The Eyes of a Traitor

The Eyes of a Traitor were an English metalcore band from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, formed in the summer of 2006.[1] The band consists of vocalist Jack Delany; guitarists Tim George, Tom Hollings and Matthew Pugh; and drummer Sam Brennan. There have been numerous line-up changes within the band, mainly due to members wishing to pursue education. According to the band, its name derives from a conversation the band members had whilst watching the Star Wars saga.[2]

The Eyes of a Traitor
OriginHarpenden, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
GenresMetalcore, progressive metal, melodic death metal, melodic hardcore
Years active2006–2015
LabelsListenable Records, Thirty Days of Night Records, Doom Patrol Foundation
Associated actsBrave the Moment, Heart in Hand, Rivers, Empires Fade
Websitetheeyesofatraitor.com
MembersSam Brennan
Jack Delany
Tom Hollings
Tim George
Matthew Pugh
Past membersIan Cubbon
David McCretton
Jack Moulsdale
Paul Waudby
Stephen Whitworth

They have released two extended plays, and two full-length studio albums. Their debut EP By Sunset was released in November 2007 after writing and recording it earlier that year. In 2007, they signed with Listenable Records and then released their debut album, A Clear Perception, on the record label in 2009. Their second studio album, Breathless, was released in July 2010 after featuring a different line-up, maintaining only the vocalist and drummer of the band as original members. In 2011, they independently released and distributed a second EP, The Disease EP, through live shows. The band was in the process of recording their third studio album; however declared their hiatus on 20 November 2011 and eventually split-up in 2015.

History

Formation, A Clear Perception and Breathless (2006–2010)

The band formed in August 2006 when Delany and guitarist Stephen Whitworth first met in Luton, Bedfordshire.[2] A year after their formation, they parted ways with their bassist, Ian Cubbon, due to musical differences. Releasing their first extended play, By Sunset on the underground English label Thirty Days of Night Records led to them touring across the country. Their first tour was a seven-day UK tour in support of the Italian blackened-death-metal band Godless Crusade. In the winter of 2007, the band did a headline tour with the death-metal band Aortic Dissection, leading to them being acknowledged by Listenable Records. This subsequently led to the signing of a three-album deal with the label. Guitarist David McCretton left the band at this time to further his education and was replaced by Pugh, an old friend of the band.[3]

In conjunction with their release of the A Clear Perception album – produced by Ed Sokolowski at EAS Studios in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire[4] – on 6 February 2009, they were confirmed as the main support for the French metal band Gojira on the UK dates of Gojira's The Way of All Flesh Tour.[5] Shortly after, the band embarked on a seven-day headline tour with the English melodic death metal band Ignominious Incarceration, as well as the bands Argent Dawn and Many Things Untold. This was the start of an extensive tour schedule which was to occupy them for the remainder of the year.[3] On 1 September 2009, the band released a digital single, "Nothing to Offer".[6] This was later re-recorded for their second album, Breathless.

On 18 January 2010, Paul Waudby announced that he would be leaving the band in pursuit of a career outside of the music industry. With the band due to go into the studio two weeks later, Jack Moulsdale – both a close friend and technical support of the band – stood in to become their new bassist.[7] In anticipation of the release of Breathless in July 2010, the band toured across the UK and Continental Europe extensively, joining the American mathcore band The Chariot's European headline tour with the American metal band Iwrestledabearonce starting 9 April and extending until 9 May 2010. On 27 June 2010, they appeared at Ghostfest 2010[8] on the Monster Energy Stage alongside other groups, including Gallows, Devil Sold His Soul and Lower Than Atlantis. On 18 September 2010, the band revealed on their Facebook module that they would release an EP consisting of four re-recorded tracks from their debut album: "Under Siege", "Escape These Walls", "Like Clockwork" and "The Impact of Two Hearts".[9] The EP was originally announced to be released around Christmas, but was delayed indefinitely. Justin Lowe, the guitarist of the American metalcore band After the Burial, mixed the tracks while Sokolowski produced them. The EP's completion was hindered because After the Burial was touring with the American band As I Lay Dying.[10]

The Disease and proposed third studio album (since 2011)

Between 16 September and 23 September 2011, the band toured the UK with the British melodic hardcore band Heart in Hand and deathcore band Martyr Defiled. As part of the tour they had a promotion of their new four-track EP, The Disease EP, limited to 200 copies and sold only at concerts. In conjunction, the title track "Disease" became available to stream from the band's Facebook module.[11] On 9 November 2011, the EP was made free by the band via Front magazine.[12] On 20 November 2011, the band revealed, via their Facebook module, that they were taking a break as a band. Brennan joined Heart in Hand, while Delany started two new metalcore bands, Rivers and Brave the Moment.[13] Upon Delany joining Brave The Moment he helped write his first song with the band False Prophet and made his first live performance with the band at Stay Rad Festival 2012 with Heart of a Coward and Polar.[14] Delany then joined Manchester metalcore band Empires Fade

