Rocky Gray

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Rocky Gray
Birth nameWilliam Caldwell Gray[1]
Also known asRocky
Born (1974-07-02) July 2, 1974 (age 49)
Jacksonville, Arkansas, U.S.
GenresChristian metal
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Drums, guitar
Websiterocky-gray.com

William Caldwell "Rocky" Gray (born July 2, 1974) is an American drummer and guitarist. He played drums for the rock band

Machina, and We Are the Fallen
. Gray also released a solo album titled Accursed (2015).

History

Gray joined the grindcore band Shredded Corpse, performing bass and vocals on two demo recordings.[2] The band released two albums and eventually disbanded in 1998. In 1997 he formed Soul Embraced with David S. and broke up in 1998. From 1991 to 1998, Gray played for many bands, with Shredded Corpse being his main gig. In 1998, Gray joined the Christian death metal band Living Sacrifice with Arthur Green and Matthew Putman.

In 1999, Gray reunited Soul Embraced with his brother-in-law Chad Moore and fellow Living Sacrifice member

Cory Brandan Putman.[3]

After Gray left Living Sacrifice, Soul Embraced released their album

Machina
.

In 2006, Gray joined the horror-themed band Fatal Thirteen (also stylized as Fatal 13) as the drummer. Gray also formed his own solo project, 3 for Sorrow, and another project with his brother-in-law, called The Burning.[4] Both projects ended almost as abruptly they started. Gray stated that The Burning was put aside as he was focusing on other projects.

After five years of being disbanded, Living Sacrifice reunited and released their sophomore EP,

Death Machine. Before the band reunited, Gray left Evanescence along with LeCompt.[5] In 2008, Soul Embraced released their fourth album, Dead Alive. In 2009, Gray and LeCompt formed a project with fellow ex-Evanescence member Ben Moody and two other members (Carly Smithson, Marty O'Brien) called We Are the Fallen.[6]

In 2010, Living Sacrifice released their seventh album

Run-D.M.C.

In 2013, both Living Sacrifice and Soul Embraced released albums: Ghost Thief, which featured artists such as Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter and Dave Peters of Throwdown[9] and Mythos, which featured Fitzhugh.[10]

In 2014, Fatal Thirteen broke up. Three other projects emerged, including Creepy Carnival, which Gray formed with Wretched Graverobber and Spano Graverobber of the horror punk band Grave Robber, and Jeff Bowie of Descended from Wolves, Mourningside, and Soul Embraced. The other projects were Even Devils Die, another project with LeCompt, and his other solo project, under the name Rocky Gray.

In 2015, Gray recorded a solo album, titled Accursed, and many of the tracks appeared on the soundtrack for Killing Floor 2 (released by Tripwire Interactive; soundtrack released by Solid State Records)[11] Gray stated that he wanted Living Sacrifice and Soul Embraced to have a new release by 2016.[2] In 2015, Gray composed the score for the film The Barn and the video game based on the movie.[2]

In 2016, Gray was nominated for a "Best Scorer" award for his work on The Barn. Later that year, Gray, alongside longtime friend LeCompt, joined local Arkansas gothic rock band Cryptic Memoirs.

Gray composed music for the 2017 film 10/31, and composed music for the upcoming film Cryptids.[12] Gray also wrote "The Samhain Slasher" for the 10/31 anthology.[13]

CrimeWave

In 2005, Rocky launched a clothing line called CrimeWave Clothing, which he has since abandoned. CrimeWave is also the name of Rocky's record label, which currently features Fatal Thirteen.

