John Sankey | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | John Gerard Sankey |
Born | 21 July 1975 49) | (age
Origin | Australia |
Genres | Technical death metal, industrial metal, nu metal, metalcore |
Instrument | Drums |
Years active | 1996–present |
John Gerard Sankey (born 21 July 1975) is an Australian heavy metal drummer, best known as the drummer for Devolved and Devil You Know (now known as Light the Torch). He has also worked with numerous other high profile bands including Fear Factory, Divine Heresy and Superheist.
In 2001, Sankey relocated from Australia to Los Angeles to begin a new band with Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares which became Divine Heresy. Sankey and Cazares also co-wrote music for the Roadrunner United album, meanwhile Sankey continued to write, record and tour America with his band Devolved. In 2012, Sankey joined forces with Howard Jones (ex-Killswitch Engage, Blood Has Been Shed) and Francesco Artusato (All Shall Perish) as co-founder and drummer of Devil You Know. [1] [2] In June 2016 it was announced that Sankey was no longer part of the band, for reasons unspecified and was replaced by former Trivium drummer Nick Augusto. [3] In February 2017, Sankey joined Australian nu metal band Superheist as their new drummer and moved back to his homeland of Australia to pursue other career avenues. [4]
In December 2015, Sankey started a 'replacement' multi city music festival to the diminished Soundwave Festival, called Legion Music Fest, to be held in January 2017. It is speculated that Sankey cancelled Legion and sold the rights to the Download Festival. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Sankey relocated temporarily to the Gold Coast where he was co-owner / creator of the Meter Maids bar in Orchid Avenue Surfers Paradise which opened doors just prior to the 2018 Commonwealth Games. [10] Sankey has since moved onto a career in Mortuary Science.
Sankey lived in Los Angeles, California for 16 years before moving back to his home country, Australia. He currently resides in New South Wales where he now works as a qualified Mortician and continues to write and record music, and tour as drummer for legendary Australian band Superheist. Sankey is a fully endorsed artist with Tama Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Aquarian Drum Heads, Vic Firth Drum Sticks and is highly regarded as a leading drummer in the International Metal Community.
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of industrial metal. Over the years, Fear Factory has seen frequent changes in its lineup, with lead vocalist Burton C. Bell being the only consistent member for 31 years until his departure in 2020. Guitarist Dino Cazares is the only original member still in the band. The band went on hiatus in March 2002 following some internal disputes, but resumed activity a year later without founding member Cazares. Previous bassist Christian Olde Wolbers replaced him on guitar, while Byron Stroud handled bass duties. After a second hiatus in 2006, Fear Factory reunited in April 2009 with a new lineup that featured a returning Cazares, Gene Hoglan as the replacement of original drummer Raymond Herrera, and Bell and Stroud reprising their respective roles; this lineup recorded the band's seventh studio album titled Mechanize (2010). Wolbers and Herrera — together comprising 50% of the band's legal ownership — disputed the legitimacy of the reunited band, and a legal battle from both parties had begun. Despite this, Fear Factory has since released three more albums: The Industrialist (2012), Genexus (2015) and Aggression Continuum (2021).
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D'Antonio, and drummer Justin Foley. The band has released eight studio albums and three live performance albums. Their eighth studio album, Atonement, was released on August 16, 2019. The band's upcoming ninth album, This Consequence, is set to be released in Early 2025.
Superheist is an Australian nu metal band formed in 1993. They have released two EPs, thirteen singles, one compilation/live album and five studio albums, two of which, 2001's The Prize Recruit and 2002's Identical Remote Controlled Reactions, reached the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart. After a twelve-year hiatus, their 2016 comeback album "Ghosts of the Social Dead" reached No. 3 on the AIR Charts and remained in the Top 10 for four weeks.
Howard Jones is an American metalcore vocalist best known as the former lead singer of Killswitch Engage and Blood Has Been Shed. He is the current vocalist of Light the Torch, formerly known as Devil You Know, and SION with YouTuber/guitarist Jared Dines.
Nailbomb is a heavy metal band formed in 1993 as a side project by Brazilian musician Max Cavalera of Sepultura, Cavalera Conspiracy and Soulfly, and British musician Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel. They played a combination of primarily industrial metal and thrash metal. The band recorded one studio album, Point Blank, and played a warmup live performance and their only official gig for 29 years at the 1995 Dynamo Open Air Festival two days later, after which the band disbanded. The band will reunite for a one-off show in Tempe, Arizona in November 2024.
