Lords of the Trident

Last updated
Lords of the Trident
Lords of the Trident.jpg
Lords of the Trident at Mad With Power Fest 2019
Background information
Origin Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Genres
Years active2008–present
Labels
  • Junko Johnson
  • Killer Metal
  • Rafchild Records
Members
  • Fang VonWrathenstein
  • Akira Metal
  • Baron Taurean Helleshaar
  • Pontifex Mortis
  • Master Hercule “Herc” Schlagzeuger
Past members
  • Socrates of Shred
  • Danalog
  • Captain Bluddbeard
  • Korgoth
  • Sledge Garrotte
  • Killius Maximus
  • Dr. Dante Vitus
Website lordsofthetrident.com

Lords of the Trident is an American heavy metal band from Madison, Wisconsin. The five piece band is known for its mixture of classic, power, and modern progressive metal combining strong vocals, complex instrumentation, and an expansive fantasy backstory to create energetic live shows. The band appears on-stage in armor and costumes.

Contents

Lords of the Trident have played and toured with many high-profile acts, including Dragonforce, Steel Panther, Rhapsody of Fire, Wind Rose, Psychostick, Helloween, Battle Beast, Thor, Marty Friedman, Cage, Unleash the Archers, 3 Inches of Blood, Skeletonwitch, Seven Spires, Crimson Shadows, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Puddle of Mudd, Mushroomhead, Saliva, Fuel, A Sound of Thunder, Seven Kingdoms, and Of Montreal.

History

Formation, Death or Sandwich (2005 - 2009)

Lords of the Trident was formed by members Fang VonWrathenstein (Ty Christian), Akira Metal (Akira Shimada), and Socrates of Shred (Brian Cole) in 2005. The band began as a recording project [1] and grew into a live lineup in early 2008 as Ty Christian's previous musical project was disbanding. Bassist Captain Bluddbeard (Mike Charlton) and Danalog (Dan Metzger) were auditioned and joined the band. After the first few months of performing live, the band decided to replace Danalog with a new drummer - Korgoth (Corey Larson). Shortly after, the band released their first full-length CD, Death or Sandwich, on February 13, 2009. [2] The CD was self-released by the band's label, Junko Johnson Records.

A few months after the release of Death or Sandwich Socrates left the band and was replaced by new guitarist Killius Maximus (Elliot Ignasiak) . Socrates went on to a career in computational biosciences at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University. [3]

Chains on Fire (2010 - 2012)

Before the band returned to the studio to record what was to be their second full-length CD, Chains on Fire, Captain Bluddbeard left the band due to personal and musical differences [1] and was replaced by bassist Pontifex Mortis (Brent Clark). The band continued to tour regionally, and appeared at the Warriors of Metal III Fest in Ohio. On January 28, 2011, the band released Chains on Fire at a concert in Madison, Wisconsin which was filmed and became the accompanying DVD: Lords of the Trident - Chains on Fire Release Party 2011.

In October 2011, Korgoth left the band and was replaced by the new drummer Sledge Garrotte (Wade Schultz).

In May 2012, Lords of the Trident won a tri-state Battle of the Bands contest [4] sponsored by Madison Media Institute, and was introduced to Martin Atkins and Doug Olson. The pair would become producers for the band's next release.

Plan of Attack, A Very Lords of the Trident Christmas EPs (2013 - 2015)

Under the guidance of Doug Olson [5] (producer for Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Cheap Trick), the band quickly recorded and mixed their next release, 2013's Plan of Attack, at the Madison Media Institute studios. Additionally, the band launched a Kickstarter campaign [6] for the album, which raised $2,508 - a little more than three times their goal of $700. Plan of Attack was released on January 6, 2013. [7] The band toured to support the release in the summer of 2013.

In December 2013, the band released the EP A Very Lords of the Trident Christmas, which contained a collection of Christmas singles recorded for the Madison-area Christmas Compilations(MAXMas) of 2010 - 2012.

