Band Biography

The original members of Solace of Requiem (Jeff Sumrell, Chris Young and Luke Downing) actually began playing together as teenagers in 1990 under the name Sarcophagus. After slowly drifting apart in 1993, the members were reunited in 2001 and began playing again under the name Solace of Requiem. SOR decided to record their first self-titled album in 2004 (featuring the cover song "I Need You" by Grave, courtesy of Century Media Records) at Master Sound Studio in Virginia Beach, VA. Shortly after, the CD was released on the internet and had gained international distribution after receiving some very encouraging responses. A video was eventually made for the song "Beyond Grace" and the band began to play shows and festivals more frequently, expanding their tour route to include other states on the U.S. east coast besides their home state of Virginia.

In 2005 SOR had new material they wanted to record, but had a very limited budget, so the band decided to send their first album to various record labels in the hopes of getting a contract offer. The band negotiated a contract to record their new material and eventually signed with Ruptured Silence Records in late 2005. However, the drummer (Luke, who had just finished college and started his own business) didn’t feel he could put his own life’s dreams on hold, so the band was forced to pursue a new drummer (Joe Walmer, PA) from the progressive death metal band Aletheian. Joe agreed to play with SOR as a session drummer during his band’s downtime, so Jeff, Chris and Joe began recording SOR's second album "Utopia Reborn" (featuring guest vocalist Bret Hoffmann of Malevolent Creation) at Worlds End Studio in Kall, Germany in January of 2006.

Promptly after recording Utopia Reborn, SOR embarked on several tours in the United States and in Europe. Upon the album's release under Ruptured Silence Records, the touring continued and the CD reviews began to pour in. The album was very well received by the public and was nominated as album of the year by 7 different magazines across the globe. As well as being featured in prominent U.S. magazines such as Metal Maniacs and Decibel.

While appreciative of the opportunity given to them in Europe by Ruptured Silence, SOR felt it was necessary to sever ties with the label in late 2006. After the band parted ways with Ruptured Silence, guitarist Chris Young had to make the difficult decision to leave Solace of Requiem due to personal turmoil in his life. Chris had lost both his parents (his mother passing while he was recording Utopia Reborn) and one of his sisters in the recent years SOR had been playing together. Not to mention the financial difficulties associated with three deaths in the family. Joe could also no longer play in SOR because Aletheian had recently signed with Iron Clad Recordings and he then had to put all of his efforts into his own band. So in early 2007 Jeff set out alone to make a video for the song "Red Sea", acquire members to play a U.S. and European tour, as well as write the music for a new album.

At the beginning of 2007, a session drummer (Dave Tedesco, NJ) and session guitarist (Aaron Lott, MN) were selected for touring the United States and Europe. Aaron only stayed in the band for the U.S. portion of the tour and could not come with the band to Europe, so a new guitarist (Jesse Bartlett, NY) joined SOR for the EU portion of the tour, as well as the filming of the Red Sea video. However, after making the video and touring Europe, Jesse left the band for personal reasons. So in the winter of 2007, original guitarist Chris Young returned so that the band would not have to cancel some of the festivals they had agreed to play inside the United States. Chris only returned to play the few venues SOR had remaining on their schedule, so in late 2007 all other band functions were ceased and Jeff immediately focused on writing new material and searching for a new guitarist.

SOR's current guitarist (Chris Armijo, CA) joined the band in late 2007 to record the new material Jeff had written and tour Europe in support of the album, so in 2008 Solace of Requiem recorded their new material with German producer Andy Classen (Krisiun, Belphegor, Rotting Christ, and many more..) and toured EU for three weeks after their studio time was complete. After touring Europe, SOR decided to shop the new album that Andy Classen had produced to various record labels. Unfortunately, after nearly two years of trying to find a label (2008 - 2010) the album remained unsigned and unreleased. The band did acquire a second guitarist (George Arguello, CA) in 2009 to accompany Chris at their live shows, and SOR played a few small U.S. and European tours with their newly acquired second guitarist that same year, but since no label was willing to release the material, the band had remained fairly stagnant until 2010.

Now in 2010 Solace of Requiem has decided to self-release the 2008 album they made with Andy Classen under the name "The Great Awakening", so tours are being planned and the band is gearing up to release their new songs to the public. Arrangements are being made to send the album for reviews and radio play, so if you want to review and/or broadcast the new album, please email the band to request a Promo CD. There are plans to make a video for the new song "Rivers" and there should be reviews, tour dates and other promotion for the album coming very soon. Hopefully, "The Great Awakening" will be well received. Only time will tell.. To Be Continued....

