Scent of Remains: Southern Death Groove Metal from Knoxville, Tennessee

Herb Himes

Lead Guitar

Herb Himes cut his teeth in the Austin, Texas club scene playing for popular rock and metal bands such as Gypsy Rogue and Near Dark. He opened for many national touring acts in that time, watching and learning from as many musicians as possible, always trying to find a way to grow as an artist and performer.

Now in East Tennessee, Herb's Texas roots still shine through in many of the pounding, groove-driven riffs and blues-inspired solos that are hallmarks of the SOR sound today.

Herb spends a good deal of time listening to and playing the blues, and, like many guitar players, is inspired by the playing of SRV, Hendrix and Buddy Guy. However, it was his first time hearing Black Sabbath that set the wheels in motion, got him interested in being a musician at an early age and fed his undying passion for Metal music. Sabbath remains a tremendous influence today for him, with his Master of Reality disc never too far away for a little inspiration.

Live, Herb is known as a performer that leaves it all out on the stage each and every time out, playing with a fiery passion and energy that is contagious. He lives for music -- to write and to perform.

"Music is, to me, what makes life worth living. You'll be focused, deep in thought, and suddenly you hear the perfect song at the perfect time and it's like the planets align. Suddenly life courses through your veins at a million miles an hour and you feel powerful enough to consume entire galaxies and create new worlds."

Influences

Sabbath, of course
Jimi Hendrix
Billy Gibbons
Buddy Guy
Pepper Keenan
Ed Mundell
Thin Lizzy
Micheal Schenker (UFO Strangers in the Night best live album ever)
Opeth and other progressive death metal
Maiden, Priest and many NWBHM bands

Gear

Gibson Les Paul Guitars (currently have 3)
1985 Fender Stratocaster
LTD EC-1000 VB
Takamene Aciustic guitars
Engl Invader 150 E640
2 Marshall JVM 410H Heads
Marshall 1960A and B cabinets, and old-assed Carvin bottom 4x12 with Celestion 75s
Boss GT-10 effects processor
Decimator Noise Reduction
Snarling Dogs Brain Picks

Paul Shippers

Drums

Paul has been playing in bands since he was 14. A short list includes Black Eyed Susan, Vile, Suede Condom, Misery Index, Number 9, Hannover Fiste, and Nextpage. He has shared the stage with many great bands, with the most famous band being Sublime back in 1992. Although metal is his favorite musical style he is influenced by all types of music. more from Paul »

Influences

Paul's favorite band is Slayer

Gear

Tama drums
Zildjian cymbals
Vader sticks

Luc Nuytten

Rhythm Guitar

Luc has always had an affinity for all things musical and for the darker things in life. After various attempts at musical discipline growing up, he finally settled on the guitar at the age of 14. He was involved in various projects, including a short stint with industrial rockers id-Eration in San Angelo, Texas. When id-Eration disbanded in 2002, Luc went on a musical hiatus, and it is Scent of Remains that stirred the hellfires of his musical passion once again. more from Luc »

Influences

I run the gamut when it comes to listening to other people's music, but here are a few that really speak to me in some way or another:

Dream Theater
Equilibrium
Dark Tranquility
My Dying Bride
Agaloch

Gear

Gibson Les Paul Guitars
Ibanez RG5EX1 electric guitar
Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier 100W Head
Dual Mesa Boogie 4x12 speaker cabs
Dunlop MXR M-132 Super Comp compression pedal
Ernie Ball 6166 Mono Volume Pedal
Boss TU-2 chromatic stage tuner

Jeremy Powers

Bass

Michael Yates

Vocals

Born and raised in Memphis, Michael started in choir when he was around 10 and got his first drumset at 13 years old. He heard Metallica around the same time, thus he fell in love with metal. He got in to screaming after hearing Lamb of God, around 15 years old, and has been progressing ever since.
more from Michael »