-Matti Hoffman
Escape The Fate / Solo Artist
LA-based Touring Guitarist and Studio Musician
https://www.youtube.com/user/MattiShredss
-David Sudock
School chums Chris Brown and Peter Charell absorbed the heavy rock sound of Korn, Soundgarden, and Metallica during the mid-'90s. Both were music geeks and naturally flirted with the idea of getting a group together. Casual gigs in school motivated them even more, leaving Brown and Charell to design what would become Trapt. In 1997, fellow guitarist Simon Ormandy joined the band. The trio recorded its own demo and landed gigs in and around the suburbs of southern California. Within a year, Trapt were opening up for the likes of Papa Roach, Dredg, and Spike 1000, but high-school graduation loomed ahead.
Trapt's second album, Amalgamation, was self-released in 1998, but the band's dynamic was shifting. Ormandy and Brown were attending classes at UC Santa Barbara by fall 1999 while Charell was several hours away at UC Santa Cruz. The band met up on weekends for rehearsals and shows, and also managed to issue another record, Glimpse, in early 2000 with hopes that a record label would notice. As luck would have it, Trapt impressed those at the Immortal label after a stellar gig at the Troubadour one evening in late 2000. Talks of a deal were in the works, but Immortal dropped the band after eight weeks.
Each member eventually dropped out of school and moved to Los Angeles to focus solely on Trapt. Seattle native Aaron Montgomery joined to play drums, and after a 9/11 benefit show, Warner Bros. offered the band a deal in late 2001. A year later, Trapt prepared their proper debut, and a self-titled EP appeared in spring 2004. The band returned in 2005 with Someone in Control. A live album released in 2007 -- simply titled Live -- was their first for Nikki Sixx's Eleven Seven label. A year later they teamed with producer GGGarth Richardson for their third studio album, Only Through the Pain. For their fourth album, the band went into the studio with producer Johnny K, and in 2010 released No Apologies. For their next album the band expanded their sound by adding synthesizers and samples, making their fifth album, Reborn, their most ambitious album to date. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, Rovi
-Oumi Kapila
Reconstruction requires deconstruction. The institutions must be razed in order to clear space for the future to flourish. You tear down the old and build up the new. Filter founder, singer, guitarist, and producer Richard Patrick knows this dance well. It's what established the group as a multiplatinum industrial alternative luminary, and it catalyzed their seventh full-length album, Crazy Eyes [Wind-up Records].
"Filter is the mind," he exclaims. "It's your interpretation or my interpretation. Our thing is to look at people's unexplainable behavior and assess it, using sound. It's a way to approximate the insanity of the human condition. The reason this record is so fucking heavy and strange is it's exactly the opposite of what's popular. It's not pretty. It's not cute. It's real."
In what can only be seen as a nod to Filter's debut, Short Bus, the new record Crazy Eyes eschews the signature wall of guitars heard on their last release and breathes with a stark, industrialized menace that's equally haunting and hypnotic.
He collaborated with old friends such as the man behind 1999's seminal platinum-certified Title of Record, producer Ben Grosse [Thirty Seconds To Mars, Marilyn Manson], and Michael "Blumpy" Tuller [Nine Inch Nails]. He also worked closely with new band mates Oumi Kapila [guitar, programming], Ashley Dzerigian [bass], Chris Reeve [drums], and Bobby Miller [keyboards], and former Filter bandmates, Johnny Radke and Danny Lohner. Mixed by Brian Virtue (Janes Addiction, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Deftones) and mastered by Howie Weinberg (Van Halen, Mars Volta, The White Stripes).
Ultimately, it all comes back to the fact that Richard remains honest. "I'm completely into this for the music," he leaves off. "Being yourself is the most important thing. I authentically went places I'd never gone before. That was from my heart. I'm trying to be as genuine as possible to what Filter is. It's about sounding fucking different, forward, and original."
