I Killed the Prom Queen
Encyclopedia
I Killed the Prom Queen is an Australian metalcore
band which formed in 2000 with mainstays JJ Peters on drums and Jona Weinhofen
on guitar. The band featured prominently on the Australian live music scene and toured the USA, Japan and parts of Europe several times. They issued two studio albums, When Goodbye Means Forever...
(2003) and Music for the Recently Deceased
(2006) – the latter reached the top 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart
. The group split up in April 2007 when Weinhofen joined United States band Bleeding Through
and Peters joined Australian hardcore punk
group Deez Nuts
. I Killed the Prom Queen reformed to play a farewell tour in mid-2008 and released a live album and DVD
, Sleepless Nights and City Lights
, which peaked in the top 50. In May 2011, the band reformed for the Destroy Music Tour and indicated plans to work on a third studio album.
, South Australia in late 2000, with the original line-up of Ben Engel on bass guitar
, Simon O'Gorman on guitar
, JJ Peters (Josef John W Peters) on drums
, Lee Stacy on vocals, and Jona Weinhofen
on guitar. Peters, Weinhofen and bass guitarist Leaton Rose
had previously been members of local band Cur. Early in 2000, Weinhofen left Cur to form The Fall of Troy with vocalist Michael Crafter
and then he formed I Killed the Prom Queen. Briefly known as Child Left Burning, the band's first performances were at the Adelaide Community Centre. The following year, Crafter joined to share lead vocals and soon after Rose replaced Engel on bass guitar.
The band are influenced by late 1990s hardcore bands Poison the Well
, Converge
, Hatebreed
and Earth Crisis
and Swedish
melodic death metal
groups like At the Gates
, Soilwork
and In Flames
. In late 2001 and early 2002, the group recorded a four-track extended play titled Choose to Love, Live or Die
, which was produced by Paul Degasperi and the band; with additional guitar supplied by Cain Kapetanakis. Originally slated to contain five songs, a computer glitch caused the fifth to be erased. In 2002, it was issued as an EP by 618 Recordings and re-released by Final Prayer Records label distributed by Missing Link Records
. Following this, O'Gorman left to join Day of Contempt and Kevin Cameron joined on guitar late in the year. Choose to Love, Live or Die, was their only release to include both Lee Stacey's vocals and the higher-pitched Crafter vocals. The tracks were later re-recorded for their third EP, Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You (2005).
) and Sean Kennedy took his place. They provided the track, "Homicide" for the punk rock compilation, Harder Core than You released by Blunt Magazine. Crafter was in Byron Bay
and saw the first performance by local metalcore band, Parkway Drive – he was so impressed that he invited the group to record a split CD
with his band. In May, Final Prayer Records issued I Killed the Prom Queen / Parkway Drive: Split CD
with two tracks by I Killed the Prom Queen ("Homicide Documentaries" and "Death Certificate for a Beauty Queen") and two by Parkway Drive.
In September, the line-up of Cameron, Crafter, Kennedy, Peters and Weinhofen, recorded their debut studio album When Goodbye Means Forever...
for Sydney hardcore label Resist Records, which was released in December. It was produced by Dan Jones, Anj and the group. Early in 2004, they toured Australia supporting United States band Evergreen Terrace
, and with local groups Give Up the Ghost, and Boysetsfire. The album was released in the US by Eulogy Recordings
in March, leading to extensive touring there. According to Carver, when entering Hawaii, "Three of us got questioned. They were asking us what jails we had been in, what our parents did and what our parents thought of our tattoos".
The band have supported Caliban
, Evergreen Terrace, It Dies Today
, Lamb of God
, Silverstein
, Bleeding Through
, The Red Chord
, Fear Before the March of Flames, Until the End, The Warriors
, Between the Buried and Me
, and On Broken Wings
over four months. The group's next release was their third EP, Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You, on 7 March 2005. The recording included reworked older songs and a track, "To Be Sleeping While Still Standing", performed by The Fall of Troy (not to be confused with the US band of the same name
), an earlier band including Crafter and Weinhofen, which only played two shows then broke up.
