Dreams of Damnation

Dreams of Damnation originated in 1992 when guitarist Jim Durkin and drummer Gene Hoglan assembled the group after Dark Angel, the influential 1980s thrash act, disbanded. The project operated intermittently in the death-metal realm and yielded a three-track demo that year, yet eight years passed before the next official output, the Let the Violence Begin EP. Hoglan had already moved on by then, serving as a session drummer for Death, Testament, and Strapping Young Lad among others, leaving Durkin to work with vocalist/bassist Charlie Silva and drummer Al Mendez. The 2003 release Vengeance, Pt. 1 EP brought in vocalist Loana DP Valencia and second guitarist Steve Gaines, formerly of Abattoir and Bloodlust. By 2006 the lineup had shifted again: Gaines, Silva, and Mendez departed, making room for rhythm guitarist Rick Alsup, bassist Matt Arner, and drummer Miguel A. Moran on the Epic Tales of Vengeance album.