{{Short description|American rock band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{redirect|The Apex Theory|the band's 2001 extended play|The Apex Theory (EP)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Mt. Helium | image = Mt. Helium (The Apex Theory).jpg |landscape=yes | caption = | alias = The Apex Theory (1999–2004) | origin = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S. | genre = {{flatlist| *[[Progressive rock]] *[[alternative rock]] *[[alternative metal]] *[[nu metal]] (early) }} | years_active = 1999–2008 | label = {{hlist|[[DreamWorks Records|DreamWorks]]|Toys of the Masses}} | website = | current_members = | past_members = David Hakopyan<br />Art Karamian<br />{{nowrap|[[Ontronik Khachaturian|Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian]]}}<br />Sammy J. Watson }}
'''Mt. Helium''', formerly known as '''the Apex Theory''', was an American [[rock music|rock]] band from Los Angeles, California, that was known for playing [[Mediterranean Basin|Mediterranean]] music<ref name="Wilson"/><ref name="Sutherland"/><ref name=Wiederhorn/> mixed with [[progressive rock]].<ref name=Wiederhorn/><ref name=popmatters/> The band released three studio albums and three [[extended play]]s.
==History== The Apex Theory was formed in 1999 by Armenian-American musicians [[Ontronik Khachaturian|Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian]], David Hakopyan (drummer and bass player of [[System of a Down#Soil (1992–1994)|Soil / System of a Down]] respectively), and Art Karamian following Khachaturian's injury and subsequent departure from System of a Down. Sammy J. Watson joined the band after they were unable to find a committed drummer.<ref name="Wilson">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-apex-theory-mn0000751245/biography |title=Biography of The Apex Theory |accessdate=December 15, 2008 |last=Wilson |first=MacKenzie |publisher=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref> The band released its first [[extended play]], ''Extendemo'', in 2000. The following year, they signed with [[DreamWorks Records]],<ref name="Iannini">{{cite book |last=Iannini |first=Tommaso |title=Nu metal |year=2003 |publisher=Giunti |language=it |isbn=88-09-03051-6 |pages=22–23 |chapter=The Apex Theory }}</ref> releasing their second EP ''[[The Apex Theory (EP)|The Apex Theory]]'' on October 9, 2001.<ref name="Wilson"/> The band performed at the main stage during the 2001 [[Warped Tour]],<ref>{{cite news |first=Patrick |last=MacDonald |title=''Punk rock and extreme sports collide at Vans Warped Tour'' |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20010629/vans29/punk-rock-and-extreme-sports-collide-at-vans-warped-tour |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=June 29, 2001 |access-date=December 15, 2008 |archive-date=October 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001210133/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20010629&slug=vans29 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Burr">{{cite news |first=Ramiro |last=Burr |title=Apex Theory set for Ozzfest Quartet mixes hard rock, funk |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SAEC&p_theme=saec&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F5FA1A9991C7683&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |work=[[San Antonio Express-News]] |date=September 7, 2002 |accessdate=December 15, 2008 }}</ref> and as co-headliners at the 2002 [[MTV2]] tour.<ref name="Wilson"/>
On April 2, 2002, the band released its first album, ''[[Topsy-Turvy (album)|Topsy-Turvy]]''. It peaked at No. 6 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Top Heatseekers|Heatseekers chart]] and No. 157 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r564950|pure_url=yes}} |title=Charts and awards for ''Topsy Turvy'' |accessdate=December 13, 2008 |publisher=[[Allmusic]]}}</ref> Months after the album's release, Khachaturian left the band,<ref name="Iannini"/> and they began to audition new vocalists before deciding that Karamian would take over as the band's vocalist, shifting the band from a [[quartet]] to a [[power trio]].<ref name="MTVNews-November02">{{cite news |title=For The Record: Quick News On Limp Bizkit, Wes Borland, Apex Theory, Coal Chamber, Rival Schools, Kiss & More |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458771/11192002/rival_schools.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021212144738/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458771/11192002/rival_schools.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2002 |publisher=[[MTV News]] |date=November 19, 2002 |accessdate=December 15, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="MTVNews-April04">{{cite news |title=For The Record: Quick News On Mary J. Blige, Guided By Voices, Kid Rock, Elephant Man, Metallica, Billy Joel & More |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1486602/20040426/blige_mary_j.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040908172956/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1486602/20040426/blige_mary_j.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 8, 2004 |publisher=[[MTV News]] |date=April 26, 2004 |accessdate=December 15, 2008 }}</ref> The band released an EP in 2004 entitled ''inthatskyissomethingwatching''. After changing the name to Mt. Helium, the band released its second album, ''Faces'', as a digital download on June 3, 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001A660KW/ |title=ASIN: B001A660KW |website=Amazon |accessdate=December 15, 2008 }}</ref>
