| He Is Legend | |
|---|---|
He Is Legend playing a secret show in Wilmington, NC on Dec. 29, 2010 |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Wilmington, North Carolina, United States |
| Genres | Hard rock Southern rock Alternative metal Stoner rock Post-hardcore Psychedelic rock Alternative rock Metalcore (early) |
| Years active | 2003–2009 (Hiatus) 2011-present |
| Labels | Tribunal, LAB, Solid State, Tragic Hero, El Shaddai |
| Associated acts | Unholy Tongues, Bloodjinn, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster |
| Website | heislegend.com |
| Members | |
| Schuylar Croom Adam Tanbouz Matt Williams Steven Bache |
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| Past members | |
| McKenzie Bell Mitchell Marlow Worth Weaver |
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He Is Legend is a hard rock band formed in Wilmington, North Carolina who signed to Tragic Hero Records in 2009. The band consists of vocalist front man Schuylar Croom, guitarist Adam Tanbouz, drummer Steven Bache, bassist Matt Williams.[1]
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The band's roots reach back into the late 1990s when Adam Tanbouz, Steven Bache, Matt Williams, guitarist McKenzie Bell, and vocalist Schuylar Croom began writing and performing around Wilmington, NC while still in high school. In 2003, having previously played under the names of Stronghold, No One Wins, and The Uriah Omen, the name He Is Legend was adopted by members Tanbouz, Bache, Bell, Croom, and Williams. The name He Is Legend is an adaptation of the 1954 book I am Legend by Richard Matheson. After releasing their first EP in June 2004 entitled 91025, the band signed on with Solid State Records and released their first full length album in November. I Am Hollywood was a mild success and the band immediately began to experience a surge in popularity that extended far beyond their NC roots. After almost two years of extensive touring in the United States and Europe, the band temporarily relocated to California to record their next release. However, the release almost never saw the light of day as the group would almost break up right after they had finished recording. Suck Out the Poison was released on October 3, 2006 and triggered mixed reviews from long-time fans. It was evident, however, that the band believed firmly in the album and as a result were largely indifferent to often cruel criticisms from offended fans. Their confident, care-free response is portrayed in their music video "Attack of the Dungeon Witch" which was released in March 2007.
The band members each contributed humorous articles to the blog site WhatToDoAbout.com about random topics such as Cats, Having Long Hair, Death Metal, and Zombies among others.
Soon after the release of Suck Out the Poison, guitarist McKenzie Bell left the band without explanation. The bands website addresses what happened to McKenzie:
"People move on, over time bands change, sometimes people are asked to leave, sometimes they quit. It usually happens during the life of a band. We wish only the best for Mckenzie."
McKenzie was replaced by guitarist Mitch Marlow (previously of Classic Case). Bell later joined the band Bloodjinn. During their tour with Chimaira, Dragonforce, and Killswitch Engage in spring of 2007, the first few weeks were played as a 4-piece without Marlow. During the Peanut Butt Tour '07, a different second guitarist was seen playing in Marlow's spot, and it has been revealed that his name is "Worth" (Worth Weaver, who has also worked with Halogen, Thousand Foot Krutch, and Friends For Hire). At their show at the School of Rock in New Jersey, Bache stated that Marlow had accidentally booked himself to produce a record for another band back in North Carolina. The dates of recording coincided with much of the tour, so he was not able to tour with the band. Worth stepped in and was, by the account of Bache, excellent in his performance. At their final show before beginning their tour in Australia, Marlow performed with the band, confirming that at the time he was still a member of He Is Legend.
In February 2008, it was announced that Mitch Marlow was no longer a member of He Is Legend, and would be replaced with Worth Weaver. Marlow is now playing guitar for Filter.
The band's performances throughout the 2009 SXSW festival featured them as a four-piece once again. After a Plano, Texas performance on March 17, Tanbouz stated that Weaver, not performing with the band that evening, is planning on getting married soon and he would be focusing more on his solo musical career with his personal studio and music. Worth Weaver had begun standing in on the 2007 "Peanut Butt Tour" with the band, and later was announced that he was the new second guitar player.