-Alex Asch
Timing can make a big difference. That’s why dangerkids (DANGEЯKIDS, dk, >>) deliberately waited for the right moment, situation, and circumstances to release their second full-length album, blacklist_ [Paid Vacation Records]. 2013’s Collapse introduced the Dayton, OH quartet—Andy Bane [vocals], Tyler Smyth [vocals, rhymes, production], Jake Bonham [bass], Alex Asch [guitar] and Katie Cole [drums]—to listeners everywhere with a bang. The band earned acclaim from Alternative Press, Rock Sound, and Kerrang! as songs like “light escapes” garnered over 2.1 million Spotify streams and counting and 700k YouTube views. They graced stages around the globe, tore up Warped Tour 2014, and hit the road with the likes of Falling In Reverse, issues, and Motionless in White. Seamlessly hybridizing rock, hip-hop, and electronic elements into an inimitable musical DNA, their evolution shines through blacklist_.
-KJ Melgoza
Started his career as Frontman/Lead Guitarist of the Arizona Thrash Metal band Warhead. He currently writes his solo music under the moniker Kjaris. He also does Lessons, Reviews/Demos, and Studio/Session work.
Music Abilities: Guitar as his main instrument with a wide range of vocal abilities. Excellent Guitar clinician/instructor. Private Guitar/Bass/Vocal/Keyboard/Recording teacher versed on most styles of music.
Studio Services: Mixing/Mastering, Guitar/Bass Reamping, MIDI sequencing for Drums/Orchestral/keyboards, Recording on projects based on availability.
He will be releasing his Debut Solo EP "Black as the Winter Light" this fall.
-Chris Jenkins
Formed during the Covid-19 pandemic, Koluna took shape from several notable local area bands in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Their unique take on metal features influences from several genres including djent, progressive, sludge, and groove. Currently, their first single, "The Awakening," can be found on YouTube. Chris has been a part of the Esoterik Guitars family since 2017. He's happy to continue this friendship, allegiance, and to bring new jams in 2021.
-Mead Whippo
Stomprocket's sound is comprised of hard rock roots, laden with metal guitar riffs and topped with pop influenced, yet aggressive, vocals. Over the years they have received airplay on over 20 major radio stations across the Unites States from New York to San Francisco as well as a few overseas (KJEE, KIST, WFNY, KITS, WKRK, 104.6 in Karlsruhe, Germany, to name only a few) and performed up and down the West Coast from Palm Springs to San Francisco alongside acts such as In this Moment, the Ataris, Sugarcult, Snot, the Atomic Punks, 8 Stops 7, and many more.
In a national radio competition with a listening audience of over a million, Stomprocket beat out over 34,000 bands to make it to the top 5 (the "Garageband Faceoff"). This helped to greatly increase Stomprocket's fan base, both in the United States and abroad. Their new CD, "Beautiful Misery" is available now.
ANDROMEDA THEORY
-Anthony Gonzalez (Tony)
inspired by his father, Anthony Gonzalez quickly became fascinated by the guitar and rock music. Although being born in El Paso, Texas, Gonzalez grew up and spent most of his youth in Las Vegas, Nevada.
At age 14 Gonzalez acquired his first guitar from a pawn shop in Vegas. He moved back to El Paso at age 15 where he heavily pursued a career in music. Aside from his father, Gonzalez was also greatly influenced by Dimebag Darrell, Jimmy Hendrix, and Tool’s Adam Jones. Other musical influences such as A Perfect Circle, Sevendust, Nine Inch Nails, and 30 Seconds to Mars motivated Gonzales to start a band.
At age 19 Tony started his first cover band, Unheard of Messiah. Shortly after he lost interest in cover bands and worked on writhing original music. Tony also became a big fan of effects on guitars and “making them sound nothing like a guitar.” As he experimented with more music, Gonzalez gave light to multiple bands.
In 2013, with the union of previous band members, Gonzalez started Andromeda Theory. Andromeda Theory quickly gained a foothold in El Paso. Because the bands members had all been well-known local acts, Andromeda Theory quickly began playing alongside national and international acts. The band has also played multiple national and local music festivals including Mayhem Fest, Rock the Fort, Balloon Fest and Chuco Fest. They releaseda 4 track EP in October 2014. The demo release also included a music video follow up with "Land of the Lost". The 2014 EP release was also followed up with a music video for "Massacres of the Fallen”.
