KEN Mode
Canadian rock/metal band
title: "KEN Mode" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["canadian-noise-rock-groups", "musical-groups-from-winnipeg", "canadian-sludge-metal-musical-groups", "musical-groups-established-in-1999", "canadian-post-hardcore-musical-groups", "canadian-musical-trios", "1999-establishments-in-manitoba", "juno-award-for-heavy-metal-album-of-the-year-winners"] description: "Canadian rock/metal band" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KEN_Mode" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Canadian rock/metal band ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | KEN Mode |
| image | KENmode2002.jpg |
| caption | KEN Mode performing circa 2002 |
| landscape | yes |
| background | group_or_band |
| origin | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| genre | {{flatlist |
| years_active | 1999–present |
| label | Season of Mist, Escape Artist, Arctodus, No List, Profound Lore, Init, Throatruiner |
| website | |
| current_members | Jesse Matthewson |
| Shane Matthewson | |
| Scott Hamilton | |
| Kathryn Kerr | |
| past_members | Darryl Laxdal |
| Drew Johnston | |
| Jahmeel Russell | |
| Chad Tremblay | |
| Thérèse Lanz | |
| Andrew LaCour | |
| :: |
| name = KEN Mode | image = KENmode2002.jpg | caption = KEN Mode performing circa 2002 | landscape = yes | background = group_or_band | origin = Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | genre = {{flatlist|
- Noise rock
- sludge metal
- post-hardcore
- metalcore | years_active = 1999–present | label = Season of Mist, Escape Artist, Arctodus, No List, Profound Lore, Init, Throatruiner | website = | current_members = Jesse Matthewson Shane Matthewson Scott Hamilton Kathryn Kerr | past_members = Darryl Laxdal Drew Johnston Jahmeel Russell Chad Tremblay Thérèse Lanz Andrew LaCour
KEN Mode (stylized as KEN mode; "KEN" being an acronym for "Kill Everyone Now") is a Canadian noise rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, that was formed in September 1999.
History
Formed by brothers Jesse (guitar/vocals) and Shane Matthewson (drums) and long-time friend Darryl Laxdal (bass), the group released several demos from 1999 to 2003, leading to the release of their debut full length Mongrel on Escape Artist Records.
Several tours followed with the likes of Relapse Records' The End, Sulaco and American Heritage in addition to regional dates with Mastodon, Burnt By The Sun, Anodyne, Pelican, Harkonen, Breather Resist, The Dream is Dead, Psyopus, Daughters, and Buried Inside across the Midwestern and East Coast United States, and throughout Canada. In 2004, Laxdal left the band, only to rejoin in 2005 to finish the band's follow-up record Reprisal, released in 2006 on CD by Escape Artist Records, and on double-LP by No List Records. After the recording of Reprisal, Laxdal and the band parted ways again. Picking up bass duties after Laxdal's departure was Drew Johnston (guitarist in Electro Quarterstaff) who also played with Jesse, Shane and Darryl in Hide Your Daughters.
In October 2006, the band took part in the "Exclaim! Magazine Aggressive Tendencies Tour" with Pelican and Daughters across Canada. Bass duties were handled by former Kittens and Projektor member Jahmeel Russell who played with Jesse, Shane, and Drew in Hide Your Daughters.
KEN Mode went on to work with Jahmeel for the band's third full-length, Mennonite, which was released in July 2008 on CD by Jesse Matthewson's own label, Arctodus Records, and on 3x7" vinyl by No List Records.
Prior to releasing Mennonite, Chad Tremblay joined the band as their fourth bassist in two years. The band embarked on a European tour with Welsh rockers Taint. Tremblay went go on to direct the band's debut music video for the song "Extending Common Courtesy Throughout The Evening" from their Mennonite album.
