Art of Dying

One of Canada’s more explosive hard rock acts, Vancouver’s Art of Dying employs a raucous blend of ardent post-grunge and blistering, three-part harmony-laden alt-metal. Fronted by charismatic vocalist Jonny Hetherington, the group emerged in the mid-2000s and hit its stride in 2011 on the strength of the single “Die Trying.” Later efforts like Rise Up (2015) and Armageddon (2019) continued to expertly combine radio-ready hooks with floor-shaking sonic muscle.
Formed in 2004 around the talents of Jonny Hetherington (vocals), Greg Bradley (guitar), Tavis Stanley (guitar), Cale Gontier (bass), and Jeff Brown (drum), the band released its eponymous debut in 2006 on its own label, Thorny Bleeder, resulting in critical acclaim both at home and abroad, as well as shows and tours with the likes of Seether, Disturbed, and Theory of a Deadman. The group’s sophomore effort (and Reprise Records debut) Vices and Virtues arrived in March of 2011, and yielded the hit single “Die Trying.” The following year saw the release of the CD/DVD Let the Fire Burn, a ten-track set of acoustic fan favorites. The band spent the next few years on the road, eventually heading back into the studio with producer David Bendeth (Bring Me the Horizon, Breaking Benjamin) to lay down tracks for its third studio long-player. The resulting Eleven Seven-issued Rise Above arrived in May 2015. The Nevermore EP followed one year later on Vices and Virtues. Longtime drummer Jeff Brown departed the group amicably shortly thereafter, and was replaced by Cody Watkins, who made his first studio appearance on 2019′s hard-hitting Armageddon. ~ James Christopher Monger