I Declare War is an American
deathcore
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with met ...
band from
Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
.
History
The band was founded in 2005. The original lineup consisted of Johnathan Huber (vocals), Evan Hughes (guitar), Jake Paulson (guitar), Randy Carpenter (drums), and Zack Ring (bass).
In 2006, the group released their first album, the independently released ''
What You Deserve'' and began touring soon after. In 2007 the band released their second album and first on a record label, ''
Amidst the Bloodshed'' on the now defunct Compton Records. During a tour in the same year, the group came in contact with fellow deathcore band
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a district in East London and the future administrative centre of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a part of the East End of London, east of Charing Cross. Part of the historic county of Middlesex, the area formed ...
and established a close friendship with them. In 2009 the band would experience its first major lineup change "with Chris Fugate stepping in to replace Paulson, Ryan Cox coming in for Carpenter, and Brent Eaton taking over for Ring."
[Rovi, Gregory H. "I Declare War". billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media, n.d. Web. 14 Oct.2014.] This would leave Huber and Hughes as the only original members in the band. Also in 2009, the band was contacted by the up-and-coming Artery Recordings after Whitechapel guitarist Alex Wade "was approached by Artery in regards to possible bands to sign" and recommended I Declare War.
The following year, the band released their third album, 2010's ''
Malevolence''. This would mark the group's last release to feature original vocalist, Jonathan Huber. He would leave the band in 2010 to further other ventures. Huber would then go on to join death metal outfit
Pathology
Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in ...
. The band was quick to find a replacement vocalist in Jamie Hanks. Hanks had previously been the long time vocalist of death metal band Those Who Lie Beneath. In 2011, Hanks made his first recorded appearance with the band on the group's fourth record, the self-titled ''I Declare War''. This release being titled ''I Declare War'' Guitarist Evan Hughes was the only member in the band left from the original 2005 lineup. However, even this was about to change. In early 2012, the band's lineup again went through a drastic change. Every single member of the band other than their newly appointed vocalist left I Declare War. With Hanks now finding himself the senior member of the band, the group gained a new lineup in 2012. This third and current incarnation of the group consists of guitarist John Winters, drummer Colin Bradford, bassist Gordon McPherson, and vocalist Jamie Hanks. They eventually expanded to once again include a second guitarist, this one being Jacob Hansen. Later on yet again due to heavy touring Hansen and Bradford would leave and enters Yusef Johnson.
In 2014, this new lineup released its first album together, ''We Are Violent People by Nature'', which would be I Declare War's fifth full-length album and would reach No. 13 on the
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
Heatseekers chart. In 2016, 'Songs for the Sick' was released. An Instrumental version of the album was also made available. Later in 2016 the band recruited guitarist Greg Kirkpatrick (As Blood Runs Black) and drummer Garon Howe (Hailbrook Hollow). A year later a new music video was released for one of the songs on that album entitled, ''Millions will Burn.'' In 2018, they released a cover of the
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots (also known by the initialism STP) is an American rock band from San Diego, California, that originally consisted of Scott Weiland (lead vocals), brothers Dean (guitar) and Robert DeLeo (bass, backing vocals), and Eric Kretz ...
song Dead and Bloated.
In October of 2019, I Declare War released a five song EP entitled ''Downcast.'' It was recorded in Seattle, WA at Thunderbeast studios and mixed and mastered by Aaron Kitcher. It is the first body of music to feature drummer Garon Howe and guitarist Greg Kirkpatrick. It also features lyrics written by Howe on the track entitled ''Hypothermic.''
Band members
Current members
* Jamie Hanks – lead vocals
(2010–present)
* John Winters – rhythm guitar
(2012–present) bass (2016–present)
* Greg Kirkpatrick – lead guitar
(2016–present)
* Garon Howe – drums
(2016–present)
Past members
* Jake Paulson – guitar
(2005–2008)
* Randy Carpenter – drums
(2005–2008)
* Zack Ring – bass guitar
(2005–2009)
* Jonathan Huber – lead vocals
(2005–2010)
* Chris Fugate – guitar
(2009–2011)
* Evan Hughes – guitar
(2005–2012)
* Ryan Cox – drums
(2009–2012)
* Gordon McPherson – bass guitar
(2011–2015)
* Brent Eaton – bass guitar
(2009–2011, 2016)
* Joe Garcia – drums
(2014–2016)
* Yusef Johnson – lead guitar
(2014–2016)
Timeline
Discography
![Default Flickr-Dateiname (5456199479)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Default_Flickr-Dateiname_%285456199479%29.jpg)
Albums
* 2006: ''What You Deserve'' (album, self-released)
* 2007: ''Amidst the Bloodshed'' (album, Compton Records)
* 2010: ''
Malevolence'' (album,
Artery Recordings
Artery Recordings is an American record label based in Sacramento, California founded in 2010 as an imprint of Razor & Tie by Eric Rushing, owner of The Artery Foundation.
On August 31, 2017, it was announced that Artery was acquired by Warner ...
)
* 2011: ''
I Declare War'' (album, Artery Recordings) U.S.
Heatseekers
Infrared homing is a passive weapon guidance system which uses the infrared (IR) light emission from a target to track and follow it seamlessly. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers" since infrared is rad ...
#16
[Chart history]
Billboard.com
* 2014: ''
We Are Violent People by Nature'' (album, Artery Recordings) U.S. Heatseekers #13
* 2016: ''Songs for the Sick'' (album, self-released)
Other
* 2007: ''Bring the Season'' (Christmas-themed EP, Compton Records)
* 2019: ''Downcast'' (EP, self-released)
References
External links
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{{Authority control
Musical quintets
Heavy metal musical groups from Washington (state)
Musical groups established in 2005
American deathcore musical groups