In a city where hardcore metal competition is anything but soft, Atlanta's THREAT OF LIFE is proving to be one of its premier acts. Formed in 2003, THREAT OF LIFE has played shows from Florida to Illinois gaining a broad fan base all the way. Enduring the normal trials attributed to line-up completion, this band settled on no detail and rounded out theperfect gouping:J.D. on vocals,Bill McCullough on guitar, Ryan Ashhurst on bass and Matt Smith on drums.
With a line-up whose individual members' musical intrests are so exstensive, never has a band sounded so aware of song writing intent while paying no mind to cliche genre boundries. THREAT OF LIFE is supported by its own graduating momentum and will continue to be the act that is hard to beat and impossible to follow.
Matt Smith (drums) has been playing for sixteen years, fourteen of which in bands. His musical influences range from jazz-fusion to death metal. In 1997 while attending The Atlanta Institute of Music, he met another AIM student named Bill McCullough. Upon colliding at the 2002 Slayer show, the writing process began, and Threat of Life was conceived.
Bill McCullough (guitar) hails from a small town in Illinois, where he began his career at age thirteen. From the start, musical composition was no stranger. “I have no influences in music - just life itself.” When he and Matt started throwing ideas around they knew they wanted to do something heavy, yet had no planned direction. “You might say we, as a band, have no planned direction, as life itself refuses to be planned.”
JD (lungs) has, for over ten years, been playing and/or singing in bands. While looking for a band with the intention of finding a new musical direction (something deeper and positive), he stumbled into Matt and Bill, who were on the same track as he. The lyrics written by JD are honest, provoking and anyone can relate to them.
Ryan Ashhurst (Bass) has been involved in music and instruction since he was 12. From competition bagpipes at The Citadel Military College, tosax/tuba/double bass and speed metal, music runs thru this audiophilesveins. Son of a military family Ryan hails from many places around the worldand plans to see them again this time with a bass in his hand. Between music and work he and Billy have kept in touch. Playing and writing together in a
band only seemed natural when the opportunity presented itself.
Although their influences are extensive, with styles ranging from bluegrass to hardcore, Threat of Life’s music can only be described as “Ground breaking ”. These four men write music they like, rather than backing themselves into any particular corner. They do this because they love music; it’s their passion and their lives. What they are doing now is technical, intricate, brutal and just plain fun. Like other bands that have left footsteps to follow, Threat of Life’s music best serves it’s purpose when witnessed live. This is when they pay their respects to all the bands and musicians who have inspired them throughout their lives. With the intensity and honesty that Threat of Life exhibits in their music, even people who hate it can’t help but like it.
