HAWK (formerly This or The Apocalypse) is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania that formed in 2005.

History

''Monuments'' (2005–2009)

In 2008 the band signed to European metal label

Lifeforce Records Lifeforce Records is a German heavy metal independent record label that specializes in metalcore and death metal. Their roster contains bands such as Confession, This or the Apocalypse, Omnium Gatherum and Last Leaf Down, and they have helped t ...

, and released the album ''

Monuments A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...

'' later that year. The band went on several tours throughout 2008 and 2009 with acts such as

Kingston Falls Kingston Falls were an American Christian hardcore band, and they primarily played hardcore punk and metalcore. They were from Goshen, Indiana, where they formed in 2003 and disbanded in 2009. The primary members of the band were John Busenbar ...

For Today For Today was an American Christian metalcore band from Sioux City, Iowa, formed in 2005. They released two EPs, ''Your Moment, Your Life, Your Time'' and ''Prevailer'', and six full-length albums: '' Ekklesia'' in, 2008, ''Portraits'' in 2009, ...

August Burns Red August Burns Red is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. The band's current lineup consists of lead guitarist John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, lead vocalist ...

, A Skylit Drive,

Sky Eats Airplane Sky Eats Airplane was an American post-hardcore band from Fort Worth, Texas. The band was signed to indie label Equal Vision Records and most recently released their self-titled full-length album through the label in July 2008. In March 2012, th ...

, and

Greeley Estates Greeley Estates was an American metalcore band from Maricopa County, Arizona. Formed in 2002, the band released five full-length studio albums and four EPs. The group initially had an emo-influenced post-hardcore sound, but later shifted to the ...

across North America and Canada to promote Monuments.

''Haunt What's Left'' (2009–2011)

The band was featured on season 1 episode 4 of the MTV show Silent Library, which aired January 2010 with members Rick, Rodney, Jack, Sean and Grant. On June 22, 2010, This or the Apocalypse announced their second studio album ''Haunt Whats's Left'' which was released on Good Fight/Road Runner Records. The album was recorded by Josh Wilbur and produced by Chris Adler of Lamb of God at Spin Studios in New York. Following the release of the album bassist Sean and drummer Grant both left the band for other projects. Sean left to focus on his band Bells with former August Burns Red vocalist Jon Hershey. Grant embarked on a career in music production and mastering, and joined the band Century which also features This or the Apocalypse vocalist Ricky on bass. This or the Apocalypse toured throughout 2010 to support ''Haunt What's Left'' with bands such as

Impending Doom Impending Doom is an American Christian deathcore band from Riverside, California. The group has released six full-length studio albums and are currently a five piece with lead vocalist Brook Reeves as one of the two original remaining member ...

, and MyChildren MyBride, and headlined a tour with Affiance,

Last Chance to Reason Last Chance to Reason is an American progressive metal band from Augusta, Maine. Their debut album, '' Lvl. 1'', was released through Tribunal Records in 2007. Their first major label debut, '' Level 2'', came in 2011 through Prosthetic Record ...

and Deception of a Ghost.

''Dead Years'' (2011–2018)

In June 2012, the band signed with

eOne Entertainment One Ltd., trading as eOne, is an American-owned Canadian multinational entertainment company. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition, distribution, and production of films and television s ...

and released ''Dead Years'' on September 25, 2012. In 2013, the band released a new single titled "Damaged Good".

Name change to HAWK and upcoming album (2018-present)

In 2018 the band was renamed to HAWK and on March 22, 2019, released a new song titled "Mileage". Since then they have also self-released 2 more videos, "Counter-Ops" and "Alibi". On December 4, 2020, HAWK released their first LP titled "Tolerance's Paradox" which included the previous 3 singles and 3 yet unreleased tracks.

Musical style and influences

This or the Apocalypse fall into the metalcore genre. Their music is characterized primarily by a heavy emphasis on melody and technical ability. The band's music features frequent use of technical or odd time signatures, complex

polyrhythm Polyrhythm is the simultaneous use of two or more rhythms that are not readily perceived as deriving from one another, or as simple manifestations of the same meter. The rhythmic layers may be the basis of an entire piece of music ( cross-rhyt ...

s, and some songs have been described as having a

prog-rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...

structure.

Members

;Current * Ricky Armellino − lead vocals (2005–present) * Jack Esbenshade −

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featu ...

(2005–present) * Adam Reed − drums (2018-present) * Bernie Stabley – bass,

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...

(2018-present) ;Former * Robert Rivera Jr. – bass guitar (2005–2006) * Toby Pool – drums (2005–2006) * Jacob Belcher – rhythm guitar (2005–2007) * Kevin Bakey – bass guitar (2006–2007) * Sean Hennessey − bass guitar (2007–2010) * Grant McFarland − drums (2006–2010) * Brent Caltagirone – drums (2010–2011) * Matthew Marcellus − bass,

(2010–2013) * Aaron Ovecka − drums (2011–2013) (currently in Breather) * Aaron Maloney − drums (2013–2014) * Rodney Phillips − rhythm guitar,

(2007–2014) Timeline

Discography

as This or the Apocalypse: ;Studio albums * ''Sentinels'' (Self-released, 2006) * ''Monuments'' (

, 2008) * ''Haunt What's Left'' (

Good Fight Entertainment Good Fight Entertainment is a business conglomerate that was founded in 2010. The company consists of a record label, band management, sports management, a clothing line and an art studio. Good Fight was founded by Paul Conroy and Carl Severson wh ...

, 2010) * ''Dead Years'' (eOne, 2012) ;Extended plays * ''Drunken Billionaire Burns Down Home'' (Self-released, 2006) as HAWK: ;Extended plays * ''Tolerance's Paradox'' (Self-released, 2020)

References

External links

This or the Apocalypse on Lifeforce RecordsThis or the Apocalypse on Good Fight RecordsThis or the Apocalypse official Facebook
{{Authority control Heavy metal musical groups from Pennsylvania Metalcore musical groups from Pennsylvania Musical groups established in 2005 Musicians from Lancaster, Pennsylvania