According to a recent blog, He Is Legend announced that they will be taking a musical sabbatical in the forest surrounding North Carolina recording studio, Warrior Sound Studio. The blog continues, saying that the material written during this hiatus will be used to create a record "literally made of solid gold (figuratively speaking)."
On April 24, 2008, He Is Legend posted four demo songs from said sabbatical, entitled "Decisions Decisions Decisions", "Stranger Danger", "Don't Touch That Dial", and "Everyone I Know Has Fangs" from the upcoming record.
On April 16, 2009, the band confirmed that their newest album, It Hates You was being released through Tragic Hero records on July 21, 2009. (Originally set to be released on June 23). On May 27, 2009, the band posted "The Primarily Blues" and in early July "China White III", and "Future's Bright, Man" on their myspace.
It Hates You was released on July 21, 2009 and produced by Mitchell Marlow and Allen Jacob at Warrior Sound in Chapel Hill, NC.
According to Lambgoat.com, in September 2009, He Is Legend went on an "indefinite hiatus."[2] Although it was in the news section of Lambgoat.com, the alleged hiatus was not formally confirmed by the members of He Is Legend, nor by their current label, Tragic Hero Records. Schuylar claims this decision was not black and white, and the band could make another record if they wanted to. He insists that, should the band sort out their financial shortcomings, they would continue making music. Presently, the band remains friends with each other.
From September 2009 until February 2010, frontman Schuylar Croom filled in on vocals for Dallas Taylor with Maylene and the Sons of Disaster.[3]
Vocalist Schuylar Croom has a small role in the movie "Splinterheads" as the "Might As Well Jump Guy," and portrays "Mitch" in the trailer for Maya Sloan's book "High Before Homeroom."
Schuylar has started a new project called Flowers of Evil [4] according to his twitter account.[5]
The band played a reunion show on December 29, 2010 at the Satellite Lounge in Wilmington, NC with members Schuylar Croom, Matt Williams, Steve Bache, Adam Tanbouz, and Worth Weaver.
The band did play a Halloween show at the Satellite Lounge in Wilmington, NC on October 31, 2011.
While He Is Legend is on hiatus, some members of the band have joined other groups. Matt Williams (bass) now plays bass in the instrumental post-rock band Unholy Tongues.[6][7][8] According to Matt Williams' Twitter account,[9] Unholy Tongues has released an album online,[10] via the website BandCamp.com, entitled Jackal in a World of Reassurance.[11]
McKenzie Belle, former backing guitarist of He is Legend, now plays guitar in American Americans, a Wilmington, NC based band.[12]
On December 22, 2011, vocalist Schuylar Croom announced via Twitter that a new He Is Legend album would be completed in 2012. [13]
He is Legend is musically influenced mainly by metal and alternative acts from the '80s/'90s such as:
All these bands have been covered by He is Legend in concert. The band is known for tying the Stone Temple Pilots song Dead and Bloated into their song I am Hollywood in concert as well as Pantera's "I'm Broken." The band has also been known to cover the intro and first verse of "Bull" by fellow Wilmington band Weedeater near the end of "I Am Hollywood". Among other cover tie-ins, they often replace the lyrics taken from Blind Melon's No Rain in China White with the lyrics from a multitude of other songs including Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun, Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and "Thriller". They have covered several Nirvana songs including, but not limited to, "Territorial Pissings" and "Breed". They have also covered Bush's "Comedown" in concert. Songs they have partially covered in between songs during their concerts include Bill withers' "Use Me (Bill Withers song)", Slayer's "Raining Blood", Alice In Chains' "Man in the Box" as well as many others. On the night after Michael Jackson's death, He is legend mixed a version of "Beat It" with one of their songs in Mobile, AL.
During their December 29, 2010 reunion show, HIL covered The Cranberries' "Zombie."