Tremonti (band)

Tremonti is an American heavy metal band founded and fronted by lead vocalist and guitarist Mark Tremonti, best known as the lead guitarist of the American rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. The band also consists of rhythm guitarist Eric Friedman and drummer Garrett Whitlock. Bassist Wolfgang Van Halen was in the band between 2012 and 2017.

What originally started as a Mark Tremonti solo project evolved into a fully fledged band after the release of the group's first album, All I Was, in July 2012. That album featured Tremonti himself playing guitar in addition to lead vocals, and the band was joined by Tremonti's Creed and Alter Bridge bandmate Brian Marshall playing bass on tour until his departure later that year. He was replaced by Van Halen bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, who contributed to the band's second album, Cauterize, which was released in June 2015. The band also released the album Dust in April 2016, serving as a continuation to Cauterize. Tremonti's fourth album, A Dying Machine, was released in June 2018. The band's music is a departure from Mark Tremonti's main bands, featuring more of a speed metal influence with melodic vocals.

History
Tremonti began expressing interest in releasing a solo album in 2010. "The bands are so different," he said of his two current main projects. "And I write so much. I'm going to do a solo record because there are some songs that I'd hate to think wouldn't see the light of day because they don't work for Creed or Alter Bridge." He is playing guitar and singing lead on all of the songs himself, and former Submersed members Eric Friedman and Garrett Whitlock perform on the record as well. Tremonti described the music as "melody driven," and in a May 2011 interview, Tremonti said that it would be a "heavier-sounding" thrash metal album. He later said that the album is "probably heavier than either Creed or Alter Bridge," and that it would have "lots of soloing." On January 20, 2012, Tremonti launched a website for his album where fans can sign up to receive news, previews, live streams, and giveaways. A list of working song titles was also included on the webpage, as well as the album title, All I Was. He later launched a new website for his work after the album's release. It was set for a July 10, 2012, release on FRET12 Records under the management of Dan Tremonti & Tim Tournier. "You Waste Your Time" will be the first single from the album, and according to FMQB, "You Waste Your Time" would be released to active rock radio stations in May 2012. The entire song was made available for listening on May 6, 2012, one day before its release, on Loudwire.com. One day after its release, the song reached number 10 on the iTunes Rock Songs Chart, and Tremonti's live music video for it premiered on May 17, 2012, on Noisecreep. The album's official release date was announced on Ultimate Guitar Archive as July 17, 2012. His solo band originally consisted of Friedman and Whitlock alongside Alter Bridge and Creed bassist Brian Marshall playing bass guitar as a touring member. The band performed its first solo concert at The Social in Orlando, Florida, on July 17, 2012, with the performance filmed for a future video release. Wolfgang Van Halen replaced Brian Marshall as a touring bassist in September 2012.

In 2013 Mark Tremonti regrouped with Alter Bridge to record the album Fortress. After a tour, in 2014, Tremonti began recording their second album with Wolfgang Van Halen playing bass. On March 3, 2015, Tremonti released a sample of the song "Radical Change" whilst revealing the album title Cauterize and the track listing for the upcoming second album. On Tuesday, March 17, 2015, Tremonti released another song preview for the track "Flying Monkeys" and also gave a concrete release date of June 9, 2015 for Cauterize. On March 20, 2015, Tremonti unveiled via Twitter that the first single, titled "Another Heart", would be released Tuesday, March 24, 2015. On March 23, 2015, the single Another Heart was made available for streaming via FRET12. On March 27, 2015, the artwork for Cauterize was revealed, and it was revealed that it will be the first of two albums to be released as the two albums were recorded together. The second single off the new album, titled "Flying Monkeys", was released in the US on May 15, 2015 and is available for digital download via iTunes. The album was released June 4, 2015 in Australia, being a day earlier than the region's set release date for the new album. The third album titled Dust which released on April 29, 2016, "after [they] record the Alter Bridge record and [they] have that three or four month gap, [he]'ll be looking to tour on it to support it." Tremonti said he "wanted to make sure both albums flowed dynamically. If there were two slow moody songs, [he]'d put one on each album, same thing if there were two really heavy aggressive songs, [he] would split them up evenly. There's isn't a specific theme to one or the other. Each record is mixed" and that "it's definitely not the 'b-sides' of this album."

Mark Tremonti, in February, announced the band's new album A Dying Machine to be released on June 8, 2018 through Napalm Records. The album is produced by Michael Baskette, who produced all the band's previous albums and the last four Alter Bridge records as well. The listening party and performance event for A Dying Machine are both scheduled for May 12. Tremonti will support Iron Maiden on their European tour in June 2018. Due to the unforeseen weather situation being created by Hurricane Florence, the start of the Autumn tour was postponed. The September 13 show opening for Seether in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at the House Of Blues was canceled. The headline scheduled for September 14 in Greensboro, North Carolina] at the Cone Denim Entertainment Center has been rescheduled for October 13 and fans with tickets for September 14 were compensated for the new date. Along with the canceled dates, drummer Garrett Whitlock didn't tour with the band due to a necessary leave of absence for undisclosed personal reasons. Ryan Bennett, a longtime friend of guitarist Eric Friedman, filled in on drums when the tour kicked off in Philadelphia on September 15. After the band's tour with Sevendust in April, Tremonti said he will go back recording new Alter Bridge record set for October 2019, while interminently tour with his band: "We're gonna go into studio in March and April. And then after that, I go back on tour with Tremonti and then go back on tour with Alter Bridge this winter."

Band members
Current members Former members
 * Eric Friedman – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (2011–present) ); bass guitar (2012;2017–2018)
 * Mark Tremonti – lead and rhythm guitar, lead vocals (2011–present)
 * Garrett Whitlock – drums, percussion (2011–present)
 * Wolfgang Van Halen – bass guitar, backing vocals (2012–2016)

Touring musicians
 * Brian Marshall – bass guitar (2011–2012)
 * Tanner Keegan – bass guitar (2015–present)
 * Ryan Bennett – drums, percussion (2018)

Discography
Studio albums
 * All I Was (2012)
 * Cauterize (2015)
 * Dust (2016)
 * A Dying Machine (2018)