In October 2013, the band replaced drummer Sledge Garrotte with new drummer Dr. Dante Vitus (Joe Scarpelli III). In the summer of 2014, the band embarked on their second US tour, playing the Warriors of Metal VII Fest as one of the stops. This was also the first year the band appeared at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In October 2014, the City of Madison Arts Commission chose Lords of the Trident to represent the city at the BandSwap festival in Fort Collins, Colorado. [8]

Frostburn, re:Quests (2015 - 2016)

The band returned to producer Doug Olson for their third full-length album, Frostburn. Recording the majority of the album in late 2014, the band launched another Kickstarter campaign which raised $5,824 - almost double their goal of $3,000. In late 2014, the band was signed to the German record label Killer Metal Records.Frostburn was released on February 13, 2015, and became the band's best-reviewed release to date. [9] In early 2015, Killius announced that he was leaving the band to enroll in medical school. Shortly thereafter, the lead guitar position was offered to Baron Taurean Helleshaar (Brian Koenig, formerly of Luna Mortis). [10]

On Christmas Day 2015, the band released re:Quests, an EP of cover songs suggested by Kickstarter donors. [11] In early 2016, the band announced their first international tour, scheduled for a string of Canadian shows in summer 2016. In late 2016, Dr. Dante Vitus announced his departure from the band due to enrolling in medical school. The band announced a new drummer had been found in December 2016.

Mad With Power Fest (2017)

Dr. Vitus left the band amicably in January 2017, and was replaced by Master Hercule “Herc” Schlagzeuger (Brett Walter) immediately thereafter. Around this time, Brian Koenig signed an agreement to produce a series of how-to shred guitar lessons for Guitar World, and released them throughout the year. During 2017, the band continued work on their next album, balancing this with multiple tour dates. Foremost was the inaugural Mad With Power Fest, a power metal festival in Madison, WI organized and run by the band. The first Mad With Power Fest was a solid success, with five bands performing and attendance breaking expectations. At the festival, the Lords of the Trident debuted their own branded Mad With Power Mead, created by Bos Meadery, and other bands released their own branded beers.

Mad With Power Fest II, Shadows from the Past (2018)

The band announced in late 2017 that a Mad With Power Fest II was in the works, featuring several notable bands including the Lords of the Trident, Zephaniah and Green Death. In March 2018 they finished recording their fourth album, Shadows from the Past, that was released on August 25, 2018. Notable collaborations on the album include Brittney Slayes from Unleash the Archers, a professional chorus, full orchestra, and a small fan group recorded in Ty's basement studio. Tours for the year included North Carolina, Canada, and the upper Midwest. The band continued to produce a large amount of non-musical content, largely for paying fans via their Patreon website. Over the course of 2018, the band produced seven music videos for songs off of Shadows from the Past, as well as a playable music video game for the Sega CD video game system.

Pull the Plug, Mad With Power Fest III, European Tour (2019)

On January 11, 2019, the band released their fifth full-length album, Pull The Plug. This album is composed of acoustic songs released solely to their Patreon backers as a monthly subscriber benefit. Shortly thereafter, the band announced the lineup for the third year of their annual Mad With Power Fest, featuring Theocracy as the headliner. 2019's Mad With Power Fest was the band's first independently-run sold out festival, and dates for next year (as well as some of the bands already booked for 2020) were announced on-stage by singer Ty Christian.

Shortly after Mad With Power Fest, the band embarked on their first headlining tour of Europe, visiting Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, and the Czech Republic. The band announced via their Patreon page that work had begun on the next full-length album, with a planned release date of late 2020.

Power Outage, COVID impact, Digital Concerts (2020)

After a promising start to 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak ground most activities to a halt for the band. Mad With Power IV was canceled and moved to 2021. While album writing work continued, the band pivoted quickly to digital livestreams including full concerts, solo guitar concerts ("Baron's Solo Shred Sessions"), solo vocal concerts ("Fang Sings the Classics" and "Drunken Quarantine Karaoke"), and a weekly livestream gaming session on Twitch ("Fang's Weird SegaCD Game Collection"). Via these efforts, the band was able to raise $4,000 for various charities over the course of the year.

Additionally, the band created two new YouTube series during the quarantine - "Power Metal Opera Battles" and "Power Converter" - and continued work on their other YouTube series, releasing one video per week for the remainder of 2020. On November 27, 2020, the band released their sixth full-length album, Power Outage. This was the second album composed of acoustic songs released solely to their Patreon backers as a monthly subscriber benefit. The album was originally intended to be released earlier in the year, but production work was hindered by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The band announced that they had finished writing the next full-length album in late December 2020, and that recording would start in early 2021.

The Offering, Return to Live Shows, Mad With Power IV (2021)

Via their Patreon website, the band announced that their new album would be called The Offering. Recording was finished in June 2021, and final tracks were passed off to Hansen Studios for mixing and mastering at the end of June.

The band returned to live shows with a set at the Midwest Gaming Classic in early July, with Mad With Power Fest returning in August, where the band opened for Immortal Guardian in the 4th installment of their fully sold-out, [12] marquee music festival. Building on the success of their livestreamed shows throughout the COVID pandemic, the band livestreamed the entire 2-day concert, fully mixed, with multiple cameras.

