7 Angels 7 Plagues
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Racine , United States |
| Products | Metalcore music |
7 Angels 7 Plagues (commonly abbreviated as 7A7P) was a metalcore group originating from Racine, Wisconsin, United States. Although their active period was short-lived, they played a pivotal role in shaping the early underground metalcore movement and advancing the melodic metalcore genre.
History
The band was established in 1999 by Jared Logan, who had previously performed with Milwaukee-based groups Castahead and Intercede. The founding members consisted of Logan on drums, David Lesinski handling bass duties, guitarists Matt Matera and Ryan Morgan, and vocalist Matt Mixon. In 2000, Mixon departed and was succeeded by Temo Rios. That same year, while touring throughout the Midwest, the band independently released their demo EP titled Until the Day Breathes and the Shadows Flee. Their full-length album Jhazmyne's Lullaby followed in 2001. This release was characterized by Allmusic as a "volatile cauldron of sound," with Exclaim! highlighting its "super-aggressive, hyper-melodic" approach infused with jazz influences.
Following the album launch, Mixon exited once more, leading to Rios resuming vocal responsibilities. During their tour promoting Jhazmyne's Lullaby, tragedy struck when fellow touring band Compromise was involved in a fatal vehicular accident in 2002. Soon after this event, Rios left the group and was replaced by Jesse Zaraska from Compromise. Simon Brody of Drowningman considered joining but ultimately declined the offer. Several months later, Logan also left, which resulted in the band's breakup.
Uprising Records later reissued their debut album with remastering work by Alan Douches and introduced new artwork inspired by Bluenote aesthetics to complement Jhazmyne's Lullaby. This re-release was presented as a two-disc collection aimed at enthusiasts.
After disbanding in 2002, various members went on to contribute to other acts including Misery Signals, Dead to Fall, and Burning Empires. The group briefly reunited in December 2005 for benefit performances featuring Branden Morgan of Misery Signals on drums. Matthew Matera went on to establish American Modern Studios, a mastering and recording facility operating across Chicago and New York City. A retrospective published in 2014 emphasized the band's enduring impact on Milwaukee’s metal and hardcore scenes more than ten years after their dissolution.
Members
- Ryan Morgan – guitar (1999–2002, 2005) (Misery Signals, Burning Empires)
- Kyle Johnson – bass guitar (2001–2002, 2005) (Misery Signals, Burning Empires, Project Rocket)
- Jesse Zaraska – lead vocals (2002) (Misery Signals, Compromise)
- Jared Logan – drums/songwriter (1999–2002) (Martyr A.D., Up in Arms)
- Matthew Matera – guitar/songwriter (1999–2002) (Dream Party, Royalty in Exile, Dead To Fall, Adriell, Black Candy)
- Cuahtemoc "Temo" Rios – lead vocals (1999–2000, 2002)
- David Lesinski – bass guitar (1999–2001)
- Matthew Mixon – lead vocals (2000–2002, 2005) (End This Day, Burning Empires, Divine Right, xFor Death and Gloryx)
Studio albums
- Jhazmyne's Lullaby (2001, Uprising)
EPs
- Until the Day Breathes and the Shadows Flee (2000, self-released; 2002, Uprising)
Compilation appearances
- The track "Dandelion" featured on A Testament to Broken Walls (2001, Akeldama/Backroad)
- Included in Hugs n' Chugs 2001 (2001, The Nuance Formula)
- Appeared on Robot Mosh Fest 2002 (2002, Didn't That Hurt?)
- The song "Dandelion" included in Lullaby For The Apocalypse (2003, Uprising)