Tommy Vext | |
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 Vext with Bad Wolves at Rock am Ring 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Cummings |
| Born | April 15, 1982 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
| Formerly of |
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Thomas Cummings (born April 15, 1982), 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.
Vext began his music career in Brooklyn, New York as a teenager singing in local hardcore bands and engaging in freestyle rap battles with the neighborhood's preeminent hopefuls. Being too young, Vext had to sneak into clubs even for his own shows. In 1996, he formed the band Maniacal Disciple with friends Jim Donovan, Steve Perlmutter, and Mike Kontaras, eventually changing their name to "Vext" (a word he found in Wu-Tang Clan's lyrics), which eventually became his nickname after he started to be known as "Tommy Vext" in the New York hardcore scene. Vext was a local buzz band, playing shows at CBGB, The Continental, and Lamours. They also opened for Biohazard, Candiria, and many others. In 2005, at the Roadrunner Records 25th-anniversary show, Vext was invited to sing with Corey Taylor of Slipknot. [1]
In 2006, Vext was recruited by Dino Cazares of Fear Factory to front his new band Divine Heresy. Their debut studio album Bleed the Fifth was released in the United States on August 28, 2007, through Century Media Records. The album was produced by former Machine Head and Soulfly guitarist Logan Mader.
Bleed the Fifth enjoyed a warm welcome from both the fans and the press. Dom Lawson of Metal Hammer summarized his review by saying "All in all, the portly pioneer has hit the bull's-eye and it's going to be fascinating to see what happens next", awarding an eight out of a possible 10. [2] Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic felt the album "strikes a near-perfect balance between confirmation (reminding fans of Cazares' abilities and unique vision) and innovation (he even plays a few guitar solos!)". [3] Scott Alisoglu of Blabbermouth.net summarized his review claiming the album is "one tough son of a bitch that may still have you humming melodies long after you've ejected the disc". [4] Chad Bowar of About.com commented "Great musicianship, good songs and excellent production make this a very respectable debut". [5]
Vext wrote the majority of the lyrics, [ citation needed ] which are about personal strifes and how people overcome them. Much of the lyrical content was influenced by the Book of Revelation, natural disasters, war, and terrorism. [6]
In May 2008, Vext was fired from Divine Heresy after a physical altercation with Cazares. [7] [8] The split left both the fans and the press confused. In an exclusive Metal Injection interview, Vext explained the real reasons behind his departure from the band:
I've been suffering the indignities of Dino's massive ego for as long as I've worked with him, and unfortunately, everything I've heard about him had eventually come to fruition, and he is exactly as he's been portrayed as by his ex-band members. And this happening now is the same reason why he's not in Fear Factory anymore. It was a stepping stone in my life and I'm moving on. [9]
— Tommy Vext
The whole band rejected his statement and responded by saying, "[i]t is unfortunate that our situation with Tommy Cummings has become so ugly. ... The decision to remove Tommy Cummings from Divine Heresy was not solely Dino Cazares'. It was a decision we made as a band". [7]
In September 2014, Vext returned in a new version of Divine Heresy with drummer Tim Yeung. [8]
Later bassist Joe Payne and drummer Tim Yeung both broke ties with Dino and on July 27, 2015, in an interview with MetalSucks, Cazares confirmed that he was the only remaining member of Divine Heresy. [10]
Snot is an American metal band from Santa Barbara, California. Formed in 1995, the band released their debut studio album Get Some with founding vocalist Lynn Strait in 1997 and disbanded after his death in 1998. In 2008, the band reformed, with Vext on vocals. [11] Snot has played a number of shows fronted by Vext, including a fall 2008 tour in the United States, supporting Mudvayne, 10 Years, and DevilDriver. When original guitarist Sonny Mayo left the band, Snot went on hiatus again.
On February 11, 2014, Snot reunited the second time at the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood. [12] [13] This second reunion line-up once again featured Vext, Mayo, Doling, Fahnestock and Miller. They went on to play three more shows in the Southern California area before once again going quiet. Snot would go on again with another reunion incarnation but without Tommy Vext.
In 2011, Tommy Vext reformed Vext with members of Mutiny Within, (Bill Fore, and Andrew Jacobs); along with guitar virtuoso Angel Vivaldi. They released the EP titled Impermanence. in 2012. [14] By 2013 Vivaldi and Jacobs had left the project, with Billy DiNapoli taking over on guitars. They released an EP titled Broke Is the New Black. [15]
Tommy Vext then had gone on tour with Mayhem Festival 2013 as a cook, and moved to Los Angeles after the tour.