In September 2021 the band was scheduled to open for Unleash the Archers at the Chicago stop of their 2021 tour, [13] but UTA was unable to start their tour due to quarantine restrictions, as they were delayed in Belgium. [14] Tour mates Seven Kingdoms and Æther_Realm were left missing 4-5 stops on the tour, a serious financial and exposure blow to all bands.

To help save the tour, the Lords of the Trident offered their basement streaming space, built up during COVID to provide fully mixed, HD performances, tied into Twitch and YouTube. On September 3rd, Æther_Realm, Lords of the Trident, and Seven Kingdoms streamed a free, full 3 band concert to more than 400 fans. [15] The tips provided more than covered the lost revenue from the missing performances. In December of 2021, Lords would once again join Æther_Realm and Seven Kingdoms on the rescheduled Unleash the Archers tour for a number of dates.

The Offering release, Mad With Power V, Japan tour (2022)

Lords of the Trident released The Offering exclusively to Patreon backers on January 26, 2022, during a livestream. It was an unannounced "drop" release, with the public release of the album being withheld until April 1st, 2022. The band announced they had created eight music videos for the album, as well as a "full album video" which consisted of 12 lyric videos back-to-back with narration in between. Additionally, the band announced that they would be touring Japan in December of 2022, with accompanying tour packages available for Patreon backers.

2022's installment of Mad With Power Fest featured Psychostick and Æther_Realm as headliners, and once again sold out. Festival organizer and Lords' frontman Ty Christian announced that 2023's festival would move to The Sylvee, a brand new 2,500 capacity venue in Madison, WI and would feature acts such as Powerglove, Unleash the Archers, Spirit Adrift, Seven Spires, and more.

Between playing shows and producing video content for YouTube, Ty Christian teamed up with Glenn Fricker's Spectre Sound Studios to produce three full-length instructional courses for bands: "DIY Merch", "DIY Tour", and "Own the Stage: A Masterclass in Vocal Performance and Technique". The final course of the three was co-taught with Dr. J. Adam Shelton, a lyric tenor based in Madison, WI.

In December of 2022 the band embarked on their first headlining tour of Japan, bringing along twenty Patreon backers with them on the trip. The band performed eight shows in Tokyo, Ibaraki, Nagoya, and Kobe, with half of the shows selling out. Shortly after their return from Japan, the band released a cover and music video of Anthem's song "Destroy the Boredom".

West Coast Tour, Rhapsody/Wind Rose Tour, Mad With Power 6 (2023)

Not long after their successful first tour of Japan, the Lords embarked on another first - a West coast tour. This excursion covered a large area of the Southwest and nearly the entire length of the West Coast, from Los Angeles all the way to Hyperspace Metal Festival in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. The Lords' set drew Hyperspace's largest crowd to date of around 700 people. Shortly afterwards, the band joined Rhapsody of Fire, Wind Rose, and Seven Kingdoms on a handful of their US tour dates.

With the band's festival selling out multiple years in a row, the decision was made to move Mad With Power Fest from the High Noon Saloon to The Sylvee, a venue roughly six times the capacity of previous years' fests. In the middle of July, the band had announced that ticket sales for Mad With Power 6 had surpassed all other North American power metal festivals, making Madison the new home of the largest power metal fest in North America. The festival reached capacity and officially sold out near the end of Saturday, August 19th, marking the fourth sold out festival in a row.

Shortly thereafter, the band announced an upcoming 2024 Japan tour with Seven Spires.

On 14 June 2024, the band announced they would release a new EP, V.G.E.P., on 1 October. [16]

Band members

Timeline

Lords of the Trident

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Endorsements

The band as a whole is currently endorsed by: [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suicidal Tendencies</span> American crossover thrash band

Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice, California, by vocalist Mike Muir. The band has undergone various lineup changes, with Muir as the only remaining original member. Their current lineup includes Muir, guitarists Dean Pleasants and Ben Weinman, bassist Tye Trujillo and drummer Jay Weinberg. Notable musicians who have contributed to the band's studio or live activities include guitarists Rocky George and Mike Clark; bassists Louiche Mayorga, Robert Trujillo, Ra Díaz, Josh Paul and Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner; and drummers Amery Smith, Jimmy DeGrasso, Brooks Wackerman, David Hidalgo Jr., Thomas Pridgen, Ron Bruner, Eric Moore, Dave Lombardo, Brandon Pertzborn, Greyson Nekrutman and session musician Josh Freese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lacuna Coil</span> Italian gothic metal band

Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Since their formation in 1994, the group has had two name changes, being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal, and they have recorded nine studio albums, two extended plays, two live albums, two compilation albums, one video album, and sixteen singles and music videos.