In 2010, the band announced that Profound Lore Records will release its fourth full-length album, titled Venerable, to be recorded August 2010 with Kurt Ballou of Converge. They also announced several North American tours with Gaza, Engineer, Rosetta, Buried Inside, Wolvhammer, Clinging To The Trees Of A Forest Fire, and others. Venerable was released March 15, 2011, surrounded by an 8-week North American tour, joining forces with the likes of Black Breath, Fuck the Facts, and Khann. An unrelenting tour schedule followed for the bulk of 2011 and beginning of 2012: June 2011 in the US with Deafheaven; June 19, 2011, the band played the Hellfest Open Air festival in Clisson France; July and August 2011 in the Midwestern US and Eastern Canada with the Great Sabatini; September and October 2011 in the US with the Atlas Moth and an extensive European run with Kylesa and Circle Takes The Square in January and February 2012.
On March 31, 2012, Venerable won the inaugural Heavy Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year Juno Award in Canada. Venerable was also nominated for Rock Album of the Year by the Western Canadian Music Awards.
In addition to the non-stop touring cycle for Venerable, KEN Mode went through three bassists before finally enlisting former Khann guitarist and songwriter Andrew LaCour, who toured with the band from July 2011 onward, and contribute to the writing of their fifth album, Entrench.
November 2012 saw the band sign a worldwide deal with Season of Mist Records to release its fifth album, who they spent September and October recording and mixing with Matt Bayles. Entrench was released in March 2013. In June 2013, the album was longlisted for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize and was nominated for the Heavy Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year Juno Award, their second album nominated since the award's inception in 2012.
Their 2023 album Void was a longlisted nominee for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize.
Members
Current members
- Jesse Matthewson − guitars, lead vocals (1999−present), bass, piano (2012−present)
- Shane Matthewson − drums (1999−present)
- Scott Hamilton − bass, backing vocals (2014−present)
- Kathryn Kerr − saxophone, synth, piano, percussion, backing vocals (2021−present)
Former members
- Darryl Laxdal − bass, backing vocals (1999−2004, 2005)
- Drew Johnston − bass (2006)
- Jahmeel Russell − bass (2006−2007)
- Chad Tremblay − bass, backing vocals (2007−2010)
- Thérèse Lanz − bass (2010−2011)
- Andrew LaCour − bass, backing vocals (2011−2014)
Timeline
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Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitars id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:sax value:tan2 legend:Saxophone id:studio value:black legend:Studio_album id:other value:gray(0.70) legend:Other_release
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BarData = bar:Jesse text:"Jesse Matthewson" bar:Darryl text:"Darryl Laxdal" bar:Drew text:"Drew Johnston" bar:Jahmeel text:"Jahmeel Russell" bar:Chad text:"Chad Tremblay" bar:Therese text:"Thérèse Lanz" bar:Andrew text:"Andrew LaCour" bar:Scott text:"Scott Hamilton" bar:Kathryn text:"Kathryn Kerr" bar:Shane text:"Shane Matthewson"
PlotData = width:15 bar:Jesse from:start till:end color:vocals bar:Jesse from:start till:end color:guitar width:3 bar:Jesse from:09/01/2012 till:end color:keys width:7 bar:Jesse from:09/01/2012 till:end color:bass width:11 bar:Darryl from:start till:06/01/2004 color:bass bar:Darryl from:start till:06/01/2004 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Darryl from:06/01/2005 till:01/01/2006 color:bass bar:Darryl from:06/01/2005 till:01/01/2006 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Drew from:01/01/2006 till:10/01/2006 color:bass bar:Jahmeel from:10/01/2006 till:03/01/2007 color:bass bar:Chad from:03/01/2007 till:10/01/2010 color:bass bar:Chad from:03/01/2007 till:10/01/2010 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Therese from:10/01/2010 till:06/01/2011 color:bass bar:Andrew from:06/01/2011 till:05/01/2014 color:bass bar:Andrew from:06/01/2011 till:05/01/2014 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Scott from:05/01/2014 till:end color:bass bar:Scott from:05/01/2014 till:end color:bvocals width:3 bar:Kathryn from:10/01/2021 till:end color:sax width:3 bar:Kathryn from:10/01/2021 till:end color:keys bar:Kathryn from:10/01/2021 till:end color:bvocals width:7 bar:Shane from:start till:end color:drums
Discography
- Mongrel (2003)
- Reprisal (2006)
- Mennonite (2008)
- Venerable (2011)
- Entrench (2013)
- Success (2015)
- Loved (2018)
- Null (2022)
- Void (2023)
Awards and nominations
::data[format=table]
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Juno Award | Heavy Metal Album of the Year | Void | ||
| 2019 | Loved | ||||
| 2016 | Success | ||||
| 2014 | Entrench | ||||
| 2012 | Venerable | ||||
| :: |
References
References
- Freeman, Phil. "Venerable – Overview". [[Rovi Corporation]].