. By late 2005, they had completed recording the album but in January 2006 Crafter was fired. Instead of releasing the album as it was, they decided to hire a new vocalist and replace Crafter's tracks. Ed Butcher, from United Kingdom band The Hunt for Ida Wave was recruited. New lyrics were written by Cameron and Butcher, while some lyrics that the whole band had contributed during the Crafter sessions were retained. Music for the Recently Deceased was produced by Fredrik Nordström
, whose other credits included Dimmu Borgir
, Darkest Hour, At the Gates
and In Flames
, and by Patrik J Sten.
The album was released on 31 July 2006 by Stomp Entertainment and peaked in the top 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart
. The Australian tour in support of the album had over 50 concert dates in three months, from north Western Australia to the southern states and then along the east coast to Cairns. They followed with a support tour for US groups Killswitch Engage
and Lamb of God
, The Sydney show had 3,500 patrons at Luna Park
, where I Killed the Prom Queen also played at the annual Come Together Music Festival
. Shortly afterward Metal Blade released the album in the US, co-inciding with the group's appearance at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival
. Returning to Australia after their third tour of the US in three years, the group toured with The Haunted
and Exodus
and in December featured as the headlining act at the Metal for the Brain
festival.
. Tyrone Ross from Mourning Tide
, an Australian metalcore and hair metal group, temporarily filled the vocalist position during Japanese tour dates. Colin Jeffs of Bendigo-based band Heavens Lost, provided vocals on the European tour with Bleeding Through, All Shall Perish, Caliban.
In April, I Killed the Prom Queen announced their breakup, citing both an inability to find a permanent vocalist and Weinhofen's joining tour mates Bleeding Through. Shortly after a final Australian tour with Crafter returning on vocals was arranged for the following year. In May 2008, Stomp re-issued Music For The Recently Deceased in a limited tour edition – of 5,000 hand-numbered copies – for the Say Goodbye Tour. The release included a cardboard slipcase, two live tracks and four tracks with Crafter's vocals taken from the original album recording. The group toured in May and June, with most of the 18 shows selling out. The support groups were Bring Me the Horizon
, The Red Shore
, The Ghost Inside (band)
and local acts from each city. A live album and DVD, Sleepless Nights and City Lights
, was recorded at their Adelaide performance; it was released on 22 November 2008 and peaked in the top 50. I Killed the Prom Queen played their final show in Brisbane on 8 June 2008.
in 2008. Jona Weinhofen joined Bring Me the Horizon
in 2009 and is their rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, programer and backing vocalist. He was a gutiarist of US metalcore band Bleeding Through and the former manager for Australian death metal band The Red Shore.
Kevin Cameron formed the progressive metalcore band In Trenches with frontman Ben Coyte. He was a touring musician for a number of other groups. JJ Peters is vocalist for his own hardcore project Deez Nuts
and one half of the hip-hop duo Grips & Tonic – the other half is New Zealander Louie Knuxx. Sean Kennedy reduced his musical performances and lived with his fiancee, although he occasionally played bass for Deez Nuts on Australian and International tours, including on their This One's for You Tour in 2010.
, Deez Nuts
, and Of Mice & Men
as part of the Destroy Music Tour in May. Replacing Butcher and Crafter on lead vocals was Jamie Hope (ex-The Red Shore
). On the band's official Facebook page this re-formation was said to be ongoing – not just for one tour. Weinhofen is not planning to leave his other band Bring Me the Horizon
but will remain in both groups. Likewise Peters continued his work with Deez Nuts
. Weinhofen has stated that I Killed the Prom Queen would commence writing a new album in December 2011, and hoped to release a new album mid-2012.
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band which formed in 2000 with mainstays JJ Peters on drums and Jona Weinhofen
Jona Weinhofen
Jona Weinhofen is an Australian guitarist and musician from Adelaide, South Australia. He is currently the guitarist for the Australian based band I Killed the Prom Queen, Canine Tricycle Bereavement, and British band Bring Me The Horizon. Jona was guitarist for California based band Bleeding...
on guitar. The band featured prominently on the Australian live music scene and toured the USA, Japan and parts of Europe several times. They issued two studio albums, When Goodbye Means Forever...