Beneath the Massacre is a Canadian technical death metal band from Montreal, Quebec. Their debut EP Evidence of Inequity, was released in 2005, under Galy Records. In early 2006, the band signed with Prosthetic Records and released their first full-length album, Mechanics of Dysfunction, on the label on February 20, 2007. They were on the 2007 Brutalitour alongside Animosity, As Blood Runs Black, and the Faceless. They also played the Summer Slaughter Tour with Decapitated, Necrophagist, As Blood Runs Black, the Faceless, Ion Dissonance, and Cephalic Carnage. They were on the 2007 Radio Rebellion Tour along with Job for a Cowboy, Behemoth, and Gojira.

Lair of the Minotaur is an American sludge/thrash metal band from Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Rowe</span> American singer

Jamie Rowe is a musician best known as the lead vocalist of the Christian hard rock band, Guardian. He has also been vocalist for New York-based AdrianGale, power pop band London Calling, and most recently collaborating with Jamey Perrenot in The Lost Days of Summer. He has also released several solo works including the single "I Do" written for his wife, Amber Rowe, for their wedding. In 2019, a solo album, This Is Home, was recorded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Job for a Cowboy</span> American death metal band

Job for a Cowboy is an American death metal band from Glendale, Arizona. Formed in 2003, the band's debut album Genesis was released in 2007, peaking at No. 54 on the US Billboard 200 and selling 13,000 copies in its first week of release. The second album, 2009's Ruination, sold 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week to debut at position No. 42 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band comprises vocalist Jonny Davy, guitarists Tony Sannicandro and Al Glassman and bassist Nick Schendzielos. Davy is the only remaining founding member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anew Revolution</span> American metal band

Anew Revolution is an American metal band from Austin, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alestorm</span> Scottish pirate-themed heavy metal band

Alestorm are a Scottish heavy metal band formed in Perth, Scotland in 2007. Their music is characterised by a pirate theme, and as a result, they have been dubbed a "pirate metal" band by many critics and their fanbase. The group currently consists of lead vocalist/keytarist Christopher Bowes, bassist Gareth Murdock, drummer Peter Alcorn, keyboardist/harsh vocalist Elliot Vernon and guitarist Máté "Bobo" Bodor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitechapel (band)</span> American deathcore band

Whitechapel is an American deathcore band from Knoxville, Tennessee. The band is named after the Whitechapel district in East London, England, where Jack the Ripper committed a series of murders. The group comprises vocalist Phil Bozeman, guitarists Ben Savage, Alex Wade, and Zach Householder, bassist Gabe Crisp and drummer Brandon Zackey. Their core lineup, with the exception of the drummer, has remained consistent since Householder replaced original guitarist Brandon Cagle in 2007. Founded in 2006 by Bozeman and Savage, the band has released eight studio albums and fourteen music videos, and it's currently signed to Metal Blade Records. Whitechapel's 2010 album A New Era of Corruption, sold around 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release and debuted at position No. 43 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band's self-titled fourth album was released in 2012 and debuted at No. 47 on the Billboard 200, selling roughly 9,200 copies in its first week. In 2014 the band released their fifth full-length album, Our Endless War to generally positive reviews. The album sold roughly 16,000 copies in its first week and debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200. They released their sixth full-length album Mark of the Blade in 2016 to greater critical acclaim, selling roughly 8,000 copies in the first week of its release. In 2019, Whitechapel released their seventh album, The Valley, which debuted at No. 143 on the Billboard 200 also to critical acclaim. Their newest album, Kin, was released on October 29, 2021.

A Sound of Thunder is an American heavy metal band from the Washington D.C. metro area, United States. This four piece band is known for its varying styles of musical composition, powerful female vocals, and energetic live shows.

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

Issues was an American metalcore band based in Atlanta, Georgia, founded in 2012. The band's final lineup consisted of guitarist and vocalist AJ Rebollo, bassist and vocalist Skyler Acord, and drummer Josh Manuel. They were known for their combination of metalcore, nu metal, pop and contemporary R&B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unleash the Archers</span> Canadian power metal band

Unleash the Archers is a Canadian power metal band from British Columbia. The band plays a fusion of power metal, melodic death metal, and traditional heavy metal.