Bands

Current
  • Rocky Gray (solo) – guitars, drums, bass (2014–present)
  • Soul Embraced – lead guitar (1997–2009, 2014–present), rhythm guitar (1997–2006, 2014–present), bass (1997–2006), drums (2009–2014), backing vocals (1999–present)
  • Mourningside – drums (2004–present)
  • Living Sacrifice – lead guitar, backing vocals (1998–2003, 2005, 2008–present)
  • Machina
    – drums (2005–present)
  • Even Devils Die – guitar, keyboards, programming (2014–present)
  • Creepy Carnival – guitar (2014–present)
  • Cryptic Memoirs – drums, guitar (2013–present)
Former
  • Chalice – drums (1991)
  • Shredded Corpse – vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass (1991–1998)
  • Sickshine – drums (1993–1995)
  • PainGod (later known as Flesh Compressor) – (1994–1995)
  • Seminal Death – vocals, guitar (1995)
  • Thy Pain – guitar, vocals (2002)
  • Kill System – guitar (2002–2003)
  • Evanescence – drums (2003–2007)
  • The Burning – guitar (2005–2006)
  • 3 for Sorrow – drums, bass and guitar (2005–2006)
  • Fatal Thirteen – drums (2006–2014)
  • We Are the Fallen – drums (2009–2012)
  • Solus Deus – lead guitar, backing vocals (2012–2017)
Touring
Timeline

Selected discography

With Soul Embraced
With Living Sacrifice
With Evanescence
With Kill System
  • Kill System (2002)
With Machina
  • Machina EP (2007)
  • To Live And Die in the Garden of Eden (2012)
With We Are the Fallen
With Solus Deus
  • Solus Deus
     (2012)
  • The Bloodtrail
     (2014)
  • The Plague (2016)
As Rocky Gray
  • Accursed (2015)
With Cryptic Memoirs
  • Weight of the World EP (2017)
As scorer
Other credits
  • Inner War – Inner War (producer, 1999)
  • Thy Pain – More Than Suffering (producer, 2002)
  • Fatal Thirteen – Music From the Soundproof Torture Chamber (producer, 2006)
  • Austrian Death Machine – Double Brutal (guitar solo on track 13, 2009)
  • Believer – Gabriel (guitars, 2009)
  • At Wars End – Take Off the Mask (producer, 2012)
  • Every Knee Shall Bow – Weary Warrior (producer, 2012)
  • Project 86 – Wait for the Siren (drums, 2012)
  • Lust Control – Tiny Little Dots (mixing, mastering, 2013)[15]
  • Final Surrender – Empty Graves (producer, 2013)[16][17]
  • Abated Mass of Flesh – Brutal Death (mastering, 2013)[17]
  • At Wars End – One Way Ticket EP (producer, 2014)
  • Lindsay Schoolcraft - Martyr (drum programming, guitar, bass, songwriting, 2018)

References

  1. ^ "ALTERED LIFE". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Interview with William Rocky Gray, Shredded Corpse". Tough Riffs. December 18, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  3. ^ Putman, Cory Brandan (August 23, 2015). "Cory Putman of Norma Jean". Interviewed by Trav Turner. As The Story Grows. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  4. ISBN 0-9582684-0-1
    .
  5. ^ Gittelson, Gerry (May 4, 2007). "Rock act Evanescence on the rocks". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on May 8, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
  6. ^ "Carly Smithson to join forces with ex-Evanescence musicians to become the Fallen". LA Times. June 18, 2009. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  7. ^ Soul Embraced. "Soul Embraced announcement". Facebook. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  8. ^ "Ex-Evanescence, Chimaira, and Bleed the Sky members join forces in Solus Deus". Blabbermouth. February 5, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  9. ^ "Living Sacrifice, 'Ghost Thief'". ThePRP. October 9, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  10. ^ "SOUL EMBRACED To Release Mythos Next Month". Blabbermouth.net. June 18, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  11. ^ Campbell, Spencer (March 25, 2015). "Details on Killing Floor 2's Official Soundtrack Released". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  12. ^ Gelmini, David (July 25, 2017). "Exclusive: Evanescence's Rocky Gray Talks Volumes of Blood: Horror Stories". Dread Central. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  13. ^ "Ex Evanescene Drummer Rocky Gray's Halloween Horror Anthology 10/31 Part III Coming Soon". Blabbermouth.net. March 17, 2021.
  14. ^ Grey (2015). "Exclusive Interview w/ the Barn Composer Rocky Gray". Modern Horrors. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  15. HM Magazine
    . Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  16. HM Magazine
    . Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  17. ^ a b "Rocky Gray – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
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