Imperium

Imperium is a progressive metal band based out of Hamilton, Ontario. The band’s influences include: Avenged Sevenfold, As I Lay Dying, Between the Buried and Me, Protest the Hero, Lamb of God, Iron Maiden, and Tool, coming together to form a unique sound of progressive metal.

What began as “Final Salvation”, a recording project undertaken by Jeff Hyde and Eric Van Rheenen in late 2010, Eric expressed a longing for his voice to be heard beyond the studio walls, hoping to bring the ideas to new heights and ears. Sparking the beginning of the band while complimenting Eric’s voice was Jeff’s guitar influenced by Avenged Sevenfold, Three Days Grace, Bullet for my Valentine, and more.

Through many trials and errors along the way, the band stumbled upon Nick Pauli, a guitarist from Hamilton, Ontario. Along with him came a technical style which brought the project to another level of play. With the influences of Between the Buried and Me, As I Lay Dying, Lamb of God and Protest the Hero, he had lit the flame that would ignite the progressive nature of the band.

With member changes throughout the course of the first year, including Eric stepping down from the mic, changing names to “Wake of Orion” with the addition of vocalist Robert Overcast, and honourable mention to long time drummer Mikey Synn, the band continued to search for the perfect harmony of people with both the skill and attitude to handle the band’s future sound.

From the core of Hamilton, Ontario came Justin West, a progressive bassist whose experience in the music industry and exemplary abilities added more than just a low frequency to the feel of the band. He displayed his talent for his instrument demonstrated through amazing bass work, giving Neurology an entirely new sound with a bassist playing at the same level of technicality as the guitars. With influences various bands like Tool being the most prominent of his style, he and Nick combined their similar sound to create the new foundation of the band.

Then with a stroke of luck, and seemingly perfect timing the band acquired Chris Hill, a drummer from Millgrove, Ontario. With a passion for playing something beyond simple beats, Chris brought a new attitude to the forefront of the band even though he is the person sitting behind it all. Complimenting the guitars with a style of drumming which exceeded any expectations from the band, giving incite to the intense styles such as Lamb of God’s Chris Adler, Behemoth’s Zbigniew Robert Prominski, and Nile’s George Kollias, Chris became the true powerhouse behind the musical works of the band.

It was only after the band started to progress, laying down songs with both power and skill behind them, that Eric returned to the scene as vocalist in January 2012. This time round he brought his esteemed brother, Johnny Van Rheenen, who added a new dimension of screams that seem to chill the bone behind the music with Eric’s voice leading them into the fray, finally coming together in a 6 member group forming what was Neurology.

With this new found sound. The band seemed to be progressing towards a heavier more metal kind of sound. With differences rising between the two guitarist's, the band came to a unanimous decision to bring in someone new. Derek Nelson, a long time friend of Justin's was to be the next axeman of the band. Well equipt with guitars as well as knowledge he was a perfect fit and exactly what the band needed.

So, with a new guitarist and a new sound, the band agreed it was time for a new name to accompany the changes. Through much headache and dispute, there was only one name that seemed to stick "IMPERIUM"