Maxxxwell Carlisle is an American heavy metal guitarist, songwriter, producer, YouTube host, and bodybuilder from Los Angeles, California. He was a guitarist in the American Heavy Metal bands Hellion and Society 1. He is also known for his work as a solo artist, as the keyboardist/guitarist of Raptor Command, as a former member of the American Thrash band Deathriders, as the host of the weekly Maxed-Out Metal Hour Show on internet radio station Metal Express Radio, and for his collaborations with other notable musicians such as Michael Angelo Batio, Tina Guo, Nita Strauss, and Ethan Brosh. Carlisle also is the host of two YouTube channels: Guitar Max, devoted to music gear and related topics, and Heavy Metal Horizons, which chronicles Carlisle's training as a pilot and explores other topics including airplanes and automobiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infected Rain</span> Moldovan metal band

Infected Rain is a Moldovan heavy metal band formed in 2008 in Chișinău. They are signed to Napalm Records.

Ingested is an English death metal/deathcore band from Manchester, formed in 2006. The band consists of vocalist Jason Evans, guitarist Sean Hynes and drummer Lyn Jeffs. The band has released seven studio albums since formation, with the latest being “The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams” in 2024 via Metal Blade Records.

<i>Time Stands Still</i> (Unleash the Archers album) 2015 studio album by Unleash the Archers

Time Stands Still is the third studio album by Canadian heavy metal band Unleash the Archers. It was released on June 26, 2015, through Napalm Records.

Birdeatsbaby is an English progressive rock band from Brighton, United Kingdom, formed in 2008. At their start, the band's music was considered to be within the dark cabaret genre, but later began to incorporate aspects of heavy metal, klezmer and other musical styles. Their music is noted for its orchestral elements, complex rhythms and exotic instrumentation, with lyrics referencing themes such as religion, alienation, sexual orientation, obsession and animal rights. According to group members, their influences include Chopin, Mozart, Debussy, Queen, Muse and Nick Cave. Since the release of their 2016 album Tanta Furia, their influences have also come from progressive metal artists such as Tool and Opeth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spirit Adrift</span> American heavy metal band

Spirit Adrift is an American heavy metal band formed in Mesa, Arizona. The project began in 2015 as the solo endeavor of Nate Garrett, and eventually grew into a full touring band. The band is now based in Austin, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higher Power (band)</span> English hardcore punk band

Higher Power are an English hardcore punk band formed in Leeds, West Yorkshire in 2014. They have released two full-length studio albums, one EP, one live album and one demo. Their second album, 27 Miles Underwater, was their major label debut through Roadrunner Records. In a 2020 poll by Revolver magazine, they were voted the most likely contemporary band to breakthrough into the mainstream. They are a part of the New Wave of British Hardcore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carcer City (band)</span> UK musical group

Carcer City were a metalcore band from Liverpool, UK. In total, they released three EPs and three full-length albums. They toured both nationally and internationally with well-known artists such as While She Sleeps, Hacktivist, Loathe, Still Remains, Attila, the Word Alive, and more.

References

  1. 1 2 "LORDS OF THE TRIDENT - KILLER METAL RECORDS". KILLER METAL RECORDS. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  2. ↑ "Previous Conquests". Lords of the Trident. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  3. ↑ "Brian Cole Harvard". Harvard Data Science. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
  4. ↑ Mudfest in Eagle River, Wisconsin, 2012-08-16, retrieved 2016-01-19
  5. ↑ "Recording School, Audio Mixing, Music Mixing, Produce Music". www.mediainstitute.edu. Archived from the original on 2016-01-13. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  6. ↑ "Lords of the Trident - Plan of Attack EP Kickstarter!". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  7. ↑ "LORDS OF THE TRIDENT To Issue Plan Of Attack EP; Release Party Scheduled". bravewords.com. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  8. ↑ "Lords of the Trident to represent Madison in BandSwap 2014". Isthmus | Madison, Wisconsin. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  9. ↑ "Press/Reviews". Lords of the Trident. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  10. ↑ "LUNA MORTIS Guitarist Brian Koenig Joins LORDS OF THE TRIDENT". bravewords.com. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  11. ↑ "LORDS OF THE TRIDENT Release Re:Quests Covers EP; Available For Free Download On Christmas Day". bravewords.com. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  12. ↑ "Mad with Power Fest". 17 December 2020.
  13. ↑ "Unleash the Archers announce U.S. Headline tour". 10 June 2021.
  14. ↑ "Unleash the Archers".
  15. ↑ "Twitch".
  16. ↑ "Lords of the Trident to release new EP "V.G.E.P." on October 1th 2024". Grande Rock. June 14, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Sponsors". 23 December 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.