When Goodbye Means Forever...
When Goodbye Means Forever... is the debut album by Australian metalcore band, I Killed the Prom Queen, which was released in 2003 by Resist Records...
(2003) and Music for the Recently Deceased
Music for the Recently Deceased
Music for the Recently Deceased is the second album by Australian metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen. The album peaked at #27 on the Australian ARIA Charts. On 19 May 2008 a Tour Edition of the album was released with the additions of 2 live songs recorded at the Sydney Deadfest, 4 songs...
(2006) – the latter reached the top 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. The group split up in April 2007 when Weinhofen joined United States band Bleeding Through
Bleeding Through
Bleeding Through is an American metalcore band from Orange County, California. Formed in 1999, the band blends influences stemming from modern hardcore punk, symphonic black metal, and melodic death metal...
and Peters joined Australian hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
group Deez Nuts
Deez Nuts
Deez Nuts is an Australian hardcore band that formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2007. Currently comprising vocalist J. J. Peters, Guitarist Matt Rogers, Drummer Ty Alexander and various live Bassists, the band has released one EP and Two Studio Albums....
. I Killed the Prom Queen reformed to play a farewell tour in mid-2008 and released a live album and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, Sleepless Nights and City Lights
Sleepless Nights and City Lights
Sleepless Nights and City Lights is a live compilation album and DVD by Australian metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen, released through Stomp Entertainment on 22 November 2008...
, which peaked in the top 50. In May 2011, the band reformed for the Destroy Music Tour and indicated plans to work on a third studio album.
Formation and Choose to Love, Live or Die (2000–2002)
I Killed the Prom Queen was formed in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia in late 2000, with the original line-up of Ben Engel on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Simon O'Gorman on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, JJ Peters (Josef John W Peters) on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, Lee Stacy on vocals, and Jona Weinhofen
Jona Weinhofen
Jona Weinhofen is an Australian guitarist and musician from Adelaide, South Australia. He is currently the guitarist for the Australian based band I Killed the Prom Queen, Canine Tricycle Bereavement, and British band Bring Me The Horizon. Jona was guitarist for California based band Bleeding...
on guitar. Peters, Weinhofen and bass guitarist Leaton Rose
Leaton Rose
Leaton Rose is an Australian musician who played bass guitar for Adelaide-based Metalcore/Deathcore band I Killed the Prom Queen and then alternative rock band, The Hot Lies .-Biography:...
had previously been members of local band Cur. Early in 2000, Weinhofen left Cur to form The Fall of Troy with vocalist Michael Crafter
Michael Crafter
Michael Crafter is an Australian musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Confession, and is also a former vocalist for Bands - I Killed the Prom Queen, Carpathian and Bury Your Dead. He also played Bass for Shotpointblank.-Biography:Crafter is a member in the...
and then he formed I Killed the Prom Queen. Briefly known as Child Left Burning, the band's first performances were at the Adelaide Community Centre. The following year, Crafter joined to share lead vocals and soon after Rose replaced Engel on bass guitar.
The band are influenced by late 1990s hardcore bands Poison the Well
Poison the Well (band)
Poison the Well was an experimental hardcore band from Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida who were last signed to Ferret Music. Guitarist Ryan Primack and drummer Chris Hornbrook were the only remaining members of the band who were involved since their inception, although vocalist Jeffrey Moreira was...
, Converge
Converge (band)
Converge is an American band from Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and metal since 1990, Converge has helped to define many of the elements of the metalcore genre.-Description:...
