Phil Sgrosso

Last updated

Phil Sgrosso
As I Lay Dying Rockharz 2023 02 (cropped).jpg
Sgrosso in 2023
Background information
Birth namePhilip Joseph Sgrosso [1]
Born (1985-09-16) September 16, 1985 (age 39)
Mission Viejo, California, U.S.
Origin San Diego, California, U.S.
Genres
OccupationGuitarist
Years active2003–present

Philip Joseph Sgrosso (born September 16, 1985) is an American heavy metal musician, best known as former guitarist of the metalcore band As I Lay Dying, the rhythm guitarist of the band Wovenwar, former touring guitarist for Nails, and the current lead guitarist for Saosin.

Contents

Career

Before joining the band that jumpstarted his musical career, Sgrosso was a part of a local act known as Tomra, a melodic metalcore band from San Diego, which disbanded in 2003. Joining As I Lay Dying at the age of 17, Sgrosso had honed his creative talents [2] as one of the songwriters on 2005's Shadows Are Security . His work with the band extends from solely instrumentation, with producing credits on the bands latter releases.

Throughout his tenure with As I Lay Dying, the band was named "Artist of the Year" at the San Diego Music Awards in 2005, 2007, and 2008, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for the song "Nothing Left" in 2008. Sgrosso received the "Ultimate Metal God" [3] award from MTV2 in 2007. Through six studio albums and one split release, As I Lay Dying sold more than 1,000,000 albums worldwide, with their DVD, This Is Who We Are , [4] being Certified Gold within one month of its release. As I Lay Dying's sixth album, Awakened , was released on September 25, 2012, to high critical acclaim. [5]

Following the incarceration of As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis in 2013, the remaining members of the band formed Wovenwar with Oh, Sleeper guitarist Shane Blay. They released their debut album, Wovenwar , in 2014 via Metal Blade Records. As I Lay Dying reunited in June 2018. [6]

While touring on the Mayhem Festival in 2012, Sgrosso pulled double-duty performing with As I Lay Dying and Slipknot, filling in for Jim Root on the first leg of the run. [7] Beginning in 2016, he became a permanent fixture to Saosin's touring lineup, taking over after Justin Shekoski's departure. [8] Sgrosso is also a touring guitar player for American powerviolence band Nails. [9] Sgrosso also has a band called Poison Headache with him playing guitars, bass, and vocals, Andy Kutka (formerly of Internal Affairs) on vocals and guitar and Kyle Rosa (formerly of Thieves and Liars) on drums and they are signed to Metal Blade Records. [10]

On October 30, 2024, Sgrosso announced his departure from As I Lay Dying, following the departures of three other bandmates. He was the last remaining longterm member of the band. [11]

Discography

Phil Sgrosso performing with As I Lay Dying at With Full Force in 2007 As I Lay Dying-8191-Phil Sgrosso.jpg
Phil Sgrosso performing with As I Lay Dying at With Full Force in 2007

As I Lay Dying

Wovenwar

Poison Headache

Author & Punisher

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">As I Lay Dying (band)</span> American metalcore band

As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Formed in 2000 by vocalist Tim Lambesis, the band's first full lineup was completed in 2001. The band has released eight albums, one split album, and two compilation albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saosin</span> American rock band

Saosin is an American rock band formed in 2003 in Orange County, California. The group originally consisted of Beau Burchell, Justin Shekoski, Zach Kennedy and Anthony Green. Their debut EP, Translating the Name, was released in the same year. However, Green departed from the band for personal reasons, leading to Cove Reber joining as vocalist in 2004. With Reber, the band released their self-titled debut album in 2006 under Capitol Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Mancino</span> American drummer

Jordan Mancino is an American musician. He has played with several metal acts as the official or as a live member, including As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, and Wovenwar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Lambesis</span> American heavy metal singer

Timothy Peter Lambesis is an American musician and producer, best known as the founding member, lead vocalist, and the sole continuous member of the metalcore band As I Lay Dying. He also has a solo/side thrash metal project in tribute to actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian Death Machine, in which he performed all the instruments. He also formed a death metal band called Pyrithion and was the former guitar player for Society's Finest and Point of Recognition. Lambesis was a judge for the 8th and 10th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.

<i>Shadows Are Security</i> 2005 studio album by As I Lay Dying

Shadows Are Security is the third studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. The album was released on June 14, 2005 through Metal Blade Records, and was produced by lead vocalist Tim Lambesis, guitarist Phil Sgrosso and Steve Russell. The album's title is derived from a lyric in the song Control Is Dead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Root</span> American guitarist

James Donald Root is an American guitarist. He is one of two guitarists for heavy metal band Slipknot, in which he is designated #4, as well as the former lead guitarist for rock band Stone Sour.

<i>An Ocean Between Us</i> 2007 studio album by As I Lay Dying

An Ocean Between Us is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying, released on August 21, 2007, by Metal Blade Records. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, with sales close to 39,500. The album includes the singles "Nothing Left", "The Sound of Truth", "Within Destruction", "I Never Wanted" and "An Ocean Between Us", with music videos produced for all five. "Nothing Left" appears on the radio soundtrack of the 2008 video game Saints Row 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Gilbert (musician)</span> American bassist

Joshua Kyle Gilbert is an American musician who performs primarily metalcore. He currently performs bass as a member of Spiritbox. He has played with several acts, and first became known for his former role in As I Lay Dying. After their initial breakup, he formed Wovenwar with other members of As I Lay Dying. He is also a contributor to Alternative Press.