- "KEN mode {{!}} Biography & History". [[Allmusic]].
- Uptown Magazine, March 27, 2003
- ''Stylus Magazine'', April 2003
- (August 25, 2002). "The End kicks off Canadian tour | News".
- (July 8, 2004). "KEN Mode and American Heritage tour | News".
- ''[[Winnipeg Sun]]'', October 14, 2004
- Stewart-Panko, Kevin. (November 14, 2006). "KEN Mode". Decibel Magazine.
- ''Uptown Magazine'', July 13, 2006
- ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'', July 13, 2006
- (May 7, 2007). "Pitchfork: Pelican Plan Assorted Releases, Launch Tour".
- ''Uptown'' Magazine: December 28, 2006
- (August 19, 2010). "Arctodus Records – Store".
- (September 19, 2016). "Taint, KEN Mode tour dates (Europe)".
- "Profound Lore Records". Profound Lore Records.
- (February 10, 2011). "KEN mode announce sprawling Canada/US tour". Exclaim!.
- (April 4, 2011). "KEN Mode, Deafheaven tour". LambGoat.
- (July 7, 2011). "KEN mode Canadian tour dates". Profound Lore Records.
- (August 31, 2011). "the Atlas Moth, KEN Mode tour". Lambgoat.
- (December 5, 2011). "Kylesa, Circle Takes The Square & KEN mode Early 2012 European/UK Tour Announced". The PRP.
- "2012 Junos: All the winners". CBC.
- Adams, Gregory. (June 5, 2012). "Dan Mangan, Said the Whale, KEN Mode, Adaline Rack Up Western Canadian Music Award Nominations". [[Exclaim!]].
- Stosuy, Brandon. (January 15, 2013). "KEN mode: "Counter Culture Complex"". [[Pitchfork Media.
- (January 8, 2013). "KEN MODE Signs With SEASON OF MIST". Babblermouth.
- Heaney, Gregory. (March 19, 2013). "Entrench – KEN mode : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". [[AllMusic]].
- [https://www.cbc.ca/music/polaris-music-prize-2024-long-list-the-beaches-charlotte-cardin-allison-russell-1.7230166 "2024 Polaris Music Prize long list: the Beaches, Tobi, Elisapie, Beverly Glenn-Copeland and more"]. [[CBC Music]], June 11, 2024.
- (June 10, 2022). "Hear KEN mode Bring Sax and Violence on Savage New Song "A Love Letter"".
- Hudson, Alex. (September 29, 2014). "KEN Mode to Record 'Success' LP with Steve Albini". [[Exclaim!]].
- (March 23, 2024). "Junos 2024: the complete list of winners". [[CBC.ca]].
- (March 16, 2019). "Junos 2019: the complete list of winners". [[CBC.ca]].
- Zorgel, Aaron. (April 3, 2016). "Junos 2016: A Complete List of Winners". [[Complex (magazine).
- (March 30, 2014). "Juno Awards 2014: The full list of winners". [[National Post]].
- (April 1, 2012). "Juno Awards 2012: Full list of winners". [[Toronto Star]].
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