Current Members

 Jeff Sumrell   (Music, Lyrics, Bass & Vocals)
     Virginia Beach, VA.
"Music is my life! I have an extremely diverse musical taste ranging from Classical to Bluegrass but my favorite music has always been extreme metal. I also really like old Rock and Roll like Boston, Rush and Journey. I love the emotion in music. Whether it's being pissed or empowered from listening to metal, or feeling depressed over an old rock and roll love song. Music should make you feel something. My biggest influence was my family, especially my grandparents. They've supported me throughout my life and have shown me the true meaning of perseverance. Musically my influences are many but here are a few of my favorites: David Vincent, Tony Choy, Alex Webster, Steve Digiorgio, Carcass, Malevolent Creation, Resurrection, Poison, Steve Miller Band, Stevie Nicks, and definitely Jerry Cantrell. I hope my music touches people half as well as those guys' music touched me. Long live metal..."

 Dave Tedesco   (Drums)
     Paramus, NJ.
"Some people have a hard time understanding death metal, it's not really the speed or craziness of it all, but it's more or less the fact that you have to make music in between all the speed and craziness.
My influences include Flo Mounier, Derek Roddy, Inferno, John Longstreth, or any drummer to puts forth the effort to really create some sort of unique style. Of course other names deserve mention, Billy Cobham, Mike Portnoy, Terry Bozio, etc. Even though my influences have changed over the years, it's hard to forget the classics like Metallica that brought metal into my life."

 Chris Armijo   (Guitars)
     San Diego, CA.
"I come from a vast variety of music from metal to flamenco guitar. My influences are Arch Enemy, Nevermore, Vital Remains, Iced Earth and many more. I started playing guitar when I was thirteen and I haven't put it down ever since. After years of studying musical theory I learned that in this band it doens't mean shit! I feel SOR's (new) music isn't about theory but more about understanding intricately woven structures and orchestrating the relationship between moods and music. Not only do I look forward to playing with a band of SOR's caliber, but I also look forward to the whole learning experience that comes with writing, recording and touring for an album."

 George Arguello   (Guitars On Tour)
     Orange, CA.
"I listen to a wide variety of music, it depends on what I'm in the mood for but my true passion has always been metal. I'll listen to any genre, but I only appreciate real music that comes from true feeling, nothing fake. Some of my favoritre bands are Death, Emperor, Morbid Angel, At The Gates, Vital Remains, Arch Enemy, Iced Earth and Opeth. I live, shit and eat guitar on a daily basis. I started playing when I was fourteen and to this day I still can't put it down. I'm looking forward to the learning experience that this band is bringing to me and meeting new people with the same visions that I have."

Former Members and Session Musicians

 Chris Young   (Guitars '04 - '06)
     Chesapeake, VA.
"I listen to alot of different styles of music, but Metal has always been my favorite. My influences are way too vast to list in total but here are a few of the major ones: Chuck Schuldiner (RIP), James Murphy, Dee Snyder, Tracy Gunns, Grave, Crowbar, Billy Idol, King Diamond, Slayer, Morgoth and Hatebreed. I also want to thank my family especially my father, Donald, and my sister, Karen, who passed away during the creation of our first album. Rest easy, you are always in our hearts."

 Jesse Bartlett   (Tour Guitar '06)
     La Fargeville, NY.
"After 23 years of guitar play, I Joined SOR after contacting Jeff when a guitarist was needed. My influence's are various, from black metal influences such as MARDUK, IMMORTAL, MAYHEM and DISSECTION, to death metal influence's such as VADER, MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE and DEATH. I also listen to bands such as IRON MAIDEN, MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND, HELLOWEEN, etc... Although my biggest influences are old school extreme metal/thrash. Especially the German bands such as DESTRUCTION, SODOM and KREATOR, as well as VENOM, BATHORY, CELTIC FROST, DARK ANGEL and SLAYER. My goal in SOR is to exhalt the old school metal feeling with technical shredding and aggressive riffing. On a personal level, my goal is to create the most dark and hateful expression as possible and to express the horrors of reality. With SOR, a whole new set of challenges has arisen, to learn and play an excellent style of metal while focusing more on technicality, brutality, and progressiveness."

 Aaron Lott   (Tour Guitar '06)
     Saint Cloud, MN.
Sorry!!  No Biography for Aaron is available at this time....

 Joe Walmer   (Session & Tour Drums '06)
     Lebanon, PA.
Please visit Aletheian's WebSite for Joe's bio....

 Luke Downing   (Drums '04 - '05)
     Norfolk, VA.
"I started playing drums because of early influences like Tim Alexander of Primus. I started playing with Jeff and Chris 12 years ago when I was 13. We took a 10 year break to reform last year. My influences are Modest Mouse, Primus, Metallica, Morbid Angel, Carcass, Radiohead, David Byrne, Pink Floyd, and Depeche Mode. I love playing drums in a death metal because it saves me a ymca membership. I also love The Simpsons, Upright Citizens Brigade, and eating vegan food."