, Hatebreed
Hatebreed
- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...
and Earth Crisis
Earth Crisis
Earth Crisis is an American metalcore band from Syracuse, New York, active from 1989 until 2001, reuniting in 2007. Their most recent record, To the Death, was released in May 2009 through Century Media....
and Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
melodic death metal
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
groups like At the Gates
At the Gates
At the Gates is an extreme metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden, and a major progenitor of the Gothenburg death-metal sound. Their early albums lean towards a death metal sound, but later albums sound more like melodic death metal.Initially active from 1990 to 1996, the band reformed in 2007 for a...
, Soilwork
Soilwork
Soilwork is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Helsingborg. They are currently signed to Nuclear Blast. Formed in late 1995 by Björn Strid and Peter Wichers, originally under the name Inferior Breed, the band changed their name in late 1996 to Soilwork .Their sound is a fusion of the classic...
and In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
. In late 2001 and early 2002, the group recorded a four-track extended play titled Choose to Love, Live or Die
Choose to Love, Live or Die
Choose to Love, Live or Die is an EP by Australian band metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen.The original line-up of I Killed The Prom Queen consisted of vocalist Lee Stacy, guitarist Jona Weinhofen, drummer Josef Peters, bass guitarist Ben Engel and second guitarist Simon O'Gorman...
, which was produced by Paul Degasperi and the band; with additional guitar supplied by Cain Kapetanakis. Originally slated to contain five songs, a computer glitch caused the fifth to be erased. In 2002, it was issued as an EP by 618 Recordings and re-released by Final Prayer Records label distributed by Missing Link Records
Missing Link Records
Missing Link Records is a record store in Melbourne, Australia. The shop first opened in 1971, but was then called Archie and Jughead's, named after the comic. The shop's co-founders, David Pepperell and Keith Glass, established the shop as a much-needed rock record shop...
. Following this, O'Gorman left to join Day of Contempt and Kevin Cameron joined on guitar late in the year. Choose to Love, Live or Die, was their only release to include both Lee Stacey's vocals and the higher-pitched Crafter vocals. The tracks were later re-recorded for their third EP, Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You (2005).
Split CD with Parkway Drive and When Goodbye Means Forever (2003–2005)
In 2003, I Killed the Prom Queen's bass guitarist, Rose departed (he later joined The Hot LiesThe Hot Lies
The Hot Lies were an alternative rock band based in Australia. The band formed in Adelaide, Australia, in 2004. Their line-up consisted of lead vocalist Pete Wood, rhythm guitarist Benjamin Pix, drummer Jared Brown, lead guitarist Luke Szabo and former I Killed the Prom Queen bassist Leaton Rose...
) and Sean Kennedy took his place. They provided the track, "Homicide" for the punk rock compilation, Harder Core than You released by Blunt Magazine. Crafter was in Byron Bay
Byron Bay, New South Wales
Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2006 Census, the town had a...
and saw the first performance by local metalcore band, Parkway Drive – he was so impressed that he invited the group to record a split CD
Split album
A split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
with his band. In May, Final Prayer Records issued I Killed the Prom Queen / Parkway Drive: Split CD
I Killed The Prom Queen / Parkway Drive: Split CD
-Personal:Parkway Drive* Winston McCall – vocals* Jeff Ling – guitar* Luke Kilpatrick – guitar* Ben Gordon – drums* Shaun Cash - bass guitarI Killed The Prom Queen* Michael Crafter - vocals* Jona Weinhofen - guitar* Kevin Cameron - guitar...
with two tracks by I Killed the Prom Queen ("Homicide Documentaries" and "Death Certificate for a Beauty Queen") and two by Parkway Drive.
In September, the line-up of Cameron, Crafter, Kennedy, Peters and Weinhofen, recorded their debut studio album When Goodbye Means Forever...
When Goodbye Means Forever...
When Goodbye Means Forever... is the debut album by Australian metalcore band, I Killed the Prom Queen, which was released in 2003 by Resist Records...
for Sydney hardcore label Resist Records, which was released in December. It was produced by Dan Jones, Anj and the group. Early in 2004, they toured Australia supporting United States band Evergreen Terrace
Evergreen Terrace
Evergreen Terrace is a five-piece melodic hardcore/metalcore band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1999, they are named after the street on which The Simpsons claim residence...
