Motionless in White
Motionless in White is a metalcore band from Scranton, Pennsylvania, formed in 2005 and currently signed to Roadrunner Records. Founding members are Chris Motionless, Angelo Parente, Frank Polumbo and Kylie White. After several lineup changes, the band now consists of vocalist Chris Cerulli (Chris Motionless), three guitarists Ricky Olson (Ricky Horror) and Ryan Sitkowski, Justin Morrow and drummer Vinny Mauro.
To date, the group has released three EPs with The Whorror in 2007, When Love Met Destruction a year later, and a 1,000-copy limited edition split CD with The Word Alive released exclusively in Japan in 2009. The first two EPs were released via Masquerade and Tragic Hero Records respectively, while the split EP was released via Triple Vision Entertainment. After a move to Fearless Records, the band released three studio albums. The debut album Creatures was released in 2010, followed two years later by Infamous. In September 2014, the group released Reincarnate, their third studio album, which charted for the first time outside the United States in the United Kingdom and Australia, while the first two albums only charted domestically. In May of 2017, the release of their fourth studio album Graveyard Shift followed a move to Roadrunner Records.
The band plays metalcore. Some critics describe the music as "horror metal". The sound is characterized by heavy-playing guitar riffs, occasional blastbeats, breakdowns and keyboard inserts. The musicians describe groups from various styles of the rock and metal scene such as Rammstein, The Black Dahlia Murder, Depeche Mode and Twisted Sister as their musical influences. The lyrics deal with the musicians' personal experiences, criticism of the music industry, historical figures, fictional characters and myths.
The band has toured in North and South America, Europe and Australia. While there, the group has been featured with bands such as Asking Alexandria, Pierce the Veil, While She Sleeps, Betraying the Martyrs, All That Remains, For the Fallen Dreams, Marilyn Manson, In This Moment, and A Day to Remember. The group has played multiple times on Warped Tour and at Soundwave Festival.
History
Foundation and first years
Motionless in White was formed in 2005 in Scranton, Pennsylvania by singer Chris Motionless, drummer Angelo Parente, guitarist Frank Polumbo and electric bassist Kyle White, who were all in high school at the time. The group released their first demo that same year. Less than a year later, Josh Balz joined the group as keyboardist and Frank Polumbo switched to electric bass. Two new guitarists, Michael Constanza and TJ Bell, were added, which led to Kyle White leaving and Chris Motionless becoming the band's lead singer.
In 2007, the group released The Whorror, their first professional EP via Masquerade Records. During concert tours to promote the EP, the group wrote material for their debut album. Even the fact that Masquerade Records was a local record label didn't stop the band from producing their album. This was called When Love Met Destruction and was released in 2008. The album was sold during the 2008 Warped Tour, with guitarist Michael Constanza being replaced by Ryan Sitkowski as guitarist. The group's performance on the Warped Tour brought Motionless in White to the attention of larger music labels, resulting in the band being signed to Tragic Hero Records. By the end of 2008, another switch occurred, this time to Fearless Records. However, the reissue of the album When Love Met Destruction was released on February 17, 2009 via Tragic Hero. The band filmed their very first music video for the group's very first single, Ghost in the Mirror.
Cast Changes and Creatures
After the re-release of When Love Met Destruction, bassist Polumbo parted ways with the band for unexplained reasons, bringing in Ricky Horror as a new musician in October 2009. On August 26, 2009, a split EP with The Word Alive was released exclusively in Japan. This EP was released via Triple Vision Entertainment and is limited to 1,000 copies. In May 2010, the band moved into the studio with producer Andrew Wade to work on their debut album. On August 30, 2010, Abigail, the first single, was released via Revolver Magazine. A music video was not shot and released until months later. An additional video was produced for each of the tracks Creatures, Immaculate Misconception, and Puppets (The First Snow), the latter being a live video the group showed during the 2011 Allstars Tour. Creatures was officially released on October 12, 2010 via Fearless Records. The album entered the official US album chart at number 175, where it only managed to stay for one week.
On May 4, 2011, TJ Bell was kicked out of the band. The reason was, among other things, his participation as a session musician with Escape the Fate, during his own concert tour. According to the band, Bell belatedly informed them of his substitute work with Escape the Fate. As a result, the group had to complete their tour with only one guitarist. After the announcement of the dismissal, Ricky Horror switched from electric bass to rhythm guitar. The first concert tours after Bell's dismissal, including the European tour with Blessthefall and Pierce the Veil between September and October, were accompanied by an unknown bassist, who was later announced as Devin Sola and officially introduced as the new permanent band member on November 27, 2011. In early 2012, the group covered the song My Friend of Misery by Metallica for a tribute covers album to The Black Album, which was later featured as a CD supplement in the UK's Kerrang! The group also toured Australia as the opening act for Marilyn Manson.
Growing Awareness and Infamous
In March and February 2012, the group played an Australian tour as part of the Soundwave Festival. Between June 16 and August 5, 2012, the group played the Monster Energy Stage as part of the Warped Tour with groups such as Chelsea Grin, Blessthefall, For Today, Mayday Parade, and Every Time I Die. The group worked with various producers, including musicians Tim Skold and Jason Suecof to allow their musical range further latitude. On September 25, 2012, Devil's Night, the first single from their second studio album, was released; a music video followed in November. The second single, If It's Dead, We'll Kill It was released in early October. On November 13, 2012, Infamous, the band's second album, was officially released. It entered the US album chart at number 53.
