Hell Is for Heroes (band)

Last updated

Hell Is for Heroes
Justin Schlosberg of Hell Is For Heroes.jpg
Performing with Hell Is For Heroes at Manchester Academy 2 on 8 May 2003
Background information
Origin Camden, London, England
Genres Post-hardcore
Years active2000–2008, 2012, 2018, 2021-
Labels Burning Heart / Big Scary Monsters
MembersJustin Schlosberg
William McGonagle
Tom O'Donoghue
James Findlay
Joe Birch
Website myspace.com/hellisforheros

Hell Is for Heroes are an English post-hardcore band from London. Founder members Will McGonagle and Joe Birch (previously of Symposium) were joined by James Findlay, Tom O'Donoghue and later Justin Schlosberg. The band played their formative shows in West London throughout 2001.

Contents

After two independently released singles, Hell Is for Heroes released their debut album in February 2003 on EMI. The Neon Handshake was produced and recorded in Los Angeles at Sound City Studios and mixed in Umeå, Sweden at Tonteknik by Pelle Henricsson and Eskil Lövström. The band's A&R was managed by Duncan Illing. The band and their A&R left EMI in 2004. The band released its second album Transmit Disrupt independently, before signing a deal with Burning Heart Records, who subsequently re-released it in 2006. Their final self-titled album was released through Golf Records in 2007.

Their debut album was voted the 58th best British rock album ever, by the readers of Kerrang! magazine in the 19 February 2005 issue. [1]

In October 2008, the band announced its indefinite hiatus.

On 26 June 2012, it was announced that they are reforming to play three shows alongside Hundred Reasons and Cable in November.

In 2018 the band toured the U.K. as part of The Neon Handshake's 15th anniversary, and once again announced their return to touring in 2021.

Band line-up

History

Early days

Will McGonagle and Joe Birch were previously in the British band Symposium. Their final release was in 1999 and, by the end of 2000, due to personal and musical differences, and problems with their record label, they had split up. [2] Before long they joined up with their former school friends, James Findlay and Tom O'Donoghue, to form what would become with Hell is for Heroes, but they still lacked a lead singer. Justin Schlosberg was recruited through mutual friends.

In January 2001, they had performed their first gig at The Half Moon in Putney, London. In March that year they toured as support for Sunna, along with Biffy Clyro, and at the end of that tour they had recruited a loyal fan base which meant the band caught the attention of major record labels. In July 2001, they signed with EMI. It took all that year before Hell Is for Heroes released their debut single on Superior Quality Recordings. It was a double A-side, featuring two songs that would later appear on their debut album, "Sick/Happy" and "Cut Down".

The band next released "You Drove Me To It" with the B-sides "Things Fall Apart" and "Kill the Silence" in January 2002. That year saw the release of two more singles, "I Can Climb Mountains" and "Nightvision". The latter track included "Folded Paper Figures" on the B-side, which became popular with their fanbase, and was later re-recorded and used on their second album.

The Neon Handshake

The Neon Handshake was issued in February 2003, and gained a positive reviews from the NME . [3] It peaked at No. 16 in the UK Albums Chart. [4] Hell is for Heroes' videos appeared regularly on major music television channels, and the band continued to tour across the UK keeping up their reputation as one of the premier live bands of the day. [5] One performance of that time at The Astoria in London was filmed, and shown by MTV2.

In early 2003, "You Drove Me To It", which had been re-mastered for the album version was re-released as a single. Shortly after the release of the album, the band went on tour with Feeder for five dates of their UK tour. [6] Hell Is for Heroes' live appearances included the Carling Weekend Reading and Leeds Festival on the BBC Radio 1 stage.

However, in 2004, changes within EMI saw Chrysalis Records, which owned the rights to Hell Is for Heroes closed down, and another subsidiary subsequently decide to part company with the band.

Transmit Disrupt

In May 2004, the band recorded their second album with the independent record label, Captains of Industry. The first single release was "One of Us", which did not enjoy their previous major label's promotion efforts. "Models for the Programme" was then followed by "Kamichi" before the album's release. Transmit Disrupt flopped at No. 87 in the UK chart.

In September 2005, Hell Is for Heroes signed with Burning Heart Records. [7] Transmit Disrupt was re-released, and "Models for the Programme" was given a new video. In February 2006, the band announced on their website that they had "come out of hibernation", and "New Song" appeared on the band's website. [8] This was followed by a tour and, in July, "Eject Eject Eject", was available for free download on Myspace.

Hell Is For Heroes and Break Up

In February 2007, Hell is for Heroes began their UK, Ireland and European tour. "You've Got Hopes" was placed on the band's Myspace page. In April the band released the track listing of their new album on their official site. [9] In June the band's third, eponymous album was released on Golf Records. Reviews and interviews in Kerrang! brought the album to a wider audience and the band embarked upon a sponsored tour throughout June, playing the Barfly venues in the UK.

