Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi emerged as a Christian metal outfit based in Cincinnati, Ohio, when guitarists Jarrod Christman, who supplied the group’s clean vocals, and Jon Pauly assembled the initial roster. Bassist Phil Smith, harsh vocalist Will Henry, and drummer Justin Evans completed the lineup. Their sound fused thrash and death metal into a hook-driven style shaped by At the Gates and In Flames. The musicians openly identified as followers of Christ, a stance reflected in the band’s Latin name meaning “Body Of Christ” and in lyrics that repeatedly invoked Christ while dramatizing the cosmic struggle between the Abrahamic God and his fallen angel, Satan. Victory Records issued the band’s debut album, The Darker Shades of White, in 2009. Midway through the Scream The Prayer tour, departures left only Christman, who recruited temporary players to fulfill remaining dates. With the revised roster of lead guitarist Derek Ayres, bassist Caleb Rhoads, drummer Andy Poling, and vocalist Max O’Connell, the group recorded its second album, A Feast For Crows, released by Victory in July 2010.