I Killed the Prom Queen
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Defunct | April 2007 (first disbandment) |
| Fate | Reunited in 2008 and 2011, second hiatus in 2017 |
| Headquarters | Adelaide , Australia |
| Products | Studio albums: When Goodbye Means Forever... (2003), Music for the Recently Deceased (2006), Beloved (2014) |
I Killed the Prom Queen was a metalcore group originating from Adelaide, Australia, established in 2001. They played a significant role in the Australian live music circuit and conducted extensive tours throughout the United States, Japan, and Europe. Their discography includes three studio albums: When Goodbye Means Forever... (2003), Music for the Recently Deceased (2006), and Beloved (2014). The latter two albums attained positions #27 and #6 on the ARIA Albums Chart, respectively.
The band dissolved in April 2007 due to challenges in securing a stable vocalist but reunited with singer Michael Crafter for a final tour in 2008. During this period, they released a live album and DVD titled Sleepless Nights and City Lights, which reached #48 on the Australian charts. In May 2011, the group reassembled with new frontman Jamie Hope, participated in the Destroy Music Tour, and launched their third studio album, Beloved, in February 2014.
Formation and Choose to Love, Live or Die, Stacy's exit (2001–2002)
Formed in 2001 in Adelaide, South Australia, I Killed the Prom Queen's initial lineup included Ben Engel on bass guitar, Simon O'Gorman handling guitar, JJ Peters on drums, Lee Stacy as vocalist, and Jona Weinhofen also on guitar. Prior to this, Peters, Weinhofen, and bassist Leaton Rose had been members of the local band Cur. In 2000, Weinhofen departed Cur to create The Fall of Troy alongside vocalist Michael Crafter, before eventually joining I Killed the Prom Queen.
Initially called The Rubik's Equation and briefly known as Child Left Burning, Michael Crafter joined as co-lead vocalist while Rose replaced Engel on bass. Their debut show took place at Adelaide’s Dom Polski Centre on October 21, 2001. Musically, they were influenced by late-1990s hardcore bands such as Poison the Well, Converge, Hatebreed, and Earth Crisis, along with Swedish melodic death metal acts including At the Gates, Soilwork, and In Flames.
Between late 2001 and early 2002, they recorded a four-track EP titled Choose to Love, Live or Die, produced by Paul Degasperi alongside the band members, with guest guitar contributions from Cain Kapetanakis. Although five songs were recorded initially, a technical malfunction resulted in the loss of the fifth track. Released in 2002 through 618 Recordings and later reissued by Final Prayer Records via Missing Link Records, this EP uniquely featured both Lee Stacy’s vocals together with Crafter’s higher-pitched style. Shortly after its release, O'Gorman left to join Day of Contempt and was succeeded by guitarist Kevin Cameron later that year. The tracks from this EP were subsequently re-recorded for their third EP, Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You (2005).
Split CD with Parkway Drive and When Goodbye Means Forever era (2003–2005)
In March 2003, bassist Rose exited the band—he would later join The Hot Lies—and Sean Kennedy took over bass duties. This lineup produced the "Homicide" demo featured on Blunt Magazine's compilation Harder Core than You. While visiting Byron Bay, Crafter witnessed local metalcore newcomers Parkway Drive perform their first show and invited them to collaborate on a split CD release. Consequently, Final Prayer Records issued the split EP I Killed the Prom Queen / Parkway Drive in May 2003, showcasing two tracks from each band.
By September that year, Cameron, Crafter, Kennedy, Peters, and Weinhofen entered the studio to record their debut full-length album When Goodbye Means Forever... under Sydney-based hardcore label Resist Records; it was released in December. The production team included Dan Jones and Anj along with band members themselves. Following its release, they embarked on an Australian tour alongside Evergreen Terrace, Give Up the Ghost, and Boysetsfire. The album saw a US release through Eulogy Recordings in March 2004 accompanied by extensive touring across America. Crafter recalled intense scrutiny upon arrival in Hawaii concerning their backgrounds.
Over subsequent months, they supported prominent acts such as Caliban, Evergreen Terrace, It Dies Today, Lamb of God, and Silverstein during a four-month period. On March 7, 2005, their third EP Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You was released featuring reworked versions of earlier material along with "To Be Sleeping While Still Standing," originally composed by The Fall of Troy—the short-lived band formed by Crafter and Weinhofen that played only two performances before disbanding.