, and with local groups Give Up the Ghost, and Boysetsfire. The album was released in the US by Eulogy Recordings
Eulogy Recordings
Eulogy Recordings is a record label based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.The label specializes in heavy metal or hardcore punk bands, some of which are straight edge. The label was founded by ex-hardcore guitarist John Wylie...
in March, leading to extensive touring there. According to Carver, when entering Hawaii, "Three of us got questioned. They were asking us what jails we had been in, what our parents did and what our parents thought of our tattoos".
The band have supported Caliban
Caliban (band)
Caliban are a five-piece metalcore band from Germany. They have released seven studio albums to-date, and two split albums with the band Heaven Shall Burn.-History:...
, Evergreen Terrace, It Dies Today
It Dies Today
It Dies Today is a metalcore band that formed in Buffalo, New York during September, 2001.- History :It Dies Today formed in August 2001. The group was established in Buffalo, New York by vocalist Nicholas Brooks, guitarist Chris Cappelli and guitarist Steve Lemke...
, Lamb of God
Lamb of God (band)
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
, Silverstein
Silverstein (band)
Silverstein is a Canadian post-hardcore band from Burlington, Ontario, formed in 2000. Their band name is a reference to the famous children's author Shel Silverstein, whom the band had admired and read the stories of as children. They have released a total of five studio albums, three EP's, a...
, Bleeding Through
Bleeding Through
Bleeding Through is an American metalcore band from Orange County, California. Formed in 1999, the band blends influences stemming from modern hardcore punk, symphonic black metal, and melodic death metal...
, The Red Chord
The Red Chord
The Red Chord is an American grindcore band from Revere, Massachusetts, formed in 1999. The band is made up of vocalist Guy Kozowyk, guitarist Mike "Gunface" McKenzie, and bassist Greg Weeks. The band gained a fanbase with its 2002 debut album Fused Together in Revolving Doors. The second album,...
, Fear Before the March of Flames, Until the End, The Warriors
The Warriors
The Warriors is a 1979 American cult action/thriller film directed by Walter Hill and based on Sol Yurick's 1965 novel of the same name. Like the novel, the film borrows elements from the Anabasis by Xenophon.-Plot:...
, Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. They have released a total of five studio albums, as well as a cover album, an EP and a live DVD/CD...
, and On Broken Wings
On Broken Wings
On Broken Wings is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts that formed in 2001. Often credited with pioneering the sound, and coining the term, of Moshcore, a term originally used by the band to describe their fusion of metal with elements of post-hardcore and hardcore breakdowns...
over four months. The group's next release was their third EP, Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You, on 7 March 2005. The recording included reworked older songs and a track, "To Be Sleeping While Still Standing", performed by The Fall of Troy (not to be confused with the US band of the same name
The Fall of Troy
The Fall of Troy was an American progressive math rock trio from Mukilteo, Washington. The trio consisted of Thomas Erak , Andrew Forsman and Frank Ene...
), an earlier band including Crafter and Weinhofen, which only played two shows then broke up.
Music for the Recently Deceased (2005–2007)
In August 2005, I Killed the Prom Queen flew to Sweden to record their follow-up album, Music for the Recently DeceasedMusic for the Recently Deceased
Music for the Recently Deceased is the second album by Australian metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen. The album peaked at #27 on the Australian ARIA Charts. On 19 May 2008 a Tour Edition of the album was released with the additions of 2 live songs recorded at the Sydney Deadfest, 4 songs...
. By late 2005, they had completed recording the album but in January 2006 Crafter was fired. Instead of releasing the album as it was, they decided to hire a new vocalist and replace Crafter's tracks. Ed Butcher, from United Kingdom band The Hunt for Ida Wave was recruited. New lyrics were written by Cameron and Butcher, while some lyrics that the whole band had contributed during the Crafter sessions were retained. Music for the Recently Deceased was produced by Fredrik Nordström
Fredrik Nordström
Björn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
, whose other credits included Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir...