After his stint with Snot, Vext moved on and formed a new band known as Westfield Massacre. [16] Regarding the band's musical direction, Vext said: "There's definitely a traditional American metal vibe, but we blend power metal, melodic death metal, metalcore all together to get an original flavor to our sound." [17] Westfield Massacre released their self-titled debut album on Urban Yeti Records 2016. In 2017, Vext began working on a side project with former DevilDriver drummer John Boecklin Vext left Westfield while he was on tour with Five Finger Death Punch. [18]
Vext filled in as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch during their European Arena tour in 2017 when lead singer Ivan Moody left the tour to check into rehab. [19] [20]
In 2016, Vext formed a new band, known as Bad Wolves [21] with former DevilDriver drummer John Boecklin. Guitarists Doc Coyle (Vagus Nerve, God Forbid) and Chris Cain (Bury Your Dead), and later, bassist Kyle Konkiel formerly of In This Moment were recruited for the project. During the summer of 2016, they entered AudioHammer Studios with longtime collaborator Mark Lewis (Trivium, All That Remains) and tracked what would become the group's debut studio album. On May 2, 2017, Bad Wolves independently premiered a song titled "Learn to Live" accompanied by a music video [22] The video was streamed over 600,000 times. In November 2017, it was announced [23] that Bad Wolves signed with Eleven Seven Music and Zoltan Bathory, the founding guitarist of Five Finger Death Punch, took them under his wings as the band's manager.
The band released their debut studio album, Disobey on May 11, 2018 through Eleven Seven Music. [24] [25]
The album reached number 23 on the US Billboard 200. In May 2017, Bad Wolves released their debut single, "Learn to Live". [26] In November 2017, Bad Wolves released their second single, "Toast to the Ghost". [24] On January 18, 2018, they released a third single, which was a cover of "Zombie" (originally by The Cranberries), which charted on multiple Billboard charts. [27] [28] The night of her death, Dolores O'Riordan left a voice message to her friend, record label executive Dan Waite, where she offered to "sing on it" on the cover that Waite had previously given O'Riordan to listen to and accredit. TMZ published this voice message on April 5, 2018. [29] A music video was released on February 22. The song topped the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart, while the music video was viewed more than 170 million times. The single is certified platinum in Canada and the United States and gold in Germany.
The band toured with Five Finger Death Punch, Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, and Starset for the first half of 2018. [30]
Vext parted ways with Bad Wolves on January 9, 2021. [31] Even though he originally said that he was "forced out by his former bandmates and record label", [32] Vext came out with a public statement on January 11, 2021, stating that the choice to leave was all his. [33] Vext came out against the violence associated with the Black Lives Matter riots during the spring and summer of 2020, expressing his concern about the United States and publicly endorsing then-sitting President Donald Trump. He's quoted as saying, "And for this they came for me... Cancel culture came after my band...However, this is my fight, I realize I cannot drag my band members or the people around me into this. I on my own decided to go solo..." [33] The same day, John Boecklin and Doc Coyle responded to Vext's justifications during a live stream on Facebook, while not wishing to disclose anything about the reason for his departure, they indicated that it was not related to "cancel culture" or "his political beliefs". Boecklin said, "It was just past the point of going back". [34] [35]
After his departure from the band, Vext leaked on May 25, 2021 that Bad Wolves had chosen former The Acacia Strain guitarist Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz as their new vocalist. [36] This was confirmed by the band just over a week later. [37]
After his exit from Bad Wolves, Vext started a GoFundMe campaign for a solo record of original music. He also started uploading a series of cover songs he recorded in 2020 onto his YouTube account, as well as announcing tour dates for a "Fuck Cancel Culture Tour" in April 2021. His GoFundMe campaign raised over $175,000 before Vext stated on March 15, 2021 that he would not be releasing it due to being "financially bullied into submission". He claimed that "the original album I made last year will either not come out or be given to another act on the label to perform as their own. Unfortunately fighting this would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take years to get resolved". He also stated that the covers album "is still sitting until the legal agreements can be signed off on but I'm excited to get those out to you guys as soon as I can." [38]