Music for the Recently Deceased (2005–2007)
In August 2005, I Killed the Prom Queen traveled to Sweden to record their second album, Music for the Recently Deceased. By the end of that year, the recording process had concluded. However, after dismissing vocalist Michael Crafter in January 2006, the band enlisted Ed Butcher from the UK group The Hunt for Ida Wave to re-record the vocal tracks and collaborate with both Crafter and the band on rewriting lyrics. The album was produced by Fredrik Nordström—renowned for his work with Dimmu Borgir, Darkest Hour, At the Gates, and In Flames—alongside Patrik J. Sten.
The album was released on 31 July 2006 through Stomp Entertainment and achieved a position within the top 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Their Australian tour supporting the album featured over 50 shows across various states. Additionally, they opened for prominent US metal bands such as Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God, attracting an audience of approximately 3,500 at Sydney's Luna Park. Subsequently, Metal Blade handled the album's US release, aligning with their performance at the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. After completing their third US tour in as many years, they toured alongside Swedish act The Haunted and American thrash metal band Exodus, culminating in headlining duties at the Metal for the Brain festival.
Break-up and Say Goodbye Tour (2007–2008)
In January 2007, Ed Butcher departed from the group, citing "personal reasons." Later, Weinhofen explained that Butcher's exit was partly due to limited touring opportunities and financial constraints. Following this, Butcher became lead vocalist for UK metalcore band Eternal Lord between 2007 and 2008. For a Japanese tour, Tyrone Ross from Mourning Tide stepped in as vocalist, followed by Colin Jeffs of Heavenslost and Aversions Crown during a European run supporting Bleeding Through, All Shall Perish, and Caliban.
By April 2007, I Killed the Prom Queen announced their disbandment, attributing it to difficulties securing a permanent frontman and Weinhofen’s commitment to Bleeding Through. A farewell Australian tour featuring Crafter on vocals was scheduled for 2008.
In May 2008, Stomp Entertainment re-released Music For The Recently Deceased as a limited edition of 5,000 hand-numbered copies coinciding with the Say Goodbye Tour. This special edition included a slipcase, two live recordings, and four tracks featuring Crafter’s vocals from the original sessions. The band toured from May to June with mostly sold-out shows, supported by Bring Me the Horizon, The Red Shore, The Ghost Inside, and other local bands. Their performance in Adelaide was recorded and later issued as a live album/DVD titled Sleepless Nights and City Lights in November 2008, which reached the top 50 on national charts. Their intended final concert took place in Brisbane on 8 June 2008.
Hiatus (2008–2011)
Following the Say Goodbye tour, Michael Crafter founded Melbourne-based hardcore outfit Confession. Prior to this, he had been vocalist for Carpathian (2006–2007) and Bury Your Dead (2007), as well as appearing on the reality television program Big Brother in 2008.
Weinhofen exited Bleeding Through in 2009 to join Bring Me the Horizon, contributing as rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, programmer, and backing vocalist until his dismissal by management in January 2013. He also took on management duties for Australian deathcore group The Red Shore.
Kevin Cameron established progressive metalcore band In Trenches with singer Ben Coyte and toured alongside several other bands. Meanwhile, Jona Weinhofen’s bandmate Peters launched hardcore project Deez Nuts and formed half of hip-hop duo Grips & Tonic with New Zealand rapper Louie Knuxx. Kennedy performed bass duties for Deez Nuts during their tours.
Reformation, Beloved and second hiatus (2011–2017)
In March 2011, I Killed the Prom Queen revealed plans for a reunion alongside an Australian tour scheduled for May, sharing the stage with The Amity Affliction, Deez Nuts, and Of Mice & Men. Jamie Hope, formerly of The Red Shore, was introduced as the new permanent vocalist. Weinhofen intended to continue his involvement in both this band and Bring Me the Horizon. Meanwhile, Peters maintained his commitment to Deez Nuts.
By January 2012, Weinhofen confirmed they were developing their third studio album, targeting studio sessions late in the year with a release planned for early 2013. However, by March 2013, the album's launch was postponed until early 2014.
The group performed three shows in the UK during July 2012, initially arranged around the cancelled 2012 Sonisphere festival. These dates expanded into a comprehensive 17-date European tour spanning eleven countries, leveraging their strong following across Europe.
On 21 August 2012, "Memento Vivere" was unveiled on YouTube, marking their first new track in six years and debuting Hope’s vocals. The accompanying live footage originated from their European tour performances.
In December 2012, they supported Parkway Drive on the Australian and New Zealand "Atlas Tour." Early in 2013, Weinhofen departed from Bring Me The Horizon and confirmed that I Killed the Prom Queen would resume as a full-time endeavor.
