Biography
With METAL having come full circle back to many of its classic influences, DARKOLOGY is certainly an act that is not only vital in today’s global heavy music scene but also an unstoppable force that will take it forward! The band was conceived by the Harris brothers, Michael (THOUGHT CHAMBER, ARCH RIVAL, Vitallij Kurpij) & Brian (ex-FIREWIND), who soon hooked up with Michael\'s high school friend and band mate, bassist Mike Neal. After demo-ing their debut disc “Altered Reflections”, the 3 members joined forces with vocal powerhouse Kelly Sundown Carpenter, the amazing vocalist behind the OUTWORLD debut and the one who succeeded the mighty JORN LANDE of AVANTASIA and many others fame, in BEYOND TWILIGHT and recorded his incredible vocals in late 2007. After taking some time off, and mixing the album, while also having a cool video for the song “I bleed”, the band shopped the album around and Rockaholics Records managed to secure the rights for it’s worldwide distribution! The album sold in healthy quantities, but both the inability to secure a tour and a variety of other problems ultimately caused the company to fold leading the album to be rather difficult to obtain. (online piracy did not help either).
A new company Prime Eon, picked up the band and the new album, entitled "Fated To Burn" was recorded and mixed by world renowned Producer Chris Tsangarides, (THIN LIZZY, JUDAS PRIEST, ANVIL, BLACK SABBATH and many more) in late 2013.This time the band shed away a bit of the excess technicality in favor of tunefulness and wrote, eleven tunes that are more to the point and classical bringing to mind, the best of the progenitors of the genre, JUDAS PRIEST with a healthy dose of aggression, pretty much in the vein of early to mid era METAL CHURCH, a combination that no doubt most fans should find, alluring ! Some issues, beyond the band and the company's control caused delays while efforts were made to secure an appropriately large tour in support of the album and delays caused frustration and in the meantime Sundown, went out and joined FIREWIND for a successful American tour and a run of European festivals, before parting was with them and joining forces with Belgian Neoclassical Power Metallers IRON MASK, taking over the reigns from none other than ex Yngwie Malmsteen alumnus Mark Boals! However as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait and finally the album is to see the light of day in Q3 2014 followed by a European tour with Overkill, Prong and Enforcer !
GET READY TO BURN !!!
Kelly Sundown Carpenter
Born in Houston, Texas , Sundown made his international appearance on the highly acclaimed Beyond Twilight-Section X, replacing vocal great Jorn Lande (Ark-Masterplan). Since he has been known for his dark, dramatic and vocally schizophrenic performances, his big range and formidable vocal power.
Other notable additions to his discography include Outworld - Outworld with shred guitar hero Rusty Cooley and Bobby Williamson (Eumeria) as well as the international recording project Epysode - Obsessions with a cast of performers from Pain of Salvation, Communic, Masterplan etc.
In late 2012, GUS G (Firewind-Ozzy Osbourne) contacted Sundown about the possibility of working together. After an audition with the band in Greece he would become FIREWIND’s front man for the entire year of 2013. Playing over 40 live shows including: Sweden Rock, Summer Breeze, Bloodstock Open Air, Wacken’s Full Metal Cruise, a 5 week US/Canadian tour and a headlining tour of Australia.
Anthony Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon)
“He’s up there with Jorn (Ark-Masterplan) and Russell (Symphony X) and Steve (R.I.P) (Gotthard). I’d love to work with this guy. He can do anything from screams to melodic stuff and ballads, so there’s a guy I want to work with in the future.”
Gus G (Firewind-Ozzy Osbourne)
"He's fantastic, this guy. Everybody who sees him perform live, their jaws are dropped immediately. They're, like, 'Wow!”
Kelly Sundown Carpenter II
Full Name: Kelly Sundown Carpenter
Place of Residence: Belgium
Instrument(s): Vocal cords
Equipment: Shure Beta 58
Favorite Artist(s)/Bands: The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Dio, Maiden, Priest, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Kings X...
Favorite Album(S): Black Sabbath - Heaven & Hell or Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
Favorite (guitarist/vocalist/bassist/drummer): Tony Iommi, Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward
Favorite (other) song: Heaven and Hell or Falling Off The Edge Of The World by Black Sabbath
First Record Bought: Ozzy Osbourne - Speak of the Devil
Favorite Food: Brazilian churrascaria steakhouse
Favorite Drink: Belgian beer
Favorite Book: Bag of Bones by Stephen King
Favorite Movie: Defending Your Life
Favorite TV Show: House
Favorite Quote: \'To be nobody but yourself in a world that\'s doing its best to make you somebody else, is to fight the hardest battle you are ever going to fight. Never stop fighting.\' E.E. Cummings
Favorite Darkology song: Nobot
Best gig memory: Playing Sofia, Bulgaria to some of the truest metal fans on earth or Sweden Rock to a crowd of over 10,000 people.
Hobbies: Sculpting, reading, dreaming
Sum yourself in 5 words (or less):"The Angel & The Demon"
Michael Harris
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Michael Harris has been stunning audiences for years with his world class guitar playing and compositions. Throughout the 90's, Michael’s Ohio based band, Arch Rival, landed record deals in Europe Japan for their 3 CDs; largely composed by Michael. Since that time, MH has released 8 more solo recordings worldwide and many more collaborative recordings. In 2005 / 06, world renowned keyboard virtuoso Vitalij Kuprij chose Michael to be the lone guitarist on his internationally released discs “Revenge” and “Glacial Inferno”. Michael’s band, Thought Chamber (which also features vocalist Ted Leonard from Spock's Beard) signed with Inside Out Music in 2007, and both of their records, "Angular Perceptions" and "Psykerion" were composed by Michael.
“Michael Harris is one of those ridiculously talented musicians that you can't help but marvel at.”
