Tetrarch (band)

Tetrarch is an American thrash metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, that was formed in 2007. They are now located in Los Angeles, Ca. They have released three EPs; their newest is entitled Relentless, which was released on March 19, 2013.

History

Formation, Pravda EP, The Will to Fight EP (2007–2012)

Tetrarch was formed in Atlanta in 2007 by Josh Fore, Diamond Rowe, and Tyler Wesley. According to lead guitarist Diamond Rowe, "Tetrarch began their live shows in the local scene, playing their first show at the 7 Venue in Douglasville, Georgia. They spent the rest of 2007 perfecting their live performance by playing close to 100 shows, which started a buzz in the Atlanta area. They released their first EP, Pravda in the summer of 2008, which was recorded at Ledbelly Studios by Matthew Washburn. To support their first release, Tetrarch continued to play in Atlanta while expanding their reach regionally with mini tours in the south east. In 2009, Tetrarch started working with producer Russ-T Cobb at Bang Studios in Atlanta. The band released the "Disciples of Sorrow" single from those sessions. The single caught the attention of Atlanta's biggest Rock Station, "Project 9-6-1" (96.1FM), where the band was featured for multiple weeks on the air. Tetrarch hit the studio again in late 2010 with producer Matthew Laplant at Bieler Bros studio in Pompano Beach, FL".^[1] On May 5, 2011, while the EP was being finished, they were asked to play the main stage, supporting Avenged Sevenfold, Seether, and Alter Bridge at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Atlanta.^[2] With this performance, the band saw their fan base continue to grow. As a result, the band released their biggest EP to date, The Will to Fight, in the summer of 2011. "We Are The Hunters", the first single released from the EP,^[3] quickly gained attention from the metal blogs and consumers alike. In the summer of 2011, Tetrarch got their first taste at extensive touring by doing a 40-day east coast tour in support of the EP. According to MetalArchives.com, The Will to Fight EP "is a collection of thrash-based songs that come across as very modern. While perhaps less thrashy than some of Tetrarch's previous output, it's clear that the band aren't forgetting their roots."^[4] The band finished the year off with a few hometown shows in Atlanta and made preparations for the busy year that was ahead of them. According to OurStage.com, Tetrarch reached two "Top 100 and three Top 40 finishes" with this EP.^[5] In the summer of 2012, Tetrarch was in Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, FL with Jason Suecof and Eyal Levi^[6] working on a their Relentless EP, a follow up to 2011's The Will to Fight.^[7]

Relentless EP (2013)

Tetrarch's new EP entitled Relentless was released on March 19, 2013. Relentless was produced by Eyal Levi and Jason Suecof at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida. The EP's artwork was done by McBridge Design. According to lead guitarist Diamond Rowe, "Relentless is very different from [the] last EP, The Will to Fight, but at the same time you can still tell that it is the same band."^[8] The first single was the title track, released on February 24, 2013. On March 3, 2013 the band released "Take Your Best Shot" as their second single; and on March 15, 2013 "Final Words" was released as their third single. A music video for "Final Words" was released exclusively through Revolver Magazine on March 15, 2013.^[9] This music video was directed by Jeffrey Moore.^[8] Lead guitarist Diamond Rowe was featured in the book "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? A Black Woman’s Life and Liberation in Heavy Metal", by Laina Dawes. The book "investigates how black women musicians and fans navigate the metal, hardcore, and punk music genres that are regularly thought of as inclusive spaces and centered on a community spirit, but fail to block out the race and gender issues that exist in the outside world."^[10][11] The band headlined their first shows of 2013 on May 24 at The Masquerade in Atlanta, GA and May 25 at Firewater 110 in Rock Hill, SC. On July 5, 2013 the band announced their first complete tour, headlining the "Here We Stand Tour" (August–September 2013) sponsored by Outerloop Management. The band closed the year out with 3 shows from December 13–15, 2013 spanning from Albany, Georgia at The Oglethorpe Lounge to Port Charlotte, Florida at Voodoo.

New Album (2013–Current)

The band entered Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with Eyal Levi to record their newest album on December 16, 2013; which followed a 3-day headliner (December 13–15, 2013) spanning from Albany, Georgia to Port Charlotte, Florida. The Port Charlotte date was moved to The Goathouse in Odessa, Florida with Illuminate Me. To open 2014, Tetrarch are scheduled to provide support to Straight Line Stitch, Goodbye October, and Viscera on January 17, 2014 at The Lantern (relocated from DJ's Tavern) in Rome, Georgia; and are also scheduled to headline the "Hometown Throwdown" on January 18, 2014 at The Masquerade in Atlanta with support from Prime Mover, As Animals Eat My Insides, and Living With Strangers. The band's first confirmed tour of 2014 was an east coast headliner, "The Please Don't Snow" Tour (January 23–30, 2014) that reached from South Carolina to Pennsylvania. On February 6, 2014, the band announced their headliner "The Take Your West Shot Tour" (February 21 - March 1, 2014) that reaches from Albany, Georgia to Terrell, Texas. Tetrarch has tentative/unannounced tours scheduled in the United States and Canada for the remainder of 2014.

Musical style and influences

The band's sound is often described as heavy thrash, similar roots to those of Metallica with the melodies of Iron Maiden. According to a 2011 Sound Scene Press interview with lead guitarist Diamond Rowe, "bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, and Lamb of God are pretty big influences. We love bands that know how to entertain."^[12]

Band members

Current members

• Diamond Rowe - lead guitar (2007–present)
• Josh Fore - rhythm guitar, lead vocals (2007–present)
• Ryan Lerner - bass (2009–present)
• Ruben Limas - drums, percussion (2015–present)

Former members

• Tyler Wesley - drums, percussion (2007–2010)
• Nick Jones - drums, percussion (2010–2011)
• Jared Vann - drums, percussion (2011–2012)
• Michael Bowles - bass (2008–2009)
• Thomas Taylor - bass (2007–2008)

Discography

EPs

• Pravda EP (Self-released, 2008)
• The Will to Fight EP (Self-released, 2011)
• Relentless EP (Self-released, 2013)

Singles

• Disciples of Sorrow (includes B-side Cado Venia) (2009)
• Fate of the Chosen (2010)
• We Are The Hunters (2011)
• Relentless (2013)
• Take Your Best Shot (2013)
• Final Words (2013)

Music videos

References

External links

• Facebook
• MySpace