Daniel Tompkins

Daniel Tompkins (born 25 April 1983) is an English singer from Nottinghamshire. He most known as the lead singer of the progressive metal/djent band Tesseract, and as the former lead singer of the international progressive metal band Skyharbor. In addition to his work with Tesseract, Tompkins currently releases music with projects White Moth Black Butterfly and ZETA, as well as a solo artist.
==Career==
===Early years===
From 2007 to 2009, Tompkins fronted First Signs of Frost, a post-hardcore/progressive rock band from London. With the band, Tompkins released Atlantic LP (2009).first signs of frost | Alaskan Records via Zestone Records.
In 2008, Tompkins joined a progressive rock band Piano, with whom he released The Valediction of Verse EP. In 2014, Piano released an album Salvage Architecture via Zestone Records.Piano stream first full album Salvage Architecture | Louder
===Tesseract===
In 2009, Tompkins joined the British progressive metal band Tesseract, which he left in 2011, and subsequently rejoined in 2014.Meet TesseracT’s new singer, TesseracT’s old singer | Metal Insider As of 2024, Tompkins has released 4 studio albums, 2 EP and 2 live albums with Tesseract, and is most known for the work with this band.
===Skyharbor===
Skyharbor was initially a studio project of guitarist Keshav Dhar, before Tompkins contacted him in October 2010 with an interest in collaborating. Tompkins went on to become a full-time frontman for Skyharbor, having toured internationally, and released two studio albums with the band, Blinding White Noise: Illusion and Chaos (2012) and Guiding Lights (2014) to critical acclaim.Best (And Worst) of 2012Skyharbor Shine On ‘Guiding Lights’ In 2014, Tompkins left the band to avoid conflicting schedules with Tesseract.Dan Tompkins Quits Skyharbor
===White Moth Black Butterfly===
After leaving Tesseract in 2011, Tompkins asked guitarist and producer Keshav Dhar to help produce and mix the solo tracks he had been working on, having asked Jordan Bethany to guest on a few songs. With the help of Dhar, Bethany and others including Acle Kahney from Tesseract contributing production as well, Tompkins self-released White Moth Black Butterfly's debut album One Thousand Wings (2013).
===ZETA===
In September 2015, it was announced that Tompkins formed a synthwave project ZETA, in collaboration with Paul Ortiz and Katie Jackson, and released its debut single, "Silent Waves".TesseracT's Daniel Tompkins Forms Synthwave Side Project Zeta, Stream "Silent Waves" - Theprp.comTesseract man Tompkins unveils Zeta track | Louder ZETA's debut self-titled album was released on June 16, 2017.TESSERACT & CHIMP SPANNER Members Team Up For ZETA The album was supported by music videos for "Silent Waves", "The Distance" and "Causeway".ZETA (Chimp Spanner + TesseracT’s Daniel Tompkins) “Causeway” Music Video Released | The Circle Pit
In 2023, "Chrome Junkie" and "Busy Human", two new ZETA singles were released.Music | ZETA
===Solo work===
On May 31, 2019, Tompkins released his debut solo album, Castles, via Kscope, to positive reviews.TesseracT's Daniel Tompkins Constructs an Alluring and Distinctive Solo Debut with 'Castles' | PopMatters The album was produced by Eddie Head, and contains collaborations with Acle Kahney, Randy Slaugh, Paul Ortiz, and Dmitry Stepanov. Castles was supported with singles "Saved", "Limitless", "Black the Sun", and "Black the Sun (feat. Bruce Soord)".INTERVIEW: Daniel Tompkins - Distorted Sound Magazine The album won a 2019 Prog Award for "Album Cover Of The Year".Prog Awards 2019: Dream Theater, Big Big Train, Hawkwind among this year’s winners | Louder
On December 11, 2020, Topkins released his second solo album, Ruins, via Kscope. Produced by Paul Ortiz, the album is a compilation of darker and more aggressive versions of songs from Castles, along with one new song, "The Gift". Ruins features guest input from Plini and Trivium frontman Matt Heafy.Daniel Tompkins releases new music video for 'Ruins' - Distorted Sound MagazineAlbum Review: DANIEL TOMPKINS Ruins
In January, 2022, Tompkins toured UK in support of Ruins. For the tour, Tompkins recruited Amos Williams (Tesseract) on bass guitar, Mike Malyan (Monuments) on drums, Paul Ortiz on lead guitar and Pete Skipper (In Colour) on guitar.Daniel Tompkins Announces First Ever Solo Tour for January 2022 - Kscope In November 2022, this lineup held a live streaming event, similar to Tesseract's PORTALS. In 2023, the record was released as a live album, Ruins: Live Experience.Daniel Tompkins announces release of Ruins: Live Experience | Louder
===Other projects===
In February 2011, Tompkins joined an American alternative metal band Haji's Kitchen as a "full-time guest vocalist". With the band, Tompkins released a studio album Twenty Twelve (2012), and a music video for "Define The Lie".Eddie Head,Brett Stine: Haji's Kitchen Twenty Twelve mini review
In 2012, Tompkins and a British record producer ang guitarist Dan Weller (Sikth) formed a pop project, In Colour. They released a music video for a song "Listen for the Rain", with a couple more songs later uploaded on their SoundCloud.