In April 2021, Vext started selling his own 'Zombie Drops' brand of CBD oil. [39]
At an appearance at FitCon in Salt Lake City, Utah, in June 2021, Vext alleged that his former bandmates were "fucking frauds" and that "these fucking clown asshats got some fucking no-name singer, and they're re-recording the entire new album that I wrote in the studio with my producer during COVID." He also reiterated his earlier claims that his music was being held hostage. After his speech he went into a performance of Bad Wolves' cover of "Zombie", claiming that it was a "protest anthem" against "these fucking psychotic liberals in these main big cities in America" who "don't give a fuck about our children, they don't give a fuck about the Constitution, and all they give a shit about is power". [40]
In July 2021, Vext filed a lawsuit against Allen Kovac, the manager of Bad Wolves and the CEO of Bad Wolves' label Better Noise Music. In the lawsuit, Vext accused Kovac of attempting to stop him from making political statements on social media, trying to buy the Bad Wolves trademarks from him, strong-arming radio and streaming services to stop playing Bad Wolves when Vext refused to sell him the trademarks in an attempt to push Vext out of the music industry and repeatedly using racial slurs against Vext to belittle him. Kovac later released his own statement saying that Vext's accusations were "categorically false" and that Vext "has dragged us into a ridiculous, unfounded narrative that falsely paints him as a victim." [41]
On December 18, 2023, Vext released A.N.T.A.R.C.T.I.C.A exclusively on his app, tommyvextapp.com On February 2, he announced the album would be available on all streaming platforms on May 18, 2024. [42]
After plunging into drugs and alcohol in early 2009, Vext then decided to lead a sober life, and in 2014 founded a non-profit organization to help people suffering from the same addictions, with the aim of helping them find treatment. Vext received the Rock to Recovery 3 Service Award for his actions, held at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood on September 15, 2018. [43]
Bad Wolves reached platinum status in 2018 for their cover song "Zombie". [44]
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Hard Rock Digi. | |||
| 2021 | "Cancel the King" | 15 | Grand Theft Audio |
| 2022 | "Take Me to Church" | 4 | Uncovered |
| "Trust the Science" (featuring Topher) | 5 | Grand Theft Audio | |
| "Strong for Someone Else" | — | ||
| "Heart-Shaped Box" | 17 | Uncovered | |
| "The War You Wanted" | 10 | Grand Theft Audio | |
| "Hold the Line" | — | ||
| "Faith Over Fear" (featuring Rob Bailey) | — | ||
| 2023 | "Crawling" | — | |
| "Closure" | — | ||
| "Face Breaker" | — | ||
| "Failed Creation" | — | ||
| "This Threat Is Real" | — | ||
| "Impossible Is Nothing" | — | ||
| "Bleed the Fifth" | — | ||
| "Terrible Things" | — | Antarctica | |
| 2024 | "Gods and Monsters" (featuring Chris "CJ" McMahon) | — | |
| "Smoking Gun" | — | ||
| Title | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| "Trust the Science" | 2022 | Austin Scherzberg, Michael Levine |
| "Cancel the King" | ||
| "Heart-Shaped Box" | Michael Levine | |
| "Strong for Someone Else" | Unknown | |
| "The Hills" | Michael Levine, Eric Black | |
| "Cry Me a River" | ||
| "The War You Wanted" | Unknown | |
| "Hollywood's Bleeding" | Michael Levine, Eric Black | |
| "Grand Theft Audio" | Unknown | |
| "Runaway" | Austin Scherzberg | |
| "Civil War" | Unknown | |
| "Crawling" | 2023 | |
| "Face Breaker" | Austin Scherzberg | |
| "Tennessee Whiskey" | Unknown | |
| "Terrible Things" | Austin Scherzberg | |
| "Gods and Monsters" | 2024 | |
| "America Meant To Me" | Unknown | |
| "Smoking Gun" | Tommy Vext | |
Snot is an American nu metal band from Santa Barbara, California. Formed in 1995, the band released their only studio album Get Some with founding vocalist Lynn Strait in 1997 and disbanded after his death in 1998. In 2008, the lineup of lead guitarist Mikey Doling, bassist John Fahnestock, drummer Jamie Miller and rhythm guitarist Sonny Mayo reunited. In 2009, a new band, Tons, was formed, with Brandon Espinosa as vocalist. As of February 2014, Snot has reformed again.
