Hawking is a

progressive metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...

band from

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada, composed of vocalists and guitarists Tom Vanderkam and Saul Sitar, bassist and vocalist Chris Young, and drummer and vocalist Chartwell Kerr.

Musical style

The band's music is most broadly categorized as

Progressive Metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...

. However, notable

Melodic Hardcore Melodic hardcore is a broadly defined subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on melody in its guitar work. It generally incorporates fast rhythms, melodic and often distorted guitar riffs, and vocal styles tending towards shouting and ...

, Post-Hardcore, Symphonic Metal and

Alternative Rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commerci ...

influences are present in their work.
''Ghettoblaster Magazine'', June 24, 2015.
''MusicBox Pete'' June 29, 2015'' The band’s earlier work was often described as

Math rock Math rock is a style of progressive and indie rock with roots in bands such as King Crimson and Rush as well as 20th-century minimal music composers such as Steve Reich. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (includi ...

or "Math-Pop", alluding to their use of interlocking guitar riffs and highly syncopated rhythms."Hawking Introduces Us To Math Pop"
''Baeble Music'', June 16, 2015.

History

''Inception and The Crash (2013)''

Hawking embarked on their first tour of Western Canada in August 2013.
''GreenGrass Radio'', August 15, 2013. On August 26, 2013, the band was involved in a single vehicle accident as they were headed home from the final show of their Western Canadian tour, leaving all members of the band with injuries. Two of the group members, drummer Chartwell Kerr and bassist Paul Engels, were both airlifted to hospital in critical condition. Kerr sustained extensive damage to his legs. Engels suffered a severe head injury, and was in a coma for five weeks after the accident. He was unable to continue with the band. After a 6-month hiatus, Chris Young replaced Engels on bass in February 2014.

''Post-Crash (2014)''

During the summer months of 2014, the band completed a 50-date tour covering the Western USA and most of mainland Canada.

''Present (2015-present)''

Hawking released their debut self-titled EP independently on July 14, 2015."TOUR HARD, ROCK EVEN HARDER: INTRODUCING HAWKING"
''PopWrapped'' June 24, 2015"PREMIERE - Hawking - Safe and Sound"
'PureVolume'' May 13, 2015 Reviews were positive."Hawking Return With Hook-Rich Pop-Rock"
''CraveOnline'' July 13th, 2015"Hear: Hawking - Cold Hands"
''Audio Fuzz'' April 12, 2015"Pre-Release Review: Hawking"
''Canadian Beats'' July 6, 2015 The band completed a 43-date North American tour in the months immediately following the release, and became known for their live shows and relentless touring schedule.
''The Permanent Rain Press'' January 28, 2016 On August 26, 2016, the band released their single "Comfortable", completing a Canadian tour in support. Hawking released their full-length album "Diverge" on April 7, 2017, completing a North American tour in support. In Fall 2019, the band completed a 28-date North American tour with Stellar Circuits. On January 31, 2020, Hawking released their single “Never Bow”. On March 20, 2020, Hawking released their single “Elucidate, Articulate”. On March 18, 2022, Hawking released their single “A Tragedy (This Melody)”.

Band members

Present

*Tom Vanderkam - Lead Vocals, Guitar *Saul Sitar - Vocals, Lead Guitar *Chartwell Kerr - Vocals, Drums *Chris Young - Vocals, Bass

*Ben Klassen - Vocals, Lead Guitar *Paul Engels - Vocals, Bass

Other appearances

Hawking appears in the film

Midnight Sun The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the summer months in places north of the Arctic Circle or south of the Antarctic Circle, when the Sun remains visible at the local midnight. When the midnight sun is seen in the Arctic, ...

(2016). Front man Tom Vanderkam and former lead guitarist Ben Klassen appeared in the film

If I Stay ''If I Stay'' is a young adult novel by Gayle Forman published in 2009. The story follows 17-year-old Mia Hall as she deals with the aftermath of a catastrophic car accident involving her family. Mia is the only member of her family to survive, ...

(2014). Vanderkam also owns and operates an independent booking agency, Badmouth Booking.

Discography

*''A Tragedy (This Melody) (Single)'' (2022) *''Elucidate, Articulate (Single)'' (2020) *''Never Bow (Single)'' (2020) *''Diverge'' (2017) 01. Catalyst
02. Broken Glass
03. Homesick
04. Lying Through Your Teeth
05. Stepping Stone
06. Comfortable
07. Disclosure
08. North of the Black Sea
09. Haunted House
10. Outside
11. Leave You Behind *''Comfortable (Single)'' (2016) *''Hawking EP'' (2015) 01. Safe and Sound
02. Cold Hands
03. Books on Tape
04. Diastole
05. Systole

References

{{reflist

External links

Band WebsiteBand Facebook PageBand Twitter Page
Canadian indie rock groups Musical groups from Vancouver Musical groups established in 2012 2012 establishments in British Columbia