Lionize


Lionize is an American rock band based in Montgomery County, Maryland. The sound of the band is rooted in hard rock and heavy metal, but they frequently experiment with varying sounds, such as reggae, dub music, go-go, and funk. The band line-up consists of Chris Brooks, Nathan Bergman, and Henry Upton.
Tim Sult of the fellow Maryland-based band Clutch appears on several albums as an additional guitar player. Other collaborators include Neil Fallon and Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch; David Hinds, Selwyn Brown, and Sidney Mills of Steel Pulse; Dean Fraser, J. Robbins, Eric Oblander of Five Horse Johnson, and Larry McDonald. The band signed to Weathermaker Music, a label owned and operated by the band Clutch and Jack Flanagan, and released Jetpack Soundtrack. In 2015 the band released "Alpha" EP and in 2016 "The Voyage" EP independently. They began recording their next full length entitled "Nuclear Soul" in January 2017 at the Magpie Cage in Baltimore with producers J. Robbins & Jean-Paul Gaster."Nuclear Soul" was released in September 2017 & the band spent the better part of the next 6 months touring UK/Europe. In November 2018 the band announced the release of a 7-inch vinyl EP on their newly created label, Electric Reckoning Music. They also announced a new full-length record featuring Jean-Paul Gaster on drums will be released in 2019.

History

2004–2006

The band met while in middle school and high school and officially became Lionize in the summer of 2004. They started gigging heavily around the Maryland, DC and Virginia areas at bars, local venues and house parties. On October 26, 2005, the band opened for Steel Pulse at The Recher Theatre in Towson, Maryland. That evening started a long-time friendship between both bands which eventually led to members of Steel Pulse bringing the band to Jamaica to record the album Space Pope and the Glass Machine at Harry J. Studios in 2008. By 2006 the band had supported Steel Pulse, The Wailers, Yellowman, Groundation, Israel Vibration, State Radio, Fuel, Hoobastank, Jimmie's Chicken Shack, The Pietasters, Concrete Blonde, and The Bakerton Group throughout the East Coast of the United States.

2007–2011

In 2008, the band opened for H.R. and The Human Rights band, which culminated in the band opening for the Bad Brains in 2011 and 2012. The band began touring extensively throughout the United States and Canada supporting acts such as Authority Zero, Wino, Clutch, Ozomatli, Chali 2na, The Wailers and Steel Pulse. In January 2008, Steel Pulse musical director Sidney Mills invited the band to Harry J. Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, to make a reggae-infused album called Space Pope and the Glass Machine, which features a horn section directed by Dean Frasier and Sidney Mills. The album was recorded between Harry J. Studios, Boot Camp Studio and Portmore Studio 100. The band was joined in Jamaica by Tim Sult on additional guitar. The album also features Eric Oblander on harmonica for the opening track "Space Pope" and Larry McDonald on percussion throughout.
The album was released on the Pietasters record label, Indication Records. In 2009–2010 the band was handpicked by Lee Scratch Perry to tour the United States as Perry's own backing band and support act. This led to group performing at several festivals, including Reggae on the Rocks at Red Rocks Amphitheater outside Denver, Colorado. These two years also included the band supporting Kylesa, Red Fang and the Saviors, Galactic, Sublime with Rome and CkY. In 2010 the band recorded and released the album Destruction Manual, which was recorded and produced by J. Robbins at Magpie Cage Studio in Baltimore, Maryland. It had a heavier sound than the previous album Space Pope. Destruction Manual features Tim Sult on guitar, J. Robbins on percussion and backing vocals, and Donnie Williams on percussion. In 2011 the band returned to the Magpie Cage to record the album Superczar and the Vulture with Robbins at the Magpie. This album continues to find the band experimenting with heavy riffs, dub and funk. Guest musicians include Tim Sult, Nadav Nirenberg and Jim Conti from Streetlight Manifesto The album was released on Tomas Kalnoky's "Pentimento" label. In the summer of 2011 the band was the only band to ever perform Bonnaroo Music Festival and the Vans Warped Tour in the same summer.

2012–2014

The band continued to tour across the United States and Canada, continuing to build their fan base among music fans and bands alike. In 2012 the band supported Fair To Midland, Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster and a performance at the Gwar-B-Q in Richmond, VA. In the summer of 2012 the band shared three dates with The Company Band in DC, Philadelphia and Brooklyn, NY. 2013 Lionize supported Clutch, Orange Goblin and The Sword on the Earth Rocker World Tour across North America. and began to write and record their newest album "Jetpack Soundtrack" which was produced by Jean Paul Gaster and Machine at the Machine Shop in Bellville, NJ.
In 2014 the band released "Jetpack Soundtrack" on Weathermaker Music and toured extensively in North America and the United Kingdom to support the album with Clutch, Pepper, and the Vans Warped Tour 2014. It is the band's best received and best selling album to date. This year the band also found themselves in the UK supporting Clutch in April 2014 and again in November as a co-headliner in the Classic Rock and Metal Hammer Magazine's Lords of the Riff 2 Tour. Both magazines have given the band high praise on the most recent Weathermaker Release.

2015–2017

In 2015 the band saw its presence grow to new countries going to perform several shows in Greece supporting Planet of Zeus and a now much praised set at the famous Los Almiros Festival near Volos. This year also including a slot at London's Desert Fest.
In 2016 the band continued to tour across the United States and Europe with a wildly positive reception supporting Clutch throughout the United Kingdom Europe. Lionize continued to make frequent returns to Europe with notable slots at Bloodstock Open Air and Ramblin' Man Fair - the only band to play both festivals that year.
In 2017 the band supported CKY across the United States and opened support on the Pop Evil Thanksgiving tour along with Metal Band DED. The band wrapped up the year supporting CKY across Europe in December and a sold-out headline show in Bethesda, MD.

Present

In 2018 a record label under the BMG MUSIC umbrella known as The End Records failed to accelerate the band's career despite the band releasing the album 'Nuclear Soul' which received worldwide critical accolades. The album's release included 2 sold-out home-town shows for the band at DC9 and The Black Cat.
In April 2018 the band co-headlined a tour across Europe and the UK with Planet of Zeus promoting Nuclear Soul.
In November 2018 the band announced their own label 'Electric Reckoning Music' on which they plan to put out years of unreleased material direct to fans online.
Thanksgiving weekend rumors were confirmed that the band has recorded a full-length album with Clutch drummer and long time collaborator Jean Paul Gaster with plans to release the album in 2019.

Discography