The Agony Scene

Emerging from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the punishing American heavy metal outfit known as the Agony Scene fuses dark metalcore with deathcore in a volatile package. Formed in 2001, the band cycled through numerous members before locking in vocalist Michael Williams, guitarists Christopher Emmons and Johnny Lloyd, bassist Matthew Shannon, and drummer Brent Masters, at which point they signed with Chicago-based Solid State Records. Although the imprint specialized in Christian artists and the musicians had grown up in religious homes, they have made clear that their output remains largely secular. The self-titled debut appeared on Solid State in 2003.

The group then moved to Roadrunner Records for its second album, The Darkest Red, issued in May 2005 after Lloyd and Shannon exited and were succeeded by Steven Kaye on guitar and Brian Hodges on bass. The record spawned the single “Prey,” which appeared in the PlayStation Portable title Infected. Shortly afterward, Brent Masters departed and Ryan Folden took the drum chair, making his recorded debut on 2007’s Get Damned, released by Century Media. The band withdrew from a scheduled 2008 tour with Himsa and subsequently dissolved.

A handful of reunion shows in 2014 prompted the members to resume writing, initially planning an EP that expanded into a full-length. The resulting fourth studio album, Tormentor, surfaced in 2018 on Outerloop Records with a lineup featuring Michael Williams, Christopher Emmons, Brian Hodges, and Jay White.