The Kindred

Ottawa, Ontario gave rise to the Kindred, a Canadian progressive metal ensemble formed in 2006 by vocalist David Journeaux and drummer Mike Ieradi. Originally operating as Today I Caught the Plague, the group expanded to incorporate guitarists Ben Davis and Steve Rennie, keyboardist Matt Young, and bassist Eric Stone. Their first outing arrived in 2008 through the independently issued Ms. Mary Mallon EP, after which they maintained a rigorous touring schedule alongside Protest the Hero, Tesseract, Between the Buried and Me, and the Faceless. The 2011 release of their debut album, Lore, drew widespread critical praise and supported several headlining treks across Canada. An American introduction followed in 2012 when the band supported Scale the Summit, the Texan prog-instrumentalists. American label Sumerian Records signed them in 2013, at which point the name became the Kindred. Their first effort for the imprint, 2014’s Life in Lucidity, unfolded as a ten-song collection marked by intricate structures and vivid melodic lines. The album also closed the chapter for both founding members, Journeaux and Ieradi. Johnny McArthur, another Ottawan, replaced Journeaux on vocals, while Kenny Saunders assumed the drum chair after Ieradi joined Protest the Hero. With the revised roster, the Kindred returned in early 2017 via the single “Stray Away,” followed that summer by the Weight EP.