Before The Mourning

Before The Mourning signals a new dawn for heavy music. On its debut EP, Remembrance, the Los Angeles quartet—Adam Ryan [Vocals], Johnny Death (JD) [Guitar], Nikki Stringfield [Guitar], and Phil Gonyea [Drums]—siphons infectious, invasive melodies through destructive modern thrash. It's a corrosive concoction that's as catchy as it is deadly, and you'll remember it for a long time to come... The group's genesis traces back to a longstanding friendship between the members. Read more on Last.fm …read full bio

Before The Mourning signals a new dawn for heavy music. On its debut EP, Remembrance, the Los Angeles quartet—Adam Ryan [Vocals], Johnny Death (JD) [Guitar], Nikki Stringfield [Guitar], and Phil Gonyea [Drums]—siphons infectious, invasive melodies through destructive modern thrash. It's a corrosive concoction that's as catchy as it is deadly, and you'll remember it for a long time to come... The group's genesis traces back to a longstanding friendship between the members. They've all been around the block in the close-knit Hollywood scene. Ryan and JD were in The Kill Corps, signed to Virgin Records, and Gonyea founded the fan favorite Instinct of Aggression. Naturally, they'd gigged together countless times, and there was a mutual respect in place. However, in December 2011, Gonyea approached JD about jamming for the hell of it. The sessions proved instantly explosive and the decision was made to go all out. After contacting Ryan about singing the trio created their first track "Dismember" after meeting Stringfield at NAMM a month later, Before The Mourning was born, releasing “Remembrance” for free via Facebook in August 2012. Merging the singer's honest lyrical approach with intricate technical metal, they carved out a niche of their own quickly. "This is breakup music for tough guys," jests JD. "Seriously, each word Adam says is true. There's nothing fake about it. It's personal and emotional, but it's also heavy." That's loud and clear on the first single "Dead To You". A chugging riff pummels in tandem with a tight groove as Ryan slips from a near whisper into an abrasive scream. About the song, JD explains, "It's about a relationship that can't work no matter how hard you try. Sometimes, you have to let things be. Even though you want it to come together, it never will." Aside from the vitriolic breakup anthem, the title track "Before The Mourning" boasts an uplifting plea, looking at loss from the other side of the coin. Tying into the band's name, the song stands emblematic of their dynamics. "We want to convey a positive message too. Remember what life was like before you lost someone? You have to enjoy those experiences and cherish them. That shit can really tear people up. We've all lost somebody, we don't want to focus on the fact they're gone. We want to focus on the good times, that's the double entendre within the band name." That duality doesn't only permeate the band's sound, but the performances as well. In previous bands, they've shared the stage with everyone from Snot and DevilDriver to Trivium and Taking Dawn. As a result, their live show is a beast of its own. Ultimately, it's about a release for Before The Mourning and anyone who listens. "I could go to any metal show and have some guy scream at me about how pissed he is at the world," concludes JD. "The world is what you make it. We want people to have fun and release some of that tension because we do the same thing." Band Members: Adam Ryan - Vocals Johnny Death - Guitar/Bass/Keys/Synth Nikki Stringfield - Guitar Phil Gonyea - Drums Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

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…shrink me down again