Crimson Thorn is an American Christian death metal band. According to

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, they are "surely one of the world's most extreme-sounding Christian metal bands". Crimson Thorn has performed at Cornerstone Festival and

Sonshine Festival Sonshine Festival was a Christian music festival held annually, starting in 1982 in Willmar, Minnesota and continuing in that location through 2014. That same year, festival organizers announced its relocation to Somerset, Wisconsin for 2015 onward ...

. They have also been featured in

HM Magazine ''HM Magazine'' is a monthly, digital and print on demand publication focusing on hard music and alternative culture of interest to Christians. It is headquartered in Houston, Texas. The magazine states that its goal is to "honestly and accurate ...

History

The band was founded in 1991 by members Luke Renno, Dave Quast, Dylan Paul Jenniges, Paul Jongeward and Miles Sunde. They were almost ready to record their first

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...

when Dylan left, and Luke took his place on the

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

. Their demo was entitled ''Plagued'', and was recorded in 1992 at Blue Moon Studios in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

. After Quast left, Kevin Sundberg joined as the new

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one mem ...

, and their style changed from

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...

. Crimson Thorn was signed to Atomic Records and released their first full length CD, ''Unearthed'', in 1994. Later,

R.E.X. Records R.E.X. Records, also known as R.E.X. Music, was an independent record label founded by Doug Mann and Gavin Morkel, which operated from 1987 until running into financial difficulty in 1995. Operations were based in Chicago until 1990 when the com ...

re-released ''Unearthed''. Paul Jongeward left the band, and was replaced with Andy Kopesky before the release of ''Dissection'' in 1997 on the label Morphine Records. Little Rose Records re-released it in 1999. ''Purification'', was later released after the band built their own

studio A studio is an artist or worker's workroom. This can be for the purpose of acting, architecture, painting, pottery (ceramics), sculpture, origami, woodworking, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, industrial design ...

in the basement of Kevin's home. Crimson Thorn announced at Cornerstone Festival 2007 that they were working on a new album. They performed unreleased tracks, all of which had a much more melodic feel than their previous works. Despite this, the band assured fans that the rest of the upcoming album would be much heavier, like their previous works. On July 6, 2019, it was announced that Crimson Thorn would be coming out of their unofficial hiatus to play a week worth of shows in March 2020, on the Hasten Revelation Tour, alongside Broken Flesh, Abated Mass of Flesh, Taking the Head of Goliath, and Cardiac Rupture. Due to health concerns, Broken Flesh dropped off the tour, being replaced by My Place Was Taken.

Discography

;Studio albums * ''Unearthed'' (1995) * ''Dissection'' (1997) * ''Purification'' (2002) ;Demos * ''Plagued'' (1993) ;Compilations * ''Unearthed for Dissection'' (2005) * ''Crimson Thorn - Anthology of Brutality: 1992-2002 The Complete Collective Works (3-CD Set)'' (2017) ;Compilation Appearances * "Anorexia Spiritual" on ''A Tribute to Living Sacrifice'' (2001; originally performed by Living Sacrifice) ;DVDs * ''Live in Minneapolis'' (

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

)

Members

;Former *Dylan Paul Jenniges - bass (1991-1992) *Dave Quast - drums (1991-1993) *Jeff Anderson - drums (1993-1994) *Kevin Sundberg - drums, vocals (1994-2003) *Paul Jongeward - guitar (1991-1997) *Andy Kopesky - guitar, keyboards (1997-2005) *Collin Anderson - keyboards (2005-2006) *Brett Wilson - bass, vocals (2005-2007) ;Former live members *Billy Frazer - drums ;Timeline

References

American black metal musical groups Blackened death metal musical groups American Christian metal musical groups American death metal musical groups Heavy metal musical groups from Minnesota Musical groups established in 1991 Unblack metal musical groups Christian extreme metal groups Musical quartets 1991 establishments in Minnesota {{US-metal-band-stub