Soulfly is an American heavy metal band formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1997. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, who formed the band after he left the Brazilian group in 1996. To date the band has released twelve studio albums, one tour EP, twenty-three singles, one video album, and twelve music videos. Their debut album, Soulfly, was released on April 21, 1998, while their most recent album, Totem, was released on August 5, 2022
Zao is an American metalcore band founded in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and later relocated to Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in March 1993, Zao has hosted several musicians and endured numerous roster changes to the point where no original members remain. Former drummer Jesse Smith, vocalist Dan Weyandt, and guitarists Scott Mellinger and Russ Cogdell are seen by some fans as the "core" of Zao, with the current line up being the longest running in the band's history.
Massimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera is a Brazilian musician. He co-founded the heavy metal band Sepultura in 1984 with his brother Igor Cavalera, and was the band's lead singer and rhythm guitarist until his departure in 1996. He currently plays in the heavy metal bands Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Killer Be Killed and Go Ahead and Die. Cavalera was also involved in a short-lived side project called Nailbomb.
Demon Hunter is an American Christian metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed by brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark in 2000. Ryan is the band's only remaining original member, as Don left in 2009. As of the 2010s, the band has sold over 600,000 albums.
Living Sacrifice is an American Christian metal band formed in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1989. The band has released eight studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johnson as a more thrash metal and death metal oriented band. The band evolved into a groove metal and metalcore style beginning with Reborn (1997) under Solid State Records with the original guitarist Bruce Fitzhugh on vocals. In 2003, the group disbanded due to other projects and later their label, Solid State, released their best-of album, In Memoriam (2005). In 2008, Living Sacrifice reformed and released a two-song digital only single called Death Machine. They then began working on The Infinite Order which was released on January 26, 2010. Lance Garvin and Bruce Fitzhugh are the two remaining original members.
Throwdown is an American heavy metal band from Orange County, California. Formed in 1997, the band has endured numerous lineup changes to the point where no original members remain. Throwdown has toured as part of Ozzfest, Sounds of the Underground, Hellfest, and Warped Tour, as well as with bands such as In Flames, Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Korn and Cavalera Conspiracy. The songs "Forever" and "Burn" were staples on MTV2's Headbangers Ball and Revolver Magazine called them part of "The Future of Metal" after hearing the album Vendetta. Initially branded a hardcore punk band, albums like Venom and Tears and Deathless took a sharp turn towards metal, with critics likening the band's sound to that of Pantera and Sepultura. The band are straight edge.
Eighteen Visions is an American metalcore band from Orange County, California, formed in October 1995. The band broke up in April 2007, less than a year after their major label debut was released through Epic and Trustkill Records. After over a decade of absence, the band reformed in 2017. They announced their sixth album, XVIII, would be released via their new label home at Rise Records.
William Caldwell "Rocky" Gray is a drummer and guitarist who has been part of the Arkansas metal scene since the early 1990s. He was the drummer for the rock band Evanescence from 2003-2007 and the lead guitarist for Solus Deus. He is the lead guitarist for Living Sacrifice and the drummer for Soul Embraced, Mourningside, Machina, and We Are the Fallen. Gray also released a solo album titled Accursed (2015).
It Dies Today is an American metalcore band that formed in Buffalo, New York during September 2001. The band achieved popular success in 2004 with the release of their debut album, The Caitiff Choir. After frontman Nicholas Brooks departed in 2006, just after the release of the band's sophomore effort Sirens, It Dies Today released Lividity in 2009 before going on hiatus in 2010. The band reunited briefly for a show in 2012, but the reunion paused again in 2015. On December 22, 2022, It Dies Today was announced as an act appearing at FurnaceFest 2023.
Will Haven is a noise metal band from Sacramento, California. Formed in 1995, the group released albums through several labels and toured with acts such as Deftones and Soulfly before going on hiatus in 2002. They regrouped in 2005 and have continued to record and tour since. Throughout their history, they have released seven full-length albums as well as two EPs and a live DVD. Their musical style has been described as a combination of many metal and hardcore subgenres.
The Triptych is the third studio album by American Christian metal band Demon Hunter, released on October 25, 2005. Produced by Aaron Sprinkle and mixed by Machine, The Triptych had three different album covers—implying a traditional triptych—by Dan Seagrave.
Brandan Schieppati is an American musician. He is the singer of metalcore band Bleeding Through and a former guitarist/songwriter of the fellow Orange County metalcore band Eighteen Visions, for which he played from 1997 to 2002. He is also a bodybuilder, personal trainer and "Rise Above Fitness" gym owner. He was strictly straight edge from an early age until his late twenties.
Ryan Curtis Clark is an American musician who also has performed under the stage name Maven. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the Christian metal band Demon Hunter, which he co-founded with his brother, guitarist Don Clark. He was also the frontman for Christian metalcore band Training for Utopia along with being one of the guitarists for Focal Point. He is featured on Zao's The Lesser Lights of Heaven DVD and Mark Salomon's Podcast, Never Was.
Venom & Tears is the fifth studio album by American metal band Throwdown, released on August 7, 2007. The album was featured in Best Buy's weekly circular prior to its release. The track "Holy Roller" was released as a single.
Bruce Patrick Fitzhugh is the second and best known lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of Arkansas's Christian metal band Living Sacrifice. The lead vocalist role was left to Bruce shortly after the departure of former lead Darren Johnson and prior to the recording of Living Sacrifice's 1997 album, Reborn. Fitzhugh is featured in Zao's The Lesser Lights of Heaven DVD. Fitzhugh's nephew is Drew Garrison, Vocalist for Descended From Wolves and Becoming Saints.
Conquer is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Soulfly. It saw official release on July 23, 2008, in Australia, although the album had leaked early onto file-sharing networks. It was released on July 29, 2008, in Canada and the United States and debuted at #66 on the U.S. Billboard 200 — Soulfly's highest Billboard peak since their 2002 release, 3.
Jason Wisdom is an American musician who is the lead vocalist and bass guitarist for the heavy metal band Becoming the Archetype. Though he was born and raised in a Christian home, he states that he was never committed to Christianity until high school. He considers his music as a form of ministry, but wishes to avoid a "preachy" stereotype. His influences include Extol, Living Sacrifice, and Mortification among others. Wisdom notes that even though his music is Christian metal, many of his fans are not Christians and are many times the ones who defend his music. Wisdom left the band in late November 2011 to take care of his family. Though current 7 Horns 7 Eyes frontman, JJ Polachek, tried out, Wisdom was replaced by former live fill in, Chris McCane. He started a solo project titled Death Therapy, which features no guitars. He currently works for RYFO, a company that helps musicians with places to stay, meals and other such things.
The World Is a Thorn is the fifth studio album by American Christian metal band Demon Hunter, which was released March 9, 2010. The album is described by the band as their "heaviest but most melodic" album yet. The first single, "Collapsing", which features Björn "Speed" Strid of Soilwork, and the title track were approved for sales on Rock Band's Rock Band Network. It is Demon Hunter's only album with rhythm guitarist Ryan Helm.
"Unleash" is a song by American heavy metal band Soulfly from the 2008 album Conquer. This single, along with music video, was released a month before the album's release and was the album's first of two singles. Dave Peters is the guest vocalist, and helped Max Cavalera write lyrics prior to the recording.
Kris McCaddon is an American musician. He was the second guitarist for the metalcore band Society's Finest and lead guitarist for Demon Hunter. He was also the vocalist for the bands Embodyment and The Famine.