On 25 October 2007, Hell Is for Heroes stated:

Our forthcoming hop around the UK will be our last full length stint on the road before the reunion tour in 2037. We're up for spending more time at home working on other projects and potentially a fourth album if we can beat our last effort. Plus we reckon 7 years in the van is a fair stretch by any standards. [10]

The band were forced to cancel three dates at the end of the 2007 tour due to illness. In October 2008, the band announced their final UK tour, with their final concert on 12 December 2008 at the Glasgow Barfly.

Recent Events

In June 2012, the band announced that they will be supporting Hundred Reasons at their upcoming 10th Anniversary shows, playing The Neon Handshake in full along with other songs from their back catalogue. Guitarist Will McGonagle commented on the upcoming shows, "We’ve been friends with Hundred Reasons for over 10 years, so when they suggested playing our first records together it sounded like fun. We are really proud of all the music we’ve made together and look forward to getting together to smash out The Neon Handshake. The early 2000s were exciting times for British rock music. It was a special time for our bands, who toured together and forged strong friendships. Who knows, maybe one day there’ll be a Shatterproof/Transmit Disrupt show too.". [11] In August 2017, the band announced that they would be going on a headline tour in February 2018 playing The Neon Handshake in full to celebrate that record's 15th anniversary.

On 27 March 2018 it was announced that Hell is for Heroes would appear at Download festival. They are due to appear on Friday 8 June on the 2nd stage. Second on the bill.

In 2021 the band announced a 9-date UK tour alongside Hundred Reasons, scheduled to take place in February and March 2022. It was later rescheduled to February and March 2023. [12] In December 2022 they released their latest single 'I Should Never Have Been Here in the First Place' which is taken from the bands new 7" released via Big Scary Monsters.

Discography

Studio albums

YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsCertification
UK UK Rock UK Indie SCO
2003 The Neon Handshake
151-22
2005 Transmit Disrupt
873978
2007 Hell Is For Heroes
-2717-

Singles

YearTitleChart PositionsAlbum
UK [4] UK
Rock
UK
Indie
SCO
2001"Sick/Happy/Cut Down" The Neon Handshake
2002"You Drove Me To It"63471
"I Can Climb Mountains"41647
"Night Vision"38441
2003"You Drove Me To It" (re-issue)28334
"Retreat"39348
2004"One of Us"7151679 Transmit Disrupt
"Kamichi"721066
"Models for the Programme"543864
2007"You've Got Hopes" Hell Is For Heroes
2022"I Should Never Have Been Here in the First Place"

DVDs

Related Research Articles

Terrorvision are an English rock band. They were formed in 1987 in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England, and initially disbanded in 2001. The band used Bradford as a base after the name change to Terrorvision in 1991, by which time the band members had all moved there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funeral for a Friend</span> Welsh post-hardcore band

Funeral for a Friend are a Welsh post-hardcore band from Bridgend, formed in 2001, who currently consist of Kris Roberts, Gavin Burrough, Darran Smith (guitar), Richard Boucher (bass), and Ryan Richards.

Symposium are an English punk pop band. They were active from 1994 to 2000 and were known for their live shows. The name 'Symposium' originally referred to a drinking party, and was taken from the philosophical dialogue by Plato.

Joseph Michael Poole, better known by his stage name Wednesday 13, is an American singer and musician. Apart from his solo career, he was the frontman of the horror punk/glam metal band Murderdolls and has also played in several other bands, including Maniac Spider Trash, Frankenstein Drag Queens from Planet 13, Bourbon Crow, and Gunfire 76.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enter Shikari</span> British rock band

Enter Shikari are a British rock band formed in St Albans in 1999 by bassist Chris Batten, lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds, and drummer Rob Rolfe. In 2003, guitarist Rory Clewlow joined the band to complete its current line-up, and it adopted its current name. In 2006, they performed to a growing fanbase at Download Festival as well as a sold-out concert at the London Astoria. Their debut studio album, Take to the Skies, was released in 2007 and reached number 4 in the Official UK Album Chart, and has since been certified gold in the UK. Their second, Common Dreads, was released in 2009 and debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number 16; while their third, A Flash Flood of Colour, was released in 2012 and debuted on the chart at number 4. Both have since been certified silver in the UK. The band spent a considerable amount of time supporting the latter release through the A Flash Flood of Colour World Tour, before beginning work on a fourth studio album, The Mindsweep, which was released in 2015. Their fifth studio album The Spark was released in 2017. Their sixth album Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible was released in April 2020. Their seventh and latest album, A Kiss for the Whole World, was released on 21 April 2023 which gave them their first-ever No. 1 album.

Vex Red are a band from Aldershot, England who merge hard rock with electronica.