“Neal Woodall - Detritus Rock / Metal e-zine”
Full Name: Michael Harris
Place of Residence (state): Texas
Instrument(s): Guitar
Equipment: Gibson / Hamer guitars, Mesa Boogie amps, Boss effects
Favorite Artists/Bands: Rush, Kansas, The Beatles, ELP, King's X, Judas Priest, Accept; Black Sabbath
Favorite Album(s): Hemispheres (Rush), Captain Beyond (Captain Beyond), Thunder in the East (Loudness), debut (Michael Schenker Group), Master of Reality (Black Sabbath), Metal Heart (Accept), Hell Bent for Leather (Judas Priest), Virgin Killer (Scorpions), Burn (Deep Purple), Bridge of Sighs (Robin Tower)
Favorite guitarist: Michael Schenker
Favorite Food: Mexican
Favorite Drink: Smoothie
Favorite Book: Looking Out For #1 - Robert Ringer
Favorite Movie: Amadeus
Favorite TV Show: Lost
Favorite Quote: 'The man that hath no music in himself, nor is not moved with concord at sweet sounds ... let no such man be trusted.' - William Shakespeare
Favorite (Darkology) song: Trance of the Gorgons
Hobbies: Baseball, computers, movies
First Record Bought: Bridge of Sighs - Robin Trower
Best gig memory: Opening for G3 (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai)
Sum yourself in 5 words (or less): Quiet, creative, dedicated, stubborn, deep"
Mike Neal
After 10 years of classical piano training and a stint as orchestra first cellist, Ohio native Mike Neal found his calling as a bass guitarist at age 15 soon joined forces with friend Michael Harris in one of his first rock bands. Influenced by Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, John Paul Jones, Gary Thain, Geezer Butler, some of the bands that Mike's played in are, Cult Classic Epic metallers Medieval Steel, Black Widow with former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young and in the prog metal band Salems Lot with guitarists Michael Turner & Charlie Pugliese as well as a plethora of other artists as a session bassist, touring bassist, songwriter and producer.
Mike brings a rock solid low end to DARKOLOGY along with complex and melodic bass lines, powerful lyrics, harmony vocals while bringing an onstage intensity to the live show.
“Darkology’s \'Altered Reflections\' has that Mike Neal raking bass tone that I love so much!!!!!!!!! Mike Neal is one of my favorite bass players”
“Chris Armstrong - Producer / Engineer”
Full Name: Michael G. Neal
Place of Residence (state): Ohio
Instrument(s): Bass & Keyboards
Equipment: Schecter & Spector Basses, Ampeg Amps, EV Speaker Enclosures
Favorite Artist(s)/Bands: Yes, Uriah Heep (Gary Thain era), Mercyful Fate, Rush
Favorite Album(S): The Magician\'s Birthday by Uriah Heep & A Farewell to Kings by Rush
Favorite (guitarist/vocalist/bassist/drummer): Tony Iommi/Andrea Bocelli/Chris Squire/Neil Peart
Favporite (other) song: Lady of the Lake - Starcastle
First Record Bought: Walk Away - James Gang
Favorite Food: Cigars
Favorite Drink: Coffee
Favorite Book: The Great Book of Amber - Roger Zelazny
Favorite Movie: Snatch
Favorite TV Show: Most any Poker show
Favorite Quote: \'Chance favors the prepared mind.\' - Louis Pasteur
Favorite (Darkology) song: Trance of the Gorgons
Best gig memory: California Jam 2
Hobbies: Poker
Sum yourself in 5 words (or less): Psychotic Psychopath with Homicidal Tendencies
Anything else: Thanks to all our fans & for the ones who aren\'t - we know where you live!"
Brian Harris
A Dayton, Ohio native, Brian Harris started abusing the drums at the age of seven on his first real kit - an old blue Slingerland kit that he still has to this day. Starting with his first band, Prowler, in 1987 to the inception of Darkology, Brian has played on numerous recordings such as Firewind\'s Between Heaven Hell and “The Weapon” by My Own Victim whom he also toured Europe with.
BH is influenced by McBrain, Weckl, Peart, Hoglan, Reinert, Sandoval and so many more from jazz fusion to metal then fuses all these influences into his own unique style.
In DARKOLOGY, Brian provides a powerful rhythmic drive while serving the song and showing his incredible chops.
“Brian is one of those drum monsters”
www.Glory-Daze.com
https://www.facebook.com/DrummerBrianHarris
Full Name: Brian Harris
Place of Residence (state): Dayton, OH
Instrument(s): Drums
Equipment: Mapex, Paiste, Wuhan, Vic Firth, Aquarian, Evans, Roc-n-Soc
Favorite Artist(s)/Bands: Rush, Death, Dark Angel, Behemoth, Obituary, Dream Theater, Michael Harris, Ozomatli
Favorite Album(S): 2112, Blessed Are the Sick, Cause of Death, Leprosy, Human, Individual Thought Patterns, Leave Scars, etc!
Favorite (guitarist/vocalist/bassist/drummer): Michael Harris of course! Russell Allen, Steve Digiorgio, Dave Weckl
Favorite (other) song : Too many to narrow down to just one.
First Record Bought : Michael Jackson \'Thriller\'
Favorite Food : Penn Station subs
Favorite Drink : The hoppiest Indian Pale Ales
Favorite Book : If I could only discipline myself to sit down and read, I could list my favorite!
Favorite Movie : Anything with Wil Ferrell
Favorite TV Show : The Office
Favorite Quote : Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
Favorite (Darkology) song : Kill Me If You Can
Best gig memory : The first gig with my bro in 2001
Hobbies : Computers, um....that\'s about it. I\'m pretty boring
Sum youself in 5 words (or less) : Husband, father, metalhead, music-passionate, fun."