In March 2013, shortly after the end of their European tour as support band for Asking Alexandria, drummer Angelo Parente declared his retirement from Motionless in White. He justified this step by saying that it was time for him to try something new. The split was by mutual agreement with no indication of internal differences. Brandon Richter joined the group as the new drummer. In June and August, the group played 26 concerts across the United States and Canada as part of the Mayhem Festival. This was followed by their first concert tour of South America with Asking Alexandria. On June 11, 2013, Infamous was reissued as a special edition with additional remix tracks by Celldweller, Combichrist and Ricky Horror. In addition, the music video for A-M-E-R-I-C-A was released, which was produced by Slipknot percussionist Shawn Crahan. In September 2013, the band played their first headlining concert tour of the United Kingdom, which was accompanied by Glamour of the Kill and The Defiled. This was followed in October and November by another support tour of North America for In This Moment on their Hellpop Tour. In December, Motionless in White opened for All That Remains.
Renewed search for musicians, Reincarnate and the international breakthrough
On January 23, 2014, the group announced a short concert tour with Like Moths to Flames and For the Fallen Dreams. After this tour, the musicians went into the studio to begin work on their now third album. This was followed in February 2014 by the announcement that the group would be playing the main stage of Warped Tour for the first time. On the same day, the band and Fearless Records announced that they would be covering the song Du Hast by Rammstein for Punk Goes 90s Vol. 2. At the end of the month, Brandon Richter released that he would be leaving the group again. On April 23, 2014, the album, which is called Reincarnate, was announced via social media for mid-September. The musicians announced that they would work as a quintet, which would be supported by session musicians at concerts. On June 11, 2014, the cover artwork was unveiled. Reincarnate was officially released in North America and the United Kingdom on September 16, 2014. In Germany, the album was released three days later. In Australia and the United Kingdom, the album charted on the official album chart, marking the first chart entry of an album for the band outside of the United States.
In September and October 2014, the group opened for A Day to Remember in North America with Bring Me the Horizon. This was followed by a European tour in October and November 2014 as co-headliners with Lacuna Coil. From February 20, 2015 to March 29, 2015, the band toured the United States and Canada with For Today and Ice Nine Kills. On March 5, 2015, the group was involved in a traffic accident in which none of the band members were injured. The group announced that they would continue with their current tour despite the incident. On the first weekend of June 2015, the group will perform for the first time at Rock am Ring and Rock im Park. The group was already confirmed for the sister festivals in the Vulkaneifel and Nuremberg in February. About a month later, Motionless in White opened for Lamb of God and Slipknot. This tour ended in September. Prior to that, the band completed a co-headlining tour with Bullet for My Valentine between July 8 and 18, 2015, which took them through Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia. In October and November 2015, the group played with Upon a Burning Body in support of The Devil Wears Prada. A tour with Chelsea Grin and New Years Day, which was scheduled to tour the United Kingdom in November, was postponed to 2016 due to the terrorist attacks in Paris in mid-November. The group was part of A Day to Remember and The Amity Affliction's Big Ass Tour, which took place in Australia between 12 and 20 December 2015.
Label Change and Graveyard Shift
In an interview conducted by the group Backstage on July 22, 2015 during the Alternative Press Music Awards, the group announced that they had begun preliminary work on the follow-up to Reincarnate. On January 4, 2016, it was announced that the band would no longer be releasing their fourth album through Fearless Records.
On June 22, 2016, the group offered their new stand-alone single 570 as a free download for one day. It was also announced that the band had signed a record deal with Roadrunner Records. The album was announced for 2017. Two days later, the group embarked on a concert tour of the United States as part of the Warped Tour, which concludes on August 13, 2016. The festival tour features the group on Monster Energy Party Zone with Bullet for My Valentine, Crown the Empire and The Color Morale, among others. In September and October 2016, the band will play across the United States with Korn and Breaking Benjamin as part of the Nocturnal Underground Tour. In mid-October, Motionless in White was announced for sister festivals Rock am Ring and Rock im Park.
On October 31, 2016, the title of what is now their fourth studio album was announced. It is called Graveyard Shift and was released worldwide on May 5, 2017.
Josh Balz announced his departure from the band in mid-January 2017.
Devin Sola at Rock am Ring in Mendig, 2015.
Chris Cerulli live at Rock am Ring 2017
Chris "Motionless" Cerulli during a gig in Cologne, Germany
Motionless in White live at Rock am Ring 2017
Style
Fearnet describes Motionless in White's music as "horror metal". Typical song structures of the band feature intricate guitar riffs, occasional blast beats during the verses and the use of breakdowns. The use of a keyboard gives the sound on the debut album Creatures a "deep and dark atmosphere". On the second album Infamous, the group moved in the paths of Marilyn Manson, according to Alternative Press, Revolver and Kerrang!
The musicians have said in several interviews that they are influenced by a majority of bands from different genres of music in rock and metal, including August Burns Red, It Dies Today, Slipknot, Rammstein, Rob Zombie, Christian Death, Twisted Sister, Depeche Mode and The Black Dahlia Murder.
Motionless in White lyrics are provided on a personal basis. The main lyricist is Chris Motionless. So you can find in his (earlier) lyrics criticism towards the church (Immaculate Misconception), his own past (Cobwebs, Count Chocolitis) and broken relationships and their consequences (Puppets (The First Snow)). But also historical figures like Jack the Ripper (London in Terror), Abigail Williams (Abigail), fictional characters like Edward with the Scissorhands (Scissorhands (The Last Snow)) and DexterMorgan (Dark Passenger) are taken up. Likewise, mythological occurrences such as the legend of Sleepy Hollow (Undead Ahead) find mention in his lyrics. The song Creatures was written by fans of the group. For this the group arranged a competition in which fans could send a short part to the musicians, which the group transcribes into a song text.
