Rise to Remain
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Defunct | 2015 |
| Headquarters | London , England, United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Rise to Remain was an English heavy metal group originating from London, established in 2006 and disbanded in 2015. They appeared at prominent events such as Download Festival and Sonisphere Festival, undertaking extensive tours throughout the UK and Europe. Their discography includes three EPs, initially distributed mainly through viral releases on MySpace. On 16 March 2011, they secured their first major label deal with EMI Records, coinciding with the launch of their official website and the complimentary release of the single "The Serpent."
Their first full-length album, City of Vultures, debuted on 5 September 2011 after nearly a year of production, overseen by renowned metal producers Colin Richardson and Carl Bown. In 2014, they issued the single "Over and Over," marking their final musical release.
The band earned praise from leading industry magazines such as Metal Hammer and Kerrang!. Notably, Metal Hammer distributed a condensed edition of their nationwide EP, Bridges Will Burn. Their tracks received airplay on BBC Radio One and Total Rock, while their music videos were frequently broadcast on Scuzz and Kerrang! TV. Rise to Remain won the "Best New Band" title at the 2010 Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, determined by over 400,000 votes worldwide, and also claimed the "Best British Newcomer" award at the 2010 Kerrang! Awards.
In January 2015, the band announced their dissolution. Following this, vocalist Austin Dickinson (son of Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson), bassist Connor O'Keefe, and guitarist Will Homer formed a new ensemble named As Lions.
Halide (2006–2008)
Late in 2006, Ben Tovey (son of conductor Bramwell Tovey) and Will Homer (previously with Hours Past), along with school friends, founded a side project in London called "Halide." Austin Dickinson—formerly part of The Oath and son of Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson—joined after their bands shared a bill at the "Tufnell Park Dome." Halide toured locally and across the UK, releasing a three-track EP via MySpace that gained significant viral traction. This exposure led to higher-profile gigs alongside groups such as Biomechanical, Eternal Lord, and Exit Ten. They organized a UK tour with Terrorlapse and supported acts including Viatrophy, Sylosis, Anterior, and Malefice. Early in 2008, while opening for Sylosis at Islington Academy, they were offered a spot on Download Festival’s third stage at Donington Park. Following this opportunity, lineup changes occurred—bassist Joe Copcutt and drummer Pat Lundy (both ex-members of 12 Ton Method) joined—and the band rebranded as Rise to Remain, preserving early tracks like "Purify," "Illusive Existence," "Salvation," and "Fracture."
Rise to Remain & Bridges Will Burn EP (2008–2010)
Soon after adopting the name Rise to Remain, they played their last show as Halide at Camden Rock Bar. Their appearance at Download Festival attracted industry attention, resulting in representation by agent Paul Ryan. In summer 2008, they independently released their debut EP under the new name, titled Becoming One.
Their activity ramped up as they opened for local bands such as Exit Ten and Viatrophy, toured with Holy Grail, and supported established acts including Shadows Fall, Five Finger Death Punch, The Haunted, and Trivium. Festival performances included Sonisphere and Download. They recorded a rendition of Judas Priest’s "The Rage" for a tribute CD issued by Metal Hammer. Although briefly signed to indie label Transcend Records during the recording of Bridges Will Burn, this contract dissolved before any releases; consequently, the band remained unsigned and distributed the EP for free alongside Metal Hammer magazine in 2010.
On 14 June 2010, Rise to Remain earned the "Best New Band" accolade at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards through a global vote exceeding 400,000 participants. That same year saw them win "Best British Newcomer" at the Kerrang! Awards. In October 2010, they supported Korn on their UK tour; subsequently performing with Funeral for a Friend, before joining Bullet for My Valentine’s European tour in November after Escape the Fate withdrew. As a result, they withdrew from a UK tour supporting both As I Lay Dying and Suicide Silence, but returned to support Hatebreed in December.
Between July and November 2010, Rise to Remain worked on their debut album with producer Colin Richardson, known for his collaborations with bands like Carcass, Machine Head, and Bullet for My Valentine.
Signing with a Major Label & City of Vultures Era (2011–2012)
In early 2011, the group served as the opening act for Iron Maiden during their Singapore and Indonesia tour dates. They also appeared at Australia's Soundwave Festival, sharing the stage with bands such as Sevendust, Stone Sour, and Queens of the Stone Age. Upon returning to the UK, they secured a deal with major label EMI Records and released the single "The Serpent" from their first album, which garnered thousands of downloads within just one day. Between March and April, they supported Funeral for a Friend on a headline tour and performed at prominent festivals including Download, Sonisphere (across the UK, Switzerland, Italy, and France), Hevy Festival, and Graspop.