Oh, Sleeper is an American metalcore band from Fort Worth, Texas that formed in 2006 with former members of Terminal. In over a decade's span, Oh, Sleeper has released four full-length albums, two EPs, and toured worldwide as an opening act. After independently releasing The Titan EP and traveling in the full Van's Warped Tour 2013, the band went on hiatus to allow clean vocalist and lead guitarist Shane Blay to join As I Lay Dying members in starting California-based metal band Wovenwar. The band's fourth full-length album, Bloodied / Unbowed, was released on July 12, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austrian Death Machine</span> American thrash metal band

Austrian Death Machine is an American thrash metal side project from San Diego, California, founded by As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis to be a parody of and tribute to Arnold Schwarzenegger's films.

<i>This Is Who We Are</i> (As I Lay Dying album) 2009 video by As I Lay Dying

This Is Who We Are is the first DVD by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It was released on April 14, 2009, through Metal Blade Records. The video album sold 4,200 copies in the US during its first week of sales allowing it to debut at number 2 on the Top Music Videos chart. On May 18, 2009, the DVD was certified Gold in the US. It was also certified Platinum in Canada by the CRIA.

<i>The Powerless Rise</i> 2010 studio album by As I Lay Dying

The Powerless Rise is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. The album was released on May 7, 2010 in Europe, and on May 11, 2010 in the United States. The Powerless Rise debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 38,000. The album features three singles: "Beyond Our Suffering", "Parallels", and "Anodyne Sea". Music videos have been released for all three, with the latest one consisting of live footage. The album title is taken from their lyric of the song.

<i>Decas</i> 2011 compilation album by As I Lay Dying

Decas is the second compilation album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It features three newly recorded songs, four cover songs, four remixes and one re-recording. The album was released through Metal Blade Records on November 4, 2011, in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland; on November 7 in the UK and the rest of Europe; and on November 8 in the US.

<i>Awakened</i> (album) 2012 studio album by As I Lay Dying

Awakened is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It is the final album released by the band before their hiatus in 2014. The album was released on September 25, 2012, through Metal Blade Records. The album was produced by Bill Stevenson and recorded at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado and Lambesis Studios in San Diego, California. On June 22, 2012, the album title, release date, and first single were announced. On June 25, the first single "Cauterize" was released for free download and became available online for purchase the following day. On June 27, a lyric video for "Cauterize" was released along with album artwork, also the band created an event on Facebook inviting fans to participate in a music video shoot for "A Greater Foundation". Fans were able to pre-order a copy on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival tour of 2012.

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

Wovenwar is an American metal band from Southern California, formed in 2013. They released their self-titled debut album in 2014. The band's musical style on the album has been described as alternative metal, melodic metalcore, hard rock, and modern heavy metal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Blay</span> American musician

Shane Brandon Blay is an American guitarist and vocalist that performs primarily metalcore. He has performed with bands such as Oh, Sleeper, Between the Buried and Me, and Wovenwar.

<i>Honor Is Dead</i> 2016 studio album by Wovenwar

Honor Is Dead is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Wovenwar. It was released on October 21, 2016, via Metal Blade Records.

Poison Headache is an American thrash metal band that formed in 2010. The band consists of guitarist, bassist, and vocalist Phil Sgrosso, vocalist and guitarist Andy Kukta and drummer Kyle Rosa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Own Grave</span> 2018 single by As I Lay Dying

"My Own Grave" is a song by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It is their first single in six years. It was the first song released following singer Tim Lambesis' incarceration in 2013 and the first to feature Phil Sgrosso playing alongside Nick Hipa, Jordan Mancino and Josh Gilbert since Sgrosso's departure from Wovenwar in 2016.

<i>Through Storms Ahead</i> 2024 studio album by As I Lay Dying

Through Storms Ahead is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying, released on November 15, 2024, through Napalm Records. It is the band's only album to feature bassist and clean vocalist Ryan Neff and drummer Nick Pierce as well as the last to feature longtime guitarist Phil Sgrosso, as they would all depart from the band a month before its release. It is also the band's first album not to feature Nick Hipa, Josh Gilbert and Jordan Mancino, as they all left the band in the early 2020s.

References

  1. "A GREATER FOUNDATION". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  2. "Charvel® Artists: Phil Sgrosso". Charvel® Guitars. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
  3. "There Are None Higher, Ultimate Metal God: As I Lay Dying". MTV. December 22, 2007. Archived from the original on July 25, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
  4. "As I Lay Dying: This Is Who We Are DVD details revealed". Blabbermouth.net. February 26, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
  5. "EVH® Artists: Phil Sgrosso / As I Lay Dying". EVH® Brand Guitars, Amplifiers, and Musical Instruments. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
  6. "AS I LAY DYING Confirm Classic Lineup Reunion but Their Silence is Deafening". June 8, 2018.
  7. "Jamming out with Slipknot on Mayhem". Facebook. Phil Sgrosso. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  8. "Saosin on Instagram". Saosin on Instagram. Saosin. Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  9. "Fun first show last night with Nails". Facebook. Phil Sgrosso. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  10. Sanford, Jay Allen (September 21, 2016). "Poison Headache's feel-good Phil". San Diego Reader. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
  11. "TIM LAMBESIS Admits 'Unhealthy Environment' Within AS I LAY DYING Led To Split With His Bandmates". Blabbermouth.net. November 4, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  12. Singer, Quentin. "Author & Punisher's 'Krüller' Is Metal From A Not-So-Far Future". Forbes . Retrieved March 11, 2022.