Warbringer Family Tree

Metal Family Tree

This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

Warbringer are one of the more aggressive new wave of thrash bands. In more recent albums their sound has become more dynamic. They have been combining all of their influences at times into something I would call melodic death/thrash, but still being very much rooted in their thrash sound. Warbringer’s writing is normally a group effort. Although the band has some more classic metal influences along side their heavier ones, it is the thrash and early death that come through in their early sound but more melody can be heard in more recent years.

The band that started it all, Black Sabbath. Not an obvious influence but it’s hard to find metal bands not influenced by Black Sabbath.

The metal gods Judas Priest are among the most important band in all of metal. Although their influence is obvious in Warbringer it is a band that has influenced them. It can certainly be heard on the album opener “Horizon” with the intro.

The biggest band to come out of the NWOBHM, Iron Maiden. Their influences isn’t obvious in Warbringer, but it is a band they for sure love. You can hear them throw in some Maiden style harmonies in “Treacherous Tongue” or in “Iron City”.

The fathers of thrash, it’s no surprise to see Metallica on any metal tree. Adam named them as an influence on the band.

Often over looked, Artillery are thrashers from Denmark who although their first full album wasn’t until 85 they released their first demo in 82 the same year as the earliest thrash bands. Kevill named their Inheritance album as one of his favorites.

Slayer was more than any band before brought an evil and aggressive sound to thrash like few have. Kevill names Reign in Blood as one of his favorite albums.

Ronnie James Dio had his time in Black Sabbath and Rainbow before starting his own band. The legendary Dio is a classic loved by Warbringer even if it isn’t obvious.

Megadeth, one of the big fore and the band around the father of thrash, Dave Mustaine. John says Rust in Piece is the album that made him want to play guitar.

The Fathers of Death metal. Death are an influence an a ton of bands including Warbringer.

Helloween is the band that pretty much invented power metal band combining thrash, speed and traditional. Kevill and John both name them as an early influence.

Right next to the fathers of death we have the fathers of black metal Bathory. Although after Venom, Bathory’s first album set the precedent for what black metal would be. They are an influence on Warbringer who covered their song “Sacrifice”.

The biggest thrash metal band to come out of Germany, Kreator. Along with the other German thrashers, Kreator added an aggression to thrash that had not been seen before. Now they maintain their aggressive sound with a ton of melody thrown in. Kevill says they were the first thrash band that really clicked for him and says they are his all time favorite band having huge influence on Warbringer’s music.

Old school death legends, Obituary. They are one of Warbringer’s death influences.

Sepultura got really well known after they began with a more groove metal sound however they were a very heavy thrash band before even pushing out some death/thrash in the early days. Kevill named Beneath the Remains as a favorite album.

Morbid Angle a important death metal band. Kevill named them as one of their death metal influences.

Malevolent Creation are a kick ass death metal band. They are one of Warbringer’s death metal influences.

Grave is an early Swedish death metal band. They have a influence on Warbringer’s heavier side.

New York thrashers Demolition Hammer released their first demo in 88 and first album in 90. Kevill names their Epidemic of Violence as a favorite album. A lot of similarities can be heard in the two bands.

From the Swedish death metal scene, Dismember. One of Warbringer’s death influences.

Swedish death metal legends, Entombed. An influence on Warbringer’s death metal side

Before Kreator, Kevill said he was more into Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Blind Guardian, and early Helloween all of which show up in other interviews except Blind Guardian.

Carlos Cruz although drummer is also a main song writer in the band as a guitarist. His early drum influences come from stuff like Lincoln Park, Slipknot, and System of a Down. Later he got into punk and metal naming Lars Urich and then Gar Samuelson and Mike Portnoy. He also is influenced by jazz influenced/Spanish/Latin percussion and old school death meta. H names other influences and things he listens to that are very diverse.

Other members of Warbringer have come and gone. I excluded them from the list because their time with the band has been inconsistent or short lived.

Sources:
https://metalinjection.net/editorials/thrashbringer/warbringers-vocalist-discusses-kreators-influence-in-new-column
https://www.powerofmetal.dk/interviews14/warbringer_interview.html
https://www.noizze.co.uk/single-post/2017/06/06/Warbringer---Interview-with-John-Kevill
http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/musicians/interview-john-laux.htm
http://myaclais.blogspot.com/2013/07/john-laux-de-warbringer.html
http://allabouttherock.co.uk/interview-with-warbringer/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=214&v=j5rGeBZfF3k&feature=emb_logo
https://reviewfix.com/2011/11/review-fix-exclusive-carlos-cruz/