Their debut full-length album, City of Vultures, was launched on 5 September 2011, entering the UK charts at No. 83 and reaching No. 10 in India. To promote the release, the band embarked on a 19-date UK headline tour starting on 7 September, with support from The Safety Fire and Bleed from Within. Although a US tour supporting Chimera was initially scheduled, it was canceled after an opportunity arose to back Machine Head in North America the following year. In November 2011, they toured Europe as support for Trivium and In Flames; this extended into December with their participation in the UK leg of the Defenders of the Faith III Tour, alongside Ghost and Insense.
For Kerrang! Magazine’s tribute album commemorating Nevermind's 20th anniversary, Rise to Remain contributed a cover of "Breed," joining other artists like The Dillinger Escape Plan and Evile.
Following their European tour conclusion, plans were made to support Machine Head’s North American tour beginning January 2012 alongside Suicide Silence and Darkest Hour. However, on 6 January 2012, bassist Joe Copcutt and drummer Pat Lundy exited the band—Lundy later joined Funeral for a Friend while Copcutt became part of British-Canadian supergroup AxeWound—resulting in Rise to Remain withdrawing from the US tour. Consequently, the North American release of City of Vultures, originally set for 24 January 2012 to coincide with that tour, was postponed.
Drummer Adam Lewin and bassist Josh Hammond joined for their second UK headline tour in March 2012. Hammond departed shortly thereafter; Conor O'Keefe was announced as his successor in June via Facebook.
The US version of City of Vultures, released on 5 June 2012, featured four exclusive bonus tracks recorded specifically for this edition along with all four official music videos ("Nothing Left," "Power Through Fear," "The Serpent," "This Day Is Mine"). On 8 June 2012, Rise to Remain and Cancer Bats were slated to perform on Download Festival’s main stage but were removed due to adverse weather conditions; Cancer Bats later played on a smaller stage.
From 13 June to 5 August 2012, Rise to Remain participated in the Vans Warped Tour—their inaugural North American tour—sharing billing with bands such as Miss May I, Born of Osiris, For Today, Chelsea Grin, The Ghost Inside, Breathe Carolina, Sleeping with Sirens, Pierce the Veil, and Taking Back Sunday.
Second Album Development, Disbandment & Formation of As Lions (2013–2015)
In 2013, Rise to Remain commenced writing material for their sophomore album. Prior to opening Download Festival on 14 June that year, they held an intimate headline show in London where they introduced the new track "Over and Over." The single premiered on Radio 1's Rock Show on 10 February 2014.
The band announced their breakup in January 2015; members Will Homer, Conor O'Keefe, and Austin Dickinson proceeded together under a new project named As Lions, while Ben Tovey and Adam Lewin chose not to continue with further musical endeavors.
Musical Style and Influences
Rise to Remain primarily operated within the metalcore genre, drawing heavily from heavy metal and hard rock traditions. Austin Dickinson cited inspirations including Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, Slipknot, Pantera, Metallica, Deftones, Rage Against the Machine, Unearth, All That Remains, Trivium, In Flames, Shadows Fall, Bullet for My Valentine, Rush, Nirvana, and Machine Head. Vocalists such as Chino Moreno (Deftones), Mike Patton (Faith No More), and Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage) were noted as key influences on his singing style. The band recorded covers including Judas Priest’s "The Rage," Metallica’s "Enter Sandman," and Nirvana’s "Breed" for a tribute compilation.
Guitarist Ben Tovey acknowledged influences like Metallica, Pantera, Sepultura, Fear Factory, Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, Bullet for My Valentine, Iron Maiden, Linkin Park, Ill Niño, Limp Bizkit, Hatebreed, Lamb of God, and All That Remains.
Band Members
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 Final Lineup
- Ben Tovey – lead guitar (2006–2015)
- Will Homer – rhythm guitar (2006–2015)
- Austin Dickinson – vocals (2007–2015)
- Conor O'Keefe – bass (2012–2015)
- Adam Lewin – drums (2012–2015)
Template:Col-2 Previous Members
- Theo Tan – bass (2006–2008)
- Ali White – drums (2007–2008)
- Aubrey Jackson-Blake – synthesizer (2007–2008)
- Timothy Shelley – drums (2007)
- Joe Copcutt – bass (2008–2012)
- Pat Lundy – drums (2008–2012)
- Josh Hammond – bass (2012)
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Discography
| Studio Album | Release Year | Additional Details |
|---|---|---|
| City of Vultures | 2011 | Full-Length Album |
| Extended Plays | Release Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Illusive Existence | 2007 | Released under the name Halide |
| Becoming One | 2008 | EP Release |
| Bridges Will Burn | 2010 | EP Release |
| Music Video | Release Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Bridges Will Burn | 2010 | Ramon Boutviseth |
| The Serpent | 2011 | Ben Smith |
| Nothing Left | 2011 | Shane Davey |
| Power Through Fear | 2012 | Shane Davey |
| Talking in Whispers | 2012 | Jamie Carter |