In February 2016 the band signed with Sound Stage 9 (SS9) and is currently working on a 5 track EP to be released in late 2016.
Anthony Gonzalez looks forward to the growth of his band, along with the new endorsement of Esoterik Guitar.
-Vladimir Avina
-Logan Yablonski
Awaken From Ruin is a five piece metal band based out of Everett, PA. The group began their musical journey some five years ago, but has truly begun to pick up steam over the course of the preceding two years with the release of their first self titled EP. It is, over this period, that they have had the pleasure of traveling all over their home state, as well as parts of West Virginia and Maryland.
2016 has seen many outings from the band, a sponsorship from Coldcock Whiskey, the recording of a follow-up to the first EP, and now, much to guitarist Logan Yablonski's excitement, a relationship with the incredible Esoterik Guitars.
-Sascha Heims
Sascha Heims plays lead in guitar the Belgian grunge rock band Stone Religion, formed in 2014. A year after the band was founded a 2 song demo was released which got them a following in the local metal/rock scene. After noticing the potential the band continued on to release their first EP Overflow in September 2016 followed by a sold-out release show. Currently the band is planning on releasing in album in summer 2017.
Stone Religion’s sound is very varied, incorporating influences from different musical styles into their repertoire. Anything from metal to grunge and even indie rock can be recognized in their signature style.
As a musician exploring different musical genres is of great importance to me, therefore I’m also active in hardcore and jazz.
-Dylan Furr
Dylan Furr began playing guitar at age 10 and wrote his own music from the first year. At age 12, he started producing and recording multiple instruments, as well as mixing them. Dylan formed one of his first bands, Mirrored, while at OCHSA. Dylan was the primary composer for Mirrored’s music, which featured odd time signatures, fast tempos, strange keys (sometimes a-tonal), and other interesting attributes. Mirrored played at many venues including opening for MetalFest V. After a couple years, Dylan started his self-titled one-man-band to create original progressive music. The Dylan Furr band’s debut album, Isolated, became an immediate sensation getting 9+ out of 10 by multiple reviewers and earning comments about his “full throttle” playing and “impressive originality.” Following the release of his fast-tempo (300 BPM) single release, “Changing Realms,” Dylan gained additional respect in the guitar community. Reviewers have called his work “utterly mesmerizing” and “mind-blowing.” With only a few exceptions by invited guests, Dylan writes 100% of the parts, plays all the instruments for recording (except drums which he programs), and performs all of the vocals, along with fully mixing and mastering all his own videos and albums.
![WOLFBORNE-Lanning Kann & Chris WitoskiFrom Vancouver, BC, Wolfborne is a hard rock band born from the local scene's hardest working musicians. In the winter of 2012/13 Lanning Kann [guitar] and Ken Goode [singer] worked with Nick Rowe (Bloodsimp…](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/573a804ce707ebeda91c66da/1466903747873-M29Y01V6B2WVHGZVX1RP/image-asset.jpeg)
-Lanning Kann & Chris Witoski
From Vancouver, BC, Wolfborne is a hard rock band born from the local scene's hardest working musicians. In the winter of 2012/13 Lanning Kann [guitar] and Ken Goode [singer] worked with Nick Rowe (Bloodsimple), Producer Garth Richardson, Engineer Ben Kaplan and Producer Josh Wilbur who are collectively responsible for some of the biggest albums in rock and metal to create what was to become Wolfborne. The self titled debut album is due to release early 2014 with touring soon to follow. When asked for his view about Esoterik Guitars, here is what Lanning had to say. "I first noticed Esoterik Guitars at NAMM 2012 and was immediately taken back by the amazing design and clean lines of their instruments. They looked like finely tuned F1 cars. Every part of the design looked as though it had a purpose and they were very aesthetically pleasing. They are like 3D works of art with their carved tops and concave backs. It wasn't until I held and played one that I realized they were more than beautiful instruments. They are indeed rocket science in a guitar! The guitars are effortless to play and the materials and construction and second to none. I immediately put an order in for one".