Dino Cazares is an American musician, best known as the guitarist and one of the co-founders of industrial metal band Fear Factory. He is also a co-founder of Divine Heresy, Asesino, and Brujeria. Cazares popularized the use of digital amp modelling processors, as well as the use of seven and eight-string guitars in metal music.
Blood Has Been Shed was an American metalcore band based in Granby, Connecticut. The band came together in 1997 and has featured members of Killswitch Engage, Diecast, Light the Torch, Red Tide, Terror, Walls of Jericho, Bury Your Dead and The Acacia Strain. Blood Has Been Shed has released three full-length albums—I Dwell on Thoughts of You (1998), Novella of Uriel (2001) and Spirals (2003)—and was signed to Ferret Music and Roadrunner Records. The band was a frequent performer at metal festivals Hellfest and the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival.
Joseph Reece Payne was an American heavy metal bassist and guitarist.
Justin Foley is an American musician and the drummer of the metalcore band Killswitch Engage. He is also a former member of the band Blood Has Been Shed along with Killswitch Engage's former lead singer, Howard Jones.
Devolved is an Australian technical death metal band led by drummer and lyricist John Sankey, originally from the Gold Coast, Queensland, then based in Los Angeles where Sankey resided for over 15 years. The band has released four full-length albums and has toured extensively throughout Australia, Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan.
Soundwave was an annual music festival held in major cities around Australia, run and promoted by Soundwave Touring. The festival originated in Perth, Western Australia, and began travelling to the other Australian capital cities in 2007. It featured a number of international and Australian music acts from various genres, including rock, metal and punk. The festival has been headlined by Deftones, the Offspring, Incubus, Alice in Chains, Bloodhound Gang, Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, Jimmy Eat World, Jane's Addiction, Soundgarden, Iron Maiden, Queens of the Stone Age, the Smashing Pumpkins, System of a Down, Slipknot, Green Day, Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park, Blink-182 and Metallica.
Divine Heresy is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California by founder of Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares and Devolved drummer John Sankey. Although the band's origins trace back to 2002, Divine Heresy was officially formed in 2006. The band currently consists of guitarist Cazares, former Vital Remains drummer and current World Under Blood drummer Tim Yeung, former Nile bassist Joe Payne and vocalist Travis Neal. Tommy "Vext" Cummings was fired from Divine Heresy following an onstage altercation on April 26, 2008. After holding auditions for a new frontman for the band, it was announced on August 14 that The Bereaved vocalist Travis Neal is to fill the position.
Frankenbok is an Australian heavy metal band from Melbourne. The band was founded in 1997 by guitarist Aaron Butler and vocalist Adam 'Hutch' Glynn and have since released three full-length albums and one EP. Frankenbok have toured Australia on numerous occasions, building a strong cult following in their homeland.
Bringer of Plagues is the second studio album by American metal band Divine Heresy, released on July 28, 2009. It is the band's only album to feature vocalist Travis Neal and bassist Joe Payne, and the last to feature drummer Tim Yeung.
The Industrialist is the eighth studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory, released on June 5, 2012.
Battlecross was an American extreme metal band from Canton, Michigan. The band has described their sound as "Blue Collar Thrash Metal". To date, they have released four albums through their label, Metal Blade Records.
Thrown into Exile is an American metalcore band from Los Angeles. They got their first break in 2012 when they were able to win the "Road to Mayhem" competition to secure a slot performing on the same bill as bands Slipknot, Motörhead, Anthrax, and Slayer. The band has so far released one EP and toured on the Mayhem Festival 2013 in support of it. The band has opened for a number of notable bands including Sepultura, Fear Factory, Chimaira, All Shall Perish, Testament, Morbid Angel, and more.
Light the Torch is an American metalcore supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 2012. They are currently signed to Nuclear Blast Records and have released four albums: two under the "Devil You Know" moniker and two under the "Light the Torch" name.
Thomas Cummings, better known under the stage name Tommy Vext, is an American heavy metal singer known as the former lead vocalist of Bad Wolves, Divine Heresy, and Westfield Massacre. As of 2024, Tommy Vext is now the current touring/sessions lead vocalist for Ill Nino after Marcos Leal departed from the group.
Sidewinder is the fourth album from Australian nu metal band Superheist, released on 3 May 2019 through Black Mountain Music. The album was announced on 1 April 2019 alongside the release of the first single "The Riot", and a music video for the track was released on the band's YouTube channel the same day. It is the first Superheist release to feature bassist Si Durrant since 2000's 8 Miles High and the first album to feature guitarist Keir Gotcher and former Devil You Know drummer John Sankey. It is the final album to feature vocalist Ezekiel Ox before his departure in July 2020.