and Hypyractyv Larynx Records only printed 150 copies. At an extreme volume, it contained heavy use of start/stop noise with hundreds of frog calls in between. Phyllomedusa later went on to produce many different releases all with many different genres including Gorenoise, Goregrind, Sludge/Doom metal, Ambient, Noisecore, Death Metal, D-beat, Blues, and Minimalism.

Big Frog started as a guitar player in high school, and still revolves the project's sound around the guitar. A key characteristic of Phyllomedusa is the use of 7 & 8 string guitars. More specifically the Ibanez RG2228 and Ibanez RG7321.

Phyllomedusa's use of expert and very technical song titles and explanations relating to amphibians is another key element which displays Big Frog's devotion towards these animals.

Art and design are always done by Big Frog as well. This includes the photography, merchandise, layouts, etc.

Phyllomedusa is also known for covering a vast amount of different bands. "Mimicry" as Big Frog puts it. This includes creating album covers almost identical to whichever band he is basing it off of, but with an amphibious theme. This also goes for song titles. Noteable bands include Last Days Of Humanity, Silencer, Bile, and Black Putrefaction. Other bands that Phyllomedusa has "mimicked" include Corrupted, Type O Negative, Flagitous Dilapidation In The Idiosyncrasy, Mortician, Faeces Eruption and Torche.

Other ranging influences include classic horror movies, more specifically animal-based films and extreme misanthropy. Often implying amphibians are more important than humans. That frogs and toads would eat humans if they got hungry enough. He also believes he has a inner connection with amphibians which he has stated in various interviews and his own blogging.

Phyllomedusa employs both clean and pitch shifted vocals. Multiple effect pedals are also used on the guitars and bass.

Another important piece of equipment Phyllomedusa uses is the Simmons Electronic drum kit.

Big Frog is also the lone member of Macrophagous Gilled Larvae, olm, Toad Birth, and Amphibians Performing Surgery. All of which revolve around amphibians.

Many of his releases can be found at the blog he runs entitled "Amphibian Worship".

Blog

Phyllomedusa's Bandcamp

Discography