<i>The Neon Handshake</i> 2003 studio album by Hell Is for Heroes

The Neon Handshake is the debut album by London band Hell is For Heroes. The CD was released in February 2003 on Chrysalis Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Number of the Beast (song)</span> 1982 single by Iron Maiden

"The Number of the Beast" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is Iron Maiden's seventh single release, and the second single from their 1982 studio album of the same name. It was reissued in 2005 and also prior to that in 1990 in The First Ten Years box set on CD and 12" vinyl, in which it was combined with the previous single, "Run to the Hills".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Evil That Men Do (song)</span> 1988 single by Iron Maiden

"The Evil That Men Do" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the band's seventeenth single and the second from their seventh studio album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988). The single debuted at number six in the UK charts and quickly rose to number five. The single's B-sides are re-recordings of "Prowler" and "Charlotte the Harlot" which appear as tracks number one and seven/eight respectively on the band's debut album Iron Maiden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cancer Bats</span> Canadian hardcore punk band

Cancer Bats are a Canadian hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario. To date, they have released seven studio albums and six extended plays; with their most recent LP, Psychic Jailbreak, having been released on 15 April 2022. The band is currently composed of lead vocalist Liam Cormier, drummer Mike Peters and bassist/guitarist Jaye R. Schwarzer. The band are also currently joined by touring guitarist Jackson Landry, following the departure of founding guitarist Scott Middleton in 2021. The members of Cancer Bats have also toured and recorded as a Black Sabbath tribute band under the name Bat Sabbath.

Skyscraper were a British-based rock band active between 1992 and 1998. They released three singles on Food Records and two albums and one single on their own Dynosupreme Records, also touring the UK extensively and appearing on MTV and British national radio. The band were favourites of the UK rock press, with Metal Hammer magazine calling Skyscraper's 1995 album Superstate "... the best debut by far of any British rock band in recent years".

X Is Loaded were a four-piece rock band from Bath, Somerset, England.

Kids in Glass Houses are a Welsh pop rock band from Cardiff. The band achieved success on the strength of the singles "Give Me What I Want" and "Saturday" from their debut album Smart Casual in 2008. The band released their second album Dirt in early 2010, releasing four singles, most notably "Matters at All". The band's third album, In Gold Blood, was released on 15 August 2011. Their fourth album, Peace, was released on 30 September 2013. The band announced their split in January 2014 and played their final show at Cardiff's Great Hall on 31 October 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Scary Monsters Recording Company</span> English record label

Big Scary Monsters Recording Company is an independent record label based in Oxford, England.

The Captains of Industry were an independent record label based in London and Durham, UK. They announced their launch in 2003 "as a self-funded experiment in art and commerce" with a plan to exist for 5 years, and as a result ceased trading while in profit in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architects (British band)</span> British metalcore band

Architects are a British metalcore band from Brighton, East Sussex, formed in 2004 by twin brothers Dan and Tom Searle. The band now consists of Dan Searle on drums, Sam Carter on vocals, Alex Dean on bass, and Adam Christianson on guitar. They have been signed to Epitaph Records since 2013.

<i>The Best in Town</i> 2009 studio album by The Blackout

The Best in Town is the second album to by Welsh rock band The Blackout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Passion</span> English band

My Passion were an English band formed in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England in 2005. They released their debut album, Corporate Flesh Party, in May 2009 on Cool Green Recordings. Produced by John Mitchell at Outhouse Studios in Reading, the album features eleven tracks, six of which are re-released versions of older demos either presented only on the band's Myspace, or released on their Style Suicide record label. In April 2010, My Passion re-joined John Mitchell at Outhouse to record their second album, titled Inside This Machine. It was initially slated in autumn 2010, however it was finally released on 25 April 2011 through Spinefarm Records, which the band signed to in early 2011. They also have a fan base which was created in 2010 called the 'My Passion Army' which was created by fans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Screaming Bloody Murder Tour</span> 2010–13 concert tour by Sum 41

The Screaming Bloody Murder Tour is a concert tour by rock band Sum 41, taking place between 2010–11 and resuming again in 2012, in support of their fifth full-length studio album Screaming Bloody Murder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rise to Remain</span> English rock band

Rise to Remain was an English, London-based heavy metal band formed in 2006 and disbanded in 2015. The band made appearances at Download Festival, Sonisphere Festival and extensively toured the UK and Europe. The band released three EPs, the majority of which were "viral" releases, via their MySpace. On 16 March 2011 they signed their first major recording contract with EMI records, which was accompanied by the launch of their website and a free single download entitled "The Serpent". Their debut album, City of Vultures, was released on 5 September 2011, nearly a year after they had started work on recording the album. It was produced by revered metal producer Colin Richardson and Carl Bown. In 2014, the band released a new single entitled "Over and Over", which would be their last musical release.

References

  1. "Rocklist.net...Kerrang! Lists Page 1". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  2. "Symposium | New Music And Songs |". MTV. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  3. "Hell Is For Heroes : The Neon Handshake". NME. 12 September 2005. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 249. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  5. "Hell Is For Heroes Driven To Tour". NME. 6 January 2003. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  6. "Q&A – Hell Is For Heroes". Archive.today. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  7. [ dead link ]
  8. "Hell Is For Heroes | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace.com. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  9. "Hell is for Heroes :: View topic – Questions for the band". Archived from the original on 10 October 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
  10. "Hell is for Heroes – News". Archived from the original on 7 August 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2008.
  11. "Hundred Reasons – Playing Ideas Above Our Station + more, Hell Is For Heroes – Playing The Neon Handshake in full". Hmvforum.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  12. "Rescheduled tour dates". hundredreasons.com. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.