"Zombie" is a protest song by Irish alternative rock band the Cranberries. It was written by the lead singer, Dolores O'Riordan, about the young victims of a bombing in Warrington, England, during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The song was released on 19 September 1994 by Island Records as the lead single from the Cranberries' second studio album, No Need to Argue (1994). Critics have described "Zombie" as "a masterpiece of alternative rock", with grunge-style distorted guitar and shouted vocals uncharacteristic of the band's other work.
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.
Sonny Mayo is an American guitarist.
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.
Bleed the Fifth is the debut studio album by American metal band Divine Heresy, released in August 2007. It sold approximately 2,700 copies in its first week of release. The album name is a play on the American judicial system Fifth Amendment. It is the only album to feature original vocalist Tommy Vext who later departed from the band after an on-stage altercation.
This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 2008.
Mutiny Within is an American heavy metal band from Edison, New Jersey. The band was formed in 2002 by bassist Andrew Jacobs.
John Gerard Sankey is an Australian heavy metal drummer, best known as the drummer for Devolved and Devil You Know. He has also worked with numerous other high profile bands including Fear Factory, Divine Heresy and Superheist.
Bill Hudson is a Brazilian-American heavy metal guitarist, currently serving as the main composer, lead guitarist and founder for power metal supergroup NorthTale. He worked with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra as well German heavy metal bands U.D.O. and Dirkschneider, both fronted by former Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider and American death metal band I Am Morbid, featuring former Morbid Angel frontman David Vincent and drummer Pete Sandoval. As of 2021, he is the guitarist for German heavy metal legend Doro Pesch, after acting as a fill in guitarist since 2017.
Angel Vivaldi is an American guitarist, songwriter and producer. Voted "third best guitarist" in 2014 by Prog-Sphere, he began his solo career in 2003. Vivaldi has self-released five records, Revelations, The Speed of Dark, Universal Language, Away with Words: Part 1, and Synapse. In 2015, he released a cover of Joe Satriani's "Crystal Planet" single. Vivaldi is known for his virtuoso guitar playing style and cinematic music videos.
Jamie Miller is an American musician, currently the drummer for rock bands Bad Religion, Vanishing Life and Snot. He is also the lead guitarist and the backing vocalist for theStart, and was formerly the drummer for Souls at Zero and the drummer and guitarist for ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead.
Bad Wolves is an American heavy metal band formed in 2017. Initially finding fame from their first single, a cover of the Cranberries' 1994 hit "Zombie", the band proceeded to find further success with a number of songs topping the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart, including "Remember When", "Killing Me Slowly", and "Sober". The band has released four studio albums, Disobey (2018), N.A.T.I.O.N. (2019), Dear Monsters (2021), and Die About It (2023). In January 2021, original lead vocalist Tommy Vext left the band and was replaced by Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz. Tensions ensued between Vext and the band, resulting in legal proceedings including Better Noise Music.
Disobey is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band Bad Wolves. The album peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
"Remember When" is a song by the American heavy metal band Bad Wolves. It was their third single off of their debut album Disobey. It topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart for two weeks in 2019.
N.A.T.I.O.N. is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Bad Wolves. It was released through Eleven Seven Music on October 25, 2019. It is supported by the singles "Learn to Walk Again", "Sober" and "Killing Me Slowly". Bad Wolves promoted the album as a support act on Five Finger Death Punch's headline arena tour with Fire from the Gods and Three Days Grace in November 2019. It is the last album to feature vocalist Tommy Vext, after his departure from the band in January 2021. Loudwire named it one of the 50 best rock albums of 2019.
"Sober" is a song by American rock band Bad Wolves. It was their second single off of their second studio album N.A.T.I.O.N.. It topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart for two weeks in June 2020.
"Killing Me Slowly" is a song by American rock band Bad Wolves. It was their first single off of their second studio album N.A.T.I.O.N.. It topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in January 2020.
Dear Monsters is the third studio album by the American heavy metal band Bad Wolves. It was released on October 29, 2021 through Better Noise Music and was produced by Josh Gilbert. It is the first album to feature vocalist Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz, after the departure of Tommy Vext from the band in January 2021 and the final to feature rhythm guitarist Chris Cain, following his departure in April 2022.
Congratulations to D.L. former guitarist of Acacia Strain who's the new singer of Bad Wolves. Unfortunately the band is going to have to change its name if they don't pay for the songs I wrote and my trademark ownership but either way with this dude the best I guess.
Media related to Tommy Vext at Wikimedia Commons
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