The band did only two one-off shows in 2012, initially in Madrid, Spain, with the German metalcore band Caliban, on 4 May 2012, but then they were confirmed to play at Ghostfest 2012 on Sunday 1 July. The band replaced Rivers, one of the bands that developed out of The Eyes of a Traitor that had to pull out of the festival.[15] Hollings and Alex Green, formerly of English mathcore-technical-metal band The Arusha Accord, performed with the band at Ghostfest, with Hollings becoming the band's new bassist and Green performing clean vocals. Since announcing their hiatus, they have been writing their third album.[15]

Musical style and influences

Whitworth, when asked how he would describe the band's sound, said that they "combine technicality with melodic sensibilities, metal and occasional sprinklings from other genres."[16] The band have been described by critics as metalcore,[17] melodic death metal,[11][18] melodic metalcore,[19] experimental thrash[20][21] and progressive metal. They have been described by critics as "math metal", which shows their music's close proximity to mathcore but retaining more metallic elements rather than hardcore. Many critics have credited them for their accelerated progression through the British metal scene considering the age of the band members.[1] By the time their first EP was released, the average age of the members was 17.[22]

Members of the band have said they are influenced by the metalcore band Textures as well as a heavy amount of technical death metal bands, including Gojira and Necrophagist. Other influences include Children of Bodom, In Flames, Misery Signals, Mesuggah, Slipknot and Thrice.[1][2][16]

Members

Final lineup
  • Sam Brennan – drums (2006–present)
  • Jack Delany – lead vocals (2006–present)
  • Tim George – guitar (2010–present)
  • Tom Hollings – bass guitar (2012–present)
  • Matthew Pugh – guitar (2008–present)

Previous members
  • Ian Cubbon – bass guitar (2006–2007)
  • David McCretton – guitar (2006–2008)
  • Paul Waudby – bass guitar (2007–2010)
  • Stephen Whitworth – guitar (2006–2010)
  • Jack Moulsdale – bass guitar (2010–2012)

Touring members

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles
  • "Nothing to Offer" (2009)
  • "Come to My Senses" (2010)

See also

References
  1. Deathbringer (28 April 2008). "The Eyes of a Traitor Signs to Listenable Records". Metal Underground. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  2. Tate, Jenny (28 January 2011). "Eyes of a Traitor, The – 01.18.11". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  3. Staff (n.d.). "Biography". Listenable Records. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  4. Video (uploaded 3 June 2008). "The Eyes of a Traitor Studio Video – 2nd June – Guitars". Teoatuk (via YouTube). Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  5. Staff (6 February 2009). "The Eyes of a Traitor Announced as Main Support to Gojira on Upcoming UK Tour". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  6. Staff (16 August 2009). "Nothing to Offer – Digital Single 01.09.09". The Eyes of a Traitor (blog via MySpace). Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  7. Staff (18 January 2010). "Paul Waudby Leaves/Jack Moulsdale Joins". The Eyes of a Traitor (blog via MySpace). Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  8. "More Confirmed For Ghostfest Line-Up". Rock Sound. (Freeway Press). 30 April 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  9. Staff (5 October 2010). "So the tracks to..." The Eyes of a Traitor (via Facebook). Retrieved 30 January 2013. So the tracks to come are Under Siege, Escape These Walls, Like Clockwork and The Impact of Two Hearts. We hope you enjoy them, they'll be ready in just over a weeks time. Under Siege in drop A? oh my.
  10. Staff (23 February 2011). "untitled". The Eyes of a Traitor (via Facebook). Retrieved 30 January 2013. Getting the 1st mix back from Justin this week! Sorry for the delay the man is on tour with As I Lay Dying I'm sure you can let him off.
  11. Gill, James (16 August 2011). "The Eyes of a Traitor Release EP and Stream Single!". Metal Hammer. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  12. Staff (9 November 2011). "Download The Eyes of a Traitor's New EP for Free". Front. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  13. xFiruath (13 June 2012). "The Eyes of a Traitor Vocalist Joins New Band Brave the Moment". Metal Underground. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  14. "FRONT EXCLUSIVE: FIRST LISTEN OF JACK DELANY FROM THE EYES OF A TRAITOR'S NEW PROJECT BRAVE THE MOMENT". Front Magazine. (The Kane Corporation). 25 July 2012. Archived from the original on 27 July 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  15. Staff (20 April 2012). "The Eyes of a Traitor Added to Ghostfest! – Rock Sound Festival Coverage Brought to You in Association with Vans!". Rock Sound. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  16. Opeiya (13 February 2009). "Interview with The Eyes of a Traitor's Steve Whitworth". Metal Underground. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  17. Therapture (11 December 2009). "A Clear Perception Review". Ultimate Guitar Archive. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  18. TrojanWhore (14 February 2009). "The Eyes of a Traitor – A Clear Perception". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  19. Potter, Steven (1 July 2012). "Live: Ghostfest @ University, Leeds – Sunday (01/07/2012)". Dead Press!. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  20. Staff (1 October 2009). "The Eyes of a Traitor to Tour Europe in December – Hot Flashes". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  21. Gill, James (2 November 2010). "The Eyes of a Traitor UK Tour Dates". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  22. Staff (11 April 2008). "The Eyes of a Traitor Ink Deal with Listenable Records – Hot Flashes". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
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