JJ Peters amicably exited the band on 24 March 2013 to concentrate on Deez Nuts, with Shane O'Brien stepping in as his replacement. This transition left Weinhofen as the sole original member remaining, though he and Cameron had been principal songwriters since their debut EP.
During spring 2013, the band opened for Asking Alexandria on the "They Don't Pray for Us Tour" and for Whitechapel across US venues—marking their first American appearances in seven years. This was followed by an extensive Australian tour supported by Buried In Verona. Announced reunion shows featuring alternating vocals by Crafter and Butcher were later disclosed to be an April Fools' prank. Scheduled New Zealand dates were cancelled shortly before they were set to begin. Subsequently, they toured Europe and the UK as part of the Never Say Die tour headlined by Emmure.
In July 2013, Sean Kennedy announced his departure via Instagram; Ben Coyte took over bass duties and made his debut at Resurrection Fest.
After signing with Epitaph Records, I Killed the Prom Queen released Beloved in Australia on 14 February 2014 and in the United States on 18 February. Singles included "To the Wolves" released in December 2013, accompanied by music videos for "Thirty One & Sevens" in January and "Bright Enough" in July.
The band participated in every date of the 2015 Vans Warped Tour. From mid-2015 onward, Adrian Horsman from In Trenches joined them for live drum performances.
By August 2017, Weinhofen shared via Instagram that playing guitar was no longer among his primary focuses.
On 8 August 2018, I Killed the Prom Queen announced a reunion featuring their 'classic lineup' with Crafter for a singular performance at the 2019 Unify Gathering festival celebrating their debut album’s fifteenth anniversary. However, two days later Unify withdrew their invitation following resurfaced controversial remarks made by Crafter regarding gender equality in festival lineups. Crafter issued an apology; nonetheless, fan-led petitions were unsuccessful in reversing Unify’s decision.
On February 26, 2021, the band publicly mourned former bassist Sean Kennedy’s passing by suicide at age 35, which had occurred two days earlier.
In 2022, Michael Crafter toured with Confession performing songs from I Killed the Prom Queen’s catalog alongside Confession material as a tribute to Kennedy’s legacy.
25th Anniversary Reunion (2024–Present)
In September 2024, the group hinted at a potential reunion scheduled for 2025 through an Instagram post.
On 10 April 2025, the band officially revealed plans for a 25th anniversary tour set for October, showcasing tracks from their 2000 to 2008 era. The lineup of opening performers includes Emmure, To the Grave, and Threshold.
Band Members
Current
- Jona Weinhofen – lead guitar, clean vocals, keyboards (2000–2007, 2008, 2011–2016, 2025–present)
- JJ Peters – drums (2000–2007, 2008, 2011–2013, 2025–present)
- Michael Crafter – lead vocals (2001–2006, 2008, 2025–present)
- Kevin Cameron – rhythm guitar (2002–2007, 2008, 2011–2016, 2025–present)
- Jamie Hope – bass guitar and backing vocals (2025–present), lead vocals (2011–2016)
Former
- Lee Stacy – lead vocals (2000–2002)
- Simon O'Gorman – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2000–2002)
- Ben Engel – bass guitar (2000–2002)
- Leaton Rose – bass guitar (2002–2003)
- Sean Kennedy – bass guitar (2003–2007, 2008, 2011–2013; deceased 2021)
- Ed Butcher – lead vocals (2006–2007)
- Benjamin Coyte – bass guitar, backing vocals (2013–2016)
- Shane O'Brien – drums (2013–2016)
Timeline
Studio Albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| When Goodbye Means Forever... |
|
86 |
| Music for the Recently Deceased |
|
27 |
| Beloved |
|
6 |
Live Albums
| Album Title | Release Details | Peak Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Sleepless Nights and City Lights |
|
48 |
Extended Plays
| Title | Release Information |
|---|---|
| Choose to Love, Live or Die |
|
| Split CD (with Parkway Drive) |
|
| Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You |
|
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (AIR Awards) are held annually to honor and highlight achievements within Australia's independent music industry.
| Year | Work | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Sleepless Nights & City Lights | Best Independent Hard Rock/Punk Album | Nominated |
References
- Articles with short description
- Australian metalcore musical groups
- Musical groups from Adelaide
- Musical groups established in 2000
- Musical groups disestablished in 2007
- Musical groups reestablished in 2011
- Musical groups disestablished in 2016
- Musical groups reestablished in 2025
- 2000 establishments in Australia
- 2017 disestablishments in Australia
- Australian musical quintets
- Epitaph Records artists
- Eulogy Recordings artists
- Metal Blade Records artists