Ryan Clark (musician)
Encyclopedia
Ryan Clark is an American graphic design
er and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal
band Demon Hunter
, which he co-founded with his brother, guitarist Don Clark
.
and vocalist for Training for Utopia
. He has also done guest vocals for bands such as Becoming the Archetype
, Advent
, Kutless
, Anberlin
, Sleeping Giant
, and Falling Up. He and his brother formed Demon Hunter in 2000 and released their debut album
late the following year through Solid State Records
. The group would continue to steadily gain exposure throughout the 2000s.
His grandfather, an artist, helped inspire his grandsons' work in graphic design, which is their true day job. Ryan and Don founded Seattle-based Asterik Studio with their friend Demetre Arges in 2000. The design studio has created CD packaging, poster art, web design, and/or merchandise design for hundreds of artists including Liz Phair
, P.O.D.
, and The White Stripes
; however, Clark also notes that he is not a fine art
ist and that such work is typically outsourced. Based on their design experience, Don and Ryan authored a chapter in the book New Masters of Photoshop, Volume 2 (ISBN 1590593154). In 2007, the brothers had announced that they were leaving Asterik to start Invisible Creature
. Ryan Clark is also art director of Solid State Records
and its parent Tooth & Nail Records
.
He has twice been nominated for a Grammy Award
for his design work on Norma Jean's
O God, the Aftermath
and Fair's
album The Best Worst-Case Scenario
.
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
er and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, started in 2000 by brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark. All of Demon Hunter's members are Christians and express their love for Jesus in many of their songs. Although the brothers created the band, only one remains, Don Clark...
, which he co-founded with his brother, guitarist Don Clark
Don Clark (musician)
Don Clark was the rhythm guitarist for the Christian metalcore band Demon Hunter, which he co-founded with his brother, vocalist Ryan Clark. Before Demon Hunter, Clark was a former guitarist and co-founder of Training for Utopia with Rob Dennler.Clark also founded Seattle-based Asterik Studio with...
.
Early life and career
Before Demon Hunter, Clark was a former guitarist for Focal PointFocal Point (band)
Focal Point was a short lived Hardcore punk band from California, who released a 7" vinyl record on Life Sentence Records and their only full-length album on Tooth & Nail Records...
and vocalist for Training for Utopia
Training for Utopia
Training for Utopia was a metalcore band which existed from 1996–2000. The band first signed with Tooth & Nail Records and was later moved to Solid State Records, the Tooth & Nail sublabel which promotes heavy Christian music...
. He has also done guest vocals for bands such as Becoming the Archetype
Becoming the Archetype
Becoming the Archetype is a Christian progressive death metal band signed to Solid State Records and Century Media Records formed in 1999 in Dacula, Georgia. They have released four albums on Solid State Records. Dichotomy, released in November 2008, sold around 2,300 copies in the United States...
, Advent
Advent (band)
Advent was an American Christian Kernersville, North Carolina-based hardcore band and was signed to Solid State Records. The band featured members of Beloved, and was considered a pseudo-continuation of Beloved. The band had released two albums under the label Solid State Records...
, Kutless
Kutless
Kutless is a Christian rock band from Portland, Oregon formed in 1999. Since their formation, they have released six studio albums including their latest, It Is Well. The band has also released a live album, Live from Portland. Currently, they have sold almost 2 million records.-Biography:Formed in...
, Anberlin
Anberlin
Anberlin is an American rock band formed in Winter Haven, Florida in 2002. Since the beginning of 2007, the band has consisted of lead vocalist Stephen Christian, guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Deon Rexroat, and drummer Nathan Young.Members of Anberlin originally formed...
, Sleeping Giant
Sleeping Giant
Sleeping Giant may refer to:In geology:* Sleeping Giant , a traprock mountain ridge in Hamden, Connecticut, U.S.* Sleeping Giant , a mountain ridge on the island of Kauai near Kapaa, Hawaii, U.S....
, and Falling Up. He and his brother formed Demon Hunter in 2000 and released their debut album
Demon Hunter (album)
Demon Hunter received overall positive reviews. Allmusic's Alex Henderson described it as "an album in which moments of intense brutality are followed by hauntingly melodic passages." He commended the band for its "complimentary" use of intensity and melody and noted the album as "imperfect" yet...
late the following year through Solid State Records
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian record label, a division of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore and metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, they have signed several bands that don't label themselves as Christian,...
. The group would continue to steadily gain exposure throughout the 2000s.
His grandfather, an artist, helped inspire his grandsons' work in graphic design, which is their true day job. Ryan and Don founded Seattle-based Asterik Studio with their friend Demetre Arges in 2000. The design studio has created CD packaging, poster art, web design, and/or merchandise design for hundreds of artists including Liz Phair
Liz Phair
Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...
, P.O.D.
P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
, and The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
; however, Clark also notes that he is not a fine art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
ist and that such work is typically outsourced. Based on their design experience, Don and Ryan authored a chapter in the book New Masters of Photoshop, Volume 2 (ISBN 1590593154). In 2007, the brothers had announced that they were leaving Asterik to start Invisible Creature
Invisible Creature
Invisible Creature is a graphic design studio based in Seattle. It is run by brothers Don and Ryan Clark, co-founders of Asterik Studios and members of the metalcore band Demon Hunter. The Clark brothers split with Asterik because they wanted to focus their attention on producing work for the music...
. Ryan Clark is also art director of Solid State Records
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian record label, a division of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore and metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, they have signed several bands that don't label themselves as Christian,...
and its parent Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
.
He has twice been nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for his design work on Norma Jean's
Norma Jean (band)
Norma Jean is an American metalcore band from Douglasville, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Since their inception in 1997 and replacement of members throughout the years, the band's only original member is the guitarist, Chris Day...
O God, the Aftermath
O God, the Aftermath
O' God, The Aftermath is the second album released by American metalcore band Norma Jean and was released on March 1, 2005. Like their previous album Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child, O God, the Aftermath was released on Solid State Records...
and Fair's
Fair (band)
Fair is an alternative rock band that features musician and producer Aaron Sprinkle; they are currently signed to Tooth & Nail Records. Sprinkle was formerly the guitarist for Christian alternative band Poor Old Lu in the 1990s. After Poor Old Lu broke up, Sprinkle released several albums, both as...
album The Best Worst-Case Scenario
The Best Worst-Case Scenario
The Best Worst-Case Scenario is the first album released by Tooth & Nail Records alternative rock band Fair, which features notable musician and record producer Aaron Sprinkle...
.