Imperial (band)
Encyclopedia
Imperial is an American metalcore
band from Orlando
, Florida
. Their music is a mixture of modern metal
, hardcore
, and Black Metal
.
, Florida
in 2003. They toured with other bands throughout the United States, ending with a performance at CornerStone Fest in Illinois
. The tour resulted in a recording contract with Pluto Records
. Shortly afterward, the band changed their name from "The Red Letter", due to other bands having similar names, to the name Imperial.
, the band released their first album, This Grave Is My Poem, with the help of Jeremy Staska at Studio 13 and Allan Douches at West West side for mastering duties. After this release, they spent the next year touring national with other bands, as well as headlining their own tour. After the tours had completed, they began working on their new album. During another concert tour, two members departed the band, leaving Dale Dupree, Josh Lightfoot and Brandon Pangle as the remaining members of Imperial.
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 from Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Their music is a mixture of modern 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...
, hardcore
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...
, and Black Metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
.
The Red Letter (2003-2005)
Imperial was formed by Dale Dupree, Josh Lightfoot, and Brandon Pangle as "The Red Letter", in OrlandoOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 2003. They toured with other bands throughout the United States, ending with a performance at CornerStone Fest in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The tour resulted in a recording contract with Pluto Records
Pluto Records
Pluto Records is a record label started in 1999 by Eric Shirey and Brian Cobbel. Since 2002, it has been owned and operated by Brian Cobbel and based near Dallas, TX. It is primarily known for punk, metal, and hardcore releases, although not exclusively...
. Shortly afterward, the band changed their name from "The Red Letter", due to other bands having similar names, to the name Imperial.
This Grave Is My Poem (2004-2006)
After signing with Pluto RecordsPluto Records
Pluto Records is a record label started in 1999 by Eric Shirey and Brian Cobbel. Since 2002, it has been owned and operated by Brian Cobbel and based near Dallas, TX. It is primarily known for punk, metal, and hardcore releases, although not exclusively...
, the band released their first album, This Grave Is My Poem, with the help of Jeremy Staska at Studio 13 and Allan Douches at West West side for mastering duties. After this release, they spent the next year touring national with other bands, as well as headlining their own tour. After the tours had completed, they began working on their new album. During another concert tour, two members departed the band, leaving Dale Dupree, Josh Lightfoot and Brandon Pangle as the remaining members of Imperial.
We Sail At Dawn (2006-2008)
After adding new band members to the lineup, Imperial continued to write for and record their new album, We Sail At Dawn. The record was released on September 26, 2006, and was followed by another tour. Soon afterward, the band's three new members left Imperial. Guitar player Ivan Sherman and Bass player Zack Fortune joined the band along with Zack "Nascar" on drums for a short period of time during the tour for We Sail At Dawn. Drummer Stephen Poole (Society's Finest, Inked In Blood) also filled in on drums for some local shows and a few tours. We Sail At Dawn received a very average review nationally with very little negativity by the media, appearing in magazine reviews such as Revolver Magazine, featured on compilations such as Metal=Life Volume II and gaining radio play on local and college radio stations throughout the United States.Taken From The Bones Of The Sea (2008-present)
The band wrapped up 2008 with additional member changes. Most notably, founding member Brandon Pangle decided to leave the band to spend more time with his new wife. The band added Josh Adelman as guitarist, and Chris Lane as drummer. The new four-member lineup, including original members Josh Lightfoot and Dale Dupree, are currently working on their upcoming album, Taken From The Bones Of The Sea. The album will be the first of a series of albums focused on the origins of fictional and modern day villains.Current members
- Dale Dupree – Lead Vocals (2003–present)
- Brandon Pangle – Lead Vocals (2003–present)
- Josh Lightfoot – Guitars, Keyboards (2003–present)
- Josh Adelman – Guitars, (2008–present)
- Chris Lane – Drums, (2008–present)
- Adam Burton – Bass, (2009–present)
Former members
- Joe "Silky" Gatell – Drums (2003–2005)
- Sean Puliam – Guitars (2003–2005)
- Noah Southers – Bass (2003–2005)
- True Lawton – Guitar (2005–2005
- Jake Caramanico – Drums (2005–2006
- Erick Crossley – Guitar (2005–2007)
- Derek Anderson – Bass (2005–2006)
- Vic Cruz – Bass (2006–2007)
- Ivan Sherman – Guitars (2006–2008)
- Zack Fortune – Bass (2007–2008)
- Zack "Nascar" – Drums (2007–2008)
Discography
- This Grave Is Our Poem - Pluto RecordsPluto RecordsPluto Records is a record label started in 1999 by Eric Shirey and Brian Cobbel. Since 2002, it has been owned and operated by Brian Cobbel and based near Dallas, TX. It is primarily known for punk, metal, and hardcore releases, although not exclusively...
- (2005) - We Sail At Dawn - Pluto Records (2006)
- Taken From The Bones Of the Sea - Pluto Records (2010)