Also in 2012, Tompkins joined Absent Hearts, an atmospheric rock project of an Australian multi-instrumentalist Scott Kay. On August 23, 2012, they released August Earth LP.Album Review: Absent Hearts - August Earth
==Musical style and influences==
Tompkins stated that he was influenced by A Perfect Circle, Sevendust, Enigma, Active Child, Linkin Park, Deftones, Extol, Sikth, System Of A Down, Tool, Anohni, David Bowie and Michael Jackson.TesseracT's Dan Tompkins On His Vocal Inspirations | Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews Tompkins credits attending A Perfect Circle gig at the age of 16 for making him want to be a singer, and has numerously cited Maynard James Keenan as one of his biggest inspirations."That was the moment I knew I wanted to be a singer" – Tesseract's Daniel Tompkins on the 10 albums that changed his life | MusicRadar
==Personal life==
Before pursuing a full-time career as a musician, Tompkins has worked as a butcher and a warehouse manager, and has been working in the police for 8 years, since he was 18 years old."I'd like to duet with Simon Le Bon." Tesseract's Dan Tompkins answers reader questions | Louder“I had to grind cow lung to make dog food”: 13 Questions… | Kerrang! Tompkins is married and has two children.TesseracT | Daniel Tompkins
==Discography==
===Tesseract===
* 2011 – One
* 2015 – Sonder
* 2018 – Sonder
* 2023 – War of Being
===Skyharbor===
* 2012 – Blinding White Noise: Illusion and Chaos
* 2014 – Guiding Lights
===White Moth Black Butterfly===
* 2013 – One Thousand Wings
* 2017 – Atone
* 2021 – The Cost of Dreaming
===ZETA===
* 2017 – ZETA
* 2018 – ZETA - Instrumentals
* 2023 – "Busy Human" (Single)
* 2023 – "Chrome Junkie" (Single)
===In Colour===
* 2012 - "Listen for the Rain"In Colour - Listen For The Rain - YouTube
* 2012 - "All That I've Been Waiting For"In Colour - All That I've Been Waiting For - YouTube
* 2014 - "The Mess We're In"Stream In Colour Music music | Listen to songs, albums, playlists for free on SoundCloud
===Piano===
* 2008 – The Valediction of Verse
* 2014 – Salvage Architecture
===First Signs of Frost===
* 2009 – Atlantic
===Haji's Kitchen===
* 2012 – Twenty Twelve
===Absent Hearts===
* 2012 – August Earth
===Solo artist===
* 2019 – Castles
* 2020 – Ruins
* 2023 – Ruins: Live Experience
;Singles
Year	Title 	Album
2019	"Saved (feat. Acle Kahney)" 	Castles
2019	"Limitless (feat. Dmitry Stepanenko)" 	Castles
2019	"Black the Sun" 	Castles
2019	"Black the Sun (feat. Bruce Soord)" 	Castles
2020	"The Gift" (feat. Matt Heafy) 	Ruins
2020	"Ruins" 	Ruins
2022	"The Abyss" 	non-album singles
2022	"Frenzy"TESSERACT's DANIEL TOMPKINS Streams Industrial Metal Solo Track "Frenzy"	non-album singles
2023	"Soulslinger (End Credits)" (feat. Acle Kahney) 	Soulslinger: Envoy of Death (Original Game Soundtrack)
;Music videos
 List of music videos, showing year released and director
Year	Title 	Director(s)
2019	"Saved" 	George Laycock
2019	"Limitless" 	Steven Cleavland and Kyle Kadow
2020	"Ruins" 	Steven Cleavland and Kyle Kadow
2023	"Ruins : Live Experience"	Richard Oakes and Daniel Tompkins
===Guest appearances===
* 2010 – Cyclamen - "What Are You Waiting For?" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2011 – Voyager – "The Pensive Disarray" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2012 – Star Monarchy – "Ashes" (feat. Dan Tompkins)
* 2012 – Terranaut – Time Runs Out (feat. Dan Tompkins)
* 2013 – