It was a glorious nine-year tenure for Sic Alps, the Bay Area garage rock outfit who sired five long-plays and a whopping thirteen EPs before announcing on July 12 during a concert in Berlin that the show would be their last.

The band formed in 2004 when Mike Donovan befriended the Hospitals’ Adam Stonehouse. Throughout the years, the core duo employed a rotating crew of talent including Noel Von Harmonson, Douglas Armour, Tim Hellman, Matt Hartman, Bianca Sparta, Eric Bauer and the illustrious Ty Segall. The news of their breakup comes as an affecting surprise to many, mxdwn included; following the announcement of fifth full-length Sic Alps, we reported that their potential made them an important band to keep an eye on. Despite this, the fractured bandmates will continue to touch the music world: Donovan already announced a new solo production Wot, to be released by Drag City on October 15.

Their website’s last update was a lead-up to their final three-track EP, She’s On Top, which served as the starting gun to the fateful Summer tour through Europe.