Eternal Guardians are an American metalcore band from Illinois, USA, formed in 2001. The band consists of Jake Viera (vocals, lead guitar), Michel Jarvis (guitar, backing vocals), Kieran Winestead (bass), and Michael Olivera (drums). The band has played at Metal Oceania on a number of occasions. They announced their hiatus on May 20th 2009, but Jake Viera has confirmed the band will released a fourth album in mid-late 2010.
Formation[]
Childhood friends Michel Jarvis and Kieran Winestead (guitar and bass) posted in their local newspaper searching for a singer. They recruited also Illinois local Jake Viera, who then suggested his neighbour and friend Michael Olivera for drums. The band initally formed in 2001, but it was not until 2004 that they released their first studio album.
Night-Wings and Pallid Hands (2004)[]
After being signed in 2003, Eternal Guardians began recording their first album. On May 15 2004, almost a year after recording, Night-Wings and Pallid Hands was released. It sold around 50,000 copies but sales jumped after Eternal Guardians' hugely sucessful second album Childlike Empress, of which the title is taken from Michael Ende's The Neverending Story.
Childlike Empress (2006)[]
In late 2004, Eternal Guardians' driving force and producer Christopher "Magnellan" Owens died of a heart attack, age 52. Prior to his death, Owens had recommended that Eternal Guardians shift to the relatively new record company of his friend and fellow producer Jacob Vindic. Respecting Owens' wishes, Viera and the others relocated to Syracuse, New York and signed with Vindictive Records. From March to May of 2005 they recorded their second album with Vindic himself, and they may well owe their breakthrough to him. Childlike Empress was released in March 2006, and was critically acclaimed and sold a whopping 125,000 copies, skyrocketing Eternal Guardians into the metal scene.
A Little Less North of Salvation (2008)[]
In 2007, Eternal Guardians confirmed a third album was in the works, also with Vindictive Records. The next year was full of gruelling hard work and recording sessions, as Viera described shortly after the album's release "It was a hellishly impossible album to complete, even with Jacob's help. We're just glad we finished it". A Little Less North of Salvation was released more than a year after recording for it began, June 15 2008. The album was positively recieved, and Eternal Guardians were acclaimed for their work.
Hiatus and future fourth album (2009-)[]
After touring across the US and the UK, Eternal Guardians returned home and on May 20th 2009 Viera announced the band was on hiatus to work on other things such as side projects and family. A few months later, in September's Metalix he said that after a break Eternal Guardians will hit the studio again for a fourth album. Viera and Jarvis are concentrating on family, while Winestead is working with side project Desmodium, and Olivera is guest drumming on Morgue For Maria's third album, and then will be "taking a well needed break". Michael Olivera has temporarily joined Morgue For Maria after drummer Jon Karr (ex-Fervor) quit after barely three months. He has reported that he will play with the band until they find a replacement, and if not, will play for an extended period due to Eternal Guardian's hiatus.
The band announced on August 20th that their hiatus would end after Michael Olivera returns from Morgue For Maria tour dates, and that a new album will arrive in the near future. Vocalist Jake Viera has commented on the events: "With the next album we really want to take the next logical step, I can't reveal anything yet because nothing's set in stone and we haven't really jammed together for a six months or so, although we still catch up, I caught Mike playing with Morgue For Maria and the energy was fantastic; he's an excellent drummer and a generous guy for helping out our friends in MFM. Mich has also been busy, his wife had twins in June, so he's been a busy dad; and I've been doing family things too. Kieran's got his new side-project which has just kicked off, so we're all taking some time off not because we feel stressed or sick of each other, but because we've been hammering along for the past six years touring, recording and partying non-stop. But Eternal Guardians will be recording this year, all four of us have made the decision and we are looking forward to reuniting with our fans across the world!"
Eternal Guardians have been booked for a November appearance at Sounds of Death and Doom in Europe; but the band themselves have yet to confirm if the shows are going to happen or not. Jake Viera commented in a November 2010 interview that the band would enter the studio in the new year and hope to release a fourth album in 2011.
Band members[]
- Current members
- Jake Viera (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) (2001-present)
- Michel Jarvis (guitar, backing vocals) (2001-present)
- Kieran Winestead (bass) (2001-present)
- Michael Olivera (drums) (2001-present)
Discography[]
- Night-Wings and Pallid Hands (2004)
- Childlike Empress (2006)
- A Little Less North of Salvation (2008)
- Untitled Fourth Album (2011)