, Darkest Hour, At the Gates
At the Gates
At the Gates is an extreme metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden, and a major progenitor of the Gothenburg death-metal sound. Their early albums lean towards a death metal sound, but later albums sound more like melodic death metal.Initially active from 1990 to 1996, the band reformed in 2007 for a...
and In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, and by Patrik J Sten.
The album was released on 31 July 2006 by Stomp Entertainment and peaked in the top 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. The Australian tour in support of the album had over 50 concert dates in three months, from north Western Australia to the southern states and then along the east coast to Cairns. They followed with a support tour for US groups Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
and Lamb of God
Lamb of God (band)
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
, The Sydney show had 3,500 patrons at Luna Park
Luna Park Sydney
Luna Park Sydney is an amusement park, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, where I Killed the Prom Queen also played at the annual Come Together Music Festival
Come Together Music Festival
Come Together is an all-ages Australian music festival performed at Luna Park Sydney. Beginning in 2005, it was originally two separate events, one in April and one in September. In 2006, a two-day festival was held in June , and the festival was again on the same long weekend in 2007...
. Shortly afterward Metal Blade released the album in the US, co-inciding with the group's appearance at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival
New England Metal and Hardcore Festival
The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival is an annual festival held in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is a weekend-long concert of heavy metal and hardcore bands along with a merchandising and promotional area for record labels and other vendors...
. Returning to Australia after their third tour of the US in three years, the group toured with The Haunted
The Haunted
The Haunted is a Swedish metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1996.The original members were Anders & Jonas Björler, Peter Dolving, Adrian Erlandsson and Patrik Jensen...
and Exodus
Exodus (band)
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
and in December featured as the headlining act at the Metal for the Brain
Metal for the Brain
Metal for the Brain was Australia's largest heavy metal music festival. The event was held in Canberra annually, usually towards the end of the year, and featured Australian bands almost exclusively...
festival.
Break-up and Say Goodbye Tour (2007–2008)
In January 2007, I Killed the Prom Queen's vocalist, Butcher, flew back to the UK. The band announced that he had departed due to homesickness, Butcher later joined UK metalcore band Eternal LordEternal Lord
-History:Eternal Lord was formed in 2005 by the remaining band members of The Hunt for Ida Wave. In 2006, the band released their self-titled EP through Thirty Days of Night Records, followed shortly by a split EP with Glasgow group Azriel. Shortly after the release of the split, vocalist Sam...
. Tyrone Ross from Mourning Tide
Mourning Tide
Mourning Tide is an Australian metalcore/hair metal band. It was formed in 2000 on the Gold Coast, Queensland.-History:Formed on the Gold Coast in late 2000, Mourning Tide began with the intent to cater to the hardcore/metal scene. The 4 piece gained a solid local following on the strength of their...
, an Australian metalcore and hair metal group, temporarily filled the vocalist position during Japanese tour dates. Colin Jeffs of Bendigo-based band Heavens Lost, provided vocals on the European tour with Bleeding Through, All Shall Perish, Caliban.
In April, I Killed the Prom Queen announced their breakup, citing both an inability to find a permanent vocalist and Weinhofen's joining tour mates Bleeding Through. Shortly after a final Australian tour with Crafter returning on vocals was arranged for the following year. In May 2008, Stomp re-issued Music For The Recently Deceased in a limited tour edition – of 5,000 hand-numbered copies – for the Say Goodbye Tour. The release included a cardboard slipcase, two live tracks and four tracks with Crafter's vocals taken from the original album recording. The group toured in May and June, with most of the 18 shows selling out. The support groups were Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon are a British metalcore band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. Bring Me the Horizon constits of Oliver Sykes as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist Lee Malia, rhythm guitarist Jona Weinhofen, bassist Matt Kean and drummer Matt Nicholls...
, The Red Shore
The Red Shore
The Red Shore were an Australian death metal band from Melbourne, Victoria, formed in 2004. The band claims their style is a combination of death metal and technical death metal, though they are often referred to as a deathcore band....