==Musical style== Former vocalist Ontronik Khachaturian described the band's sound as a "heavy [[Mediterranean Basin|Mediterranean]] groove".<ref name="Wilson"/><ref name="Sutherland">{{cite news |first=Sonya |last=Sutherland |title=World music collides in Apex Theory |url=http://www.michigandaily.com/content/world-music-collides-apex-theory |work= [[Michigan Daily]]|date=November 12, 2001 |accessdate=December 15, 2008 }}</ref> The ''[[Michigan Daily]]'' writer Sonya Sutherland wrote, "The Apex Theory combines a heavy drum support, melodic guitars and honey sweet vocals to provide an entertaining and emotional message."<ref name="Sutherland"/> The band's musical style was influenced by Mediterranean, [[Middle East]]ern and [[Near East]]ern music.<ref name="Sutherland"/> [[PopMatters]] described ''Topsy-Turvy'' as "an energy-filled fusion of [[progressive rock|progressive]] and modern rock."<ref name=popmatters>{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/apextheory-topsy-2495826713.html|title=The Apex Theory: Topsy Turvy|date=January 14, 2003|website=PopMatters.com|accessdate=October 6, 2020}}</ref>
The [[MTV News]] writer Jon Wiederhorn wrote that "the Apex Theory's multi-textured music [...] combines [[heavy metal music|metal]], prog-rock, Mediterranean music and even [[jazz]]. And the off-kilter rhythm, skittering drums, whirlpool guitars and aggressive vocals of 'Shhh ... (Hope Diggy)' are a perfect taster for the band's debut album".<ref name=Wiederhorn>{{cite news |first=Jon |last=Wiederhorn |title=Apex Theory Offer 'Hope' To Metal — Diggy-Da |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1452687/20020228/apex_theory.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020409101935/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1452687/20020228/apex_theory.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 9, 2002 |publisher=[[MTV News]] |date=March 1, 2002 |accessdate=December 15, 2008 }}</ref> Deseret News said that "Apex Theory's progressive punk mixed exotic music signatures with [[psychedelic rock]]".<ref name=deseret>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deseret.com/2002/3/18/19643861/adema-emerges-as-sno-core-favorite|title=Adema emerges as Sno-Core favorite|first=Scott|last=Iwasaki|date=March 18, 2002|website=Deseret.com|accessdate=October 6, 2020}}</ref> As The Apex Theory, they were also labelled [[nu metal]].<ref name="Iannini"/><ref>{{cite magazine|first= Bob |last= Massey |title= Noise live |magazine= [[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |volume= 18 |issue= 7 |date= July 2002 |page= 44 |issn= 0886-3032 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=BHViszhzqIgC&dq=%22nu+metal%22&pg=PA44}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Mark|last=Jenkins|date=April 4, 2002|title=THE APEX Theory "Topsy-Turvy"|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/04/05/the-apex-theory-topsy-turvy/0059616c-582b-4389-95ca-43a770d7b565/|access-date=May 18, 2024|website=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
==Band members== * David Hakopyan — bass guitar<ref name="Wilson"/> <small>(1999–2008)</small> * Art Karamian — guitar, vocals<ref name="MTVNews-April04"/> <small>(1999–2008)</small> * [[Ontronik Khachaturian|Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian]] — vocals<ref name="MTVNews-November02"/> <small>(1999–2002)</small> * Sammy J. Watson — drums<ref name="Wilson"/> <small>(1999–2008)</small>
===Timeline=== {{#tag:timeline| ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:120 bottom:100 top:10 right:80 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1999 till:12/01/2008 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4 ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1999 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1999
Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:backing value:pink legend:Backing_vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:lines value:black legend:Studio_album id:EP value:gray(0.5) legend:EP
BarData =
bar:Ontronik text:"Ontronik Khachaturian" bar:Art text:"Art Karamian" bar:David text:"David Hakopyan" bar:Sammy text:"Sammy J. Watson" LineData =
color:black layer:back at:04/02/2002 at:06/03/2008 color:EP at:10/09/2001 at:01/16/2007
PlotData = width:11 bar:Ontronik from:start till:12/01/2002 color:vocals bar:Art from:start till:end color:guitar width:3 bar:Art from:start till:12/01/2002 color:backing width:3 bar:Art from:12/01/2002 till:end color:vocals bar:David from:start till:end color:bass
bar:Sammy from:start till:end color:drums }}
==Discography== === Albums === *''[[Topsy-Turvy (album)|Topsy-Turvy]]'' (2002) (as The Apex Theory) *''Faces'' (2008) (as Mt. Helium)
=== Extended plays === *''Extendemo'' (2000) (as The Apex Theory) * ''[[The Apex Theory (EP)|The Apex Theory]]'' (2001) (as The Apex Theory) * ''Inthatskyissomethingwatching'' (2004) (as The Apex Theory) * ''[[Lightpost (EP)|Lightpost]]'' (2007) (as The Apex Theory)
===Promotional releases=== *''Random Bursts'' (2001) (as The Apex Theory)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{discogs artist}} *{{allmusic artist}}
{{Mt. Helium}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Armenian rock music groups]] [[Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1999]] [[Category:Progressive rock musical groups from California]] [[Category:American musical trios]] [[Category:1999 establishments in California]] [[Category:American alternative metal musical groups]] [[Category:Nu metal musical groups from California]]