page_title: Viking Skull
section_title: 2006–2015: Lineup changes and hiatus
hierarchical_section_title: Viking Skull / History / 2006–2015: Lineup changes and hiatus
caption_attribution_description: English: Jess Margera
context_page_description: Viking Skull are an English hard rock band originally from Corby, Northamptonshire. Formed in 2002, the band currently features vocalist and guitarist Roddy Stone, guitarists Frank Regan and Dom Wallace, bassist Kevin "Waldie" James and drummer Jess Margera. Founded by Stone, Regan and Waldie with guitarist Darren Smith and drummer Gordon Morrison, the group were initially intended as a semi-comedic support band for Raging Speedhorn, which featured some of Viking Skull's members.
  After releasing Chapter One and Born in Hell, Viking Skull came closing to breaking up when Smith and Morrison left the band in 2006. Julian "Jules" Cooper and CKY drummer Jess Margera replaced the departed members and released Chapter Two in 2007. With Rich Vose replacing Cooper and the addition of Dom Wallace, Doom, Gloom, Heartache & Whiskey was released in 2008. Regan returned for 2012's Cursed By the Sword, and following a brief hiatus, their self-titled studio release, Viking Skull was released February 2, 2016.
context_section_description: In September 2006 it was announced that both Smith and Morrison had left the band, with Stone appealing for new members. By November, Julian "Jules" Cooper (formerly in Echobelly) and CKY drummer Jess Margera had replaced the departed members, with the new lineup beginning work on an album shortly after being finalised. Margera has claimed that he "unwittingly had something to do with" the near-breakup of the band, after encouraging the members to drink on his tour bus, which led to arguments and the departure of Morrison. Explaining that CKY took a lot of time between album releases so he "had plenty of time to do it", the drummer also noted that Morrison left to focus on Raging Speedhorn.
  The recording of the new lineup's first album was funded by Margera and took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The result, Chapter Two, was released in September 2007 and featured guest appearances from Fireball Ministry's Reverend James Rota, Rich Vose of Gnarkill and Unkle Matt and the ShitBirdz, and CKY guitarist Chad I Ginsburg. "Blackened Sunrise" was also featured on Bam Margera's compilation album Viva la Bands, Volume 2, and a music video directed by Bam and recorded in West Chester was released for the song. A short promotional tour for the album took place in the UK in January 2008, with support from Year Long Disaster.
  The band played their first show in the United States on 26 July 2008 at the Filthy Note Theatre in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Margera's hometown. At the time of the show's announcement, it was also reported that the group would be commencing work on their third album Doom, Gloom, Heartache & Whiskey whilst in the US, with Ginsburg leading its production. The album was released in November on Powerage Records, a new label co-founded by Classic Rock magazine. It was supported on a UK tour in December, as well as a stint supporting Clutch in the US before the end of the month. For the tour, newly recruited guitarist Vose was replaced by the returning Darren Smith, due to Vose "being missing and not being able to be contacted".
  Original guitarist Frank Regan rejoined Viking Skull at the beginning of 2010 and the group set about work on their next album, which a posting on their MySpace page described as being "balls-out, meat-and-potatoes riffs (as always), but having the humour of Chapter One and Born in Hell". In October the compilation Heavy Metal Thunder was released, which included remastered versions of both Chapter One and Born in Hell, as well as a number of previously unreleased bonus tracks. The band's third studio album Cursed By the Sword followed in May 2012, released by Transcend Music. The group went on hiatus after the album's release.
caption: Jess Margera of CKY joined the band in November 2006, replacing departed original drummer Gordon Morrison.
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