, The Ghost Inside (band)
The Ghost Inside (band)
The Ghost Inside is an American Melodic Hardcore band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2006.As A Dying Dream, they released one EP, Now or Never. Not long after, they changed their name to The Ghost Inside, and released a full length studio album entitled Fury and the Fallen Ones...
and local acts from each city. A live album and DVD, Sleepless Nights and City Lights
Sleepless Nights and City Lights
Sleepless Nights and City Lights is a live compilation album and DVD by Australian metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen, released through Stomp Entertainment on 22 November 2008...
, was recorded at their Adelaide performance; it was released on 22 November 2008 and peaked in the top 50. I Killed the Prom Queen played their final show in Brisbane on 8 June 2008.
Hiatus (2008–2011)
After the Say Goodbye tour, Michael Crafter fronted Melbourne hardcore band Confession while also managing his own clothing label Mistake Clothing. Crafter also had short stints with Bury Your Dead and Carpathian as lead vocalist for both, at about the time of the Say Goodbye Tour. He appeared as a contestant on reality TV show Big BrotherBig Brother Australia 2008
Big Brother Australia 2008 was the eighth season of the Australian reality television series, Big Brother Australia to air on Network Ten. Episodes were broadcast on Network Ten and Ten HD in Australia. The first episode aired on 28 April 2008. Since then, there has been a total 20 housemates...
in 2008. Jona Weinhofen joined Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon are a British metalcore band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. Bring Me the Horizon constits of Oliver Sykes as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist Lee Malia, rhythm guitarist Jona Weinhofen, bassist Matt Kean and drummer Matt Nicholls...
in 2009 and is their rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, programer and backing vocalist. He was a gutiarist of US metalcore band Bleeding Through and the former manager for Australian death metal band The Red Shore.
Kevin Cameron formed the progressive metalcore band In Trenches with frontman Ben Coyte. He was a touring musician for a number of other groups. JJ Peters is vocalist for his own hardcore project Deez Nuts
Deez Nuts
Deez Nuts is an Australian hardcore band that formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2007. Currently comprising vocalist J. J. Peters, Guitarist Matt Rogers, Drummer Ty Alexander and various live Bassists, the band has released one EP and Two Studio Albums....
and one half of the hip-hop duo Grips & Tonic – the other half is New Zealander Louie Knuxx. Sean Kennedy reduced his musical performances and lived with his fiancee, although he occasionally played bass for Deez Nuts on Australian and International tours, including on their This One's for You Tour in 2010.
Reformation (2011–present)
In March 2011, I Killed the Prom Queen announced an Australian reunion tour with The Amity AfflictionThe Amity Affliction
The Amity Affliction is an Australian post-hardcore band from Gympie, Queensland formed in 2002.The band's current line-up is Joel Birch , Ahren Stringer , Ryan Burt and Troy Brady...
, Deez Nuts
Deez Nuts
Deez Nuts is an Australian hardcore band that formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2007. Currently comprising vocalist J. J. Peters, Guitarist Matt Rogers, Drummer Ty Alexander and various live Bassists, the band has released one EP and Two Studio Albums....
, and Of Mice & Men
Of Mice & Men (band)
Of Mice & Men is an American metalcore band from Costa Mesa, California. The group was founded by Austin Carlile and Jaxin Hall during mid-2009 after Carlile's departure from Attack Attack!...
as part of the Destroy Music Tour in May. Replacing Butcher and Crafter on lead vocals was Jamie Hope (ex-The Red Shore
The Red Shore
The Red Shore were an Australian death metal band from Melbourne, Victoria, formed in 2004. The band claims their style is a combination of death metal and technical death metal, though they are often referred to as a deathcore band....
). On the band's official Facebook page this re-formation was said to be ongoing – not just for one tour. Weinhofen is not planning to leave his other band Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon are a British metalcore band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. Bring Me the Horizon constits of Oliver Sykes as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist Lee Malia, rhythm guitarist Jona Weinhofen, bassist Matt Kean and drummer Matt Nicholls...
but will remain in both groups. Likewise Peters continued his work with Deez Nuts
Deez Nuts
Deez Nuts is an Australian hardcore band that formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2007. Currently comprising vocalist J. J. Peters, Guitarist Matt Rogers, Drummer Ty Alexander and various live Bassists, the band has released one EP and Two Studio Albums....
. Weinhofen has stated that I Killed the Prom Queen would commence writing a new album in December 2011, and hoped to release a new album mid-2012.
Discography
| Year | Album | Release type | Chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
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| 2002 | Choose to Love, Live or Die Choose to Love, Live or Die Choose to Love, Live or Die is an EP by Australian band metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen.The original line-up of I Killed The Prom Queen consisted of vocalist Lee Stacy, guitarist Jona Weinhofen, drummer Josef Peters, bass guitarist Ben Engel and second guitarist Simon O'Gorman... |
Extended Play Extended play An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact... |
~ |
| 2003 | I Killed the Prom Queen / Parkway Drive: Split CD I Killed The Prom Queen / Parkway Drive: Split CD -Personal:Parkway Drive* Winston McCall – vocals* Jeff Ling – guitar* Luke Kilpatrick – guitar* Ben Gordon – drums* Shaun Cash - bass guitarI Killed The Prom Queen* Michael Crafter - vocals* Jona Weinhofen - guitar* Kevin Cameron - guitar... |
Split EP | ~ |
| When Goodbye Means Forever... When Goodbye Means Forever... When Goodbye Means Forever... is the debut album by Australian metalcore band, I Killed the Prom Queen, which was released in 2003 by Resist Records... |
Studio Album Studio album A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or... |
~ | |
| 2005 | Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You | EP | ~ |
| 2006 | Music for the Recently Deceased Music for the Recently Deceased Music for the Recently Deceased is the second album by Australian metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen. The album peaked at #27 on the Australian ARIA Charts. On 19 May 2008 a Tour Edition of the album was released with the additions of 2 live songs recorded at the Sydney Deadfest, 4 songs... |
Studio Album | 27 |
| 2008 | Sleepless Nights and City Lights Sleepless Nights and City Lights Sleepless Nights and City Lights is a live compilation album and DVD by Australian metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen, released through Stomp Entertainment on 22 November 2008... |
Live Album Live album A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album... /DVD DVD A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions.... |
48 |
Current members
- JJ Peters – drums (2000–2007, 2008, 2011–present)
- Jona WeinhofenJona WeinhofenJona Weinhofen is an Australian guitarist and musician from Adelaide, South Australia. He is currently the guitarist for the Australian based band I Killed the Prom Queen, Canine Tricycle Bereavement, and British band Bring Me The Horizon. Jona was guitarist for California based band Bleeding...
– lead guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (2000–2007, 2008, 2011–present) - Kevin Cameron – guitar (2002–2007, 2008, 2011–present)
- Sean Kennedy – bass (2003–2007, 2008, 2011–present)
- Jamie Hope – vocals (2011–present)
Former members
- Ben Engel – bass (2000–2002)
- Lee Stacy – vocals (2000–2002)
- Simon O'Gorman – guitar (2000–2002)
- Michael CrafterMichael CrafterMichael Crafter is an Australian musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Confession, and is also a former vocalist for Bands - I Killed the Prom Queen, Carpathian and Bury Your Dead. He also played Bass for Shotpointblank.-Biography:Crafter is a member in the...
– lead vocals (2001–2006, 2008) - Leaton RoseLeaton RoseLeaton Rose is an Australian musician who played bass guitar for Adelaide-based Metalcore/Deathcore band I Killed the Prom Queen and then alternative rock band, The Hot Lies .-Biography:...
– bass (2002–2003) - Ed Butcher – lead vocals (2006–2007)
Touring members
- Colin Jeffs – lead vocals (2007) (Filled in during the European tour)
- Tyrone Ross – lead vocals (2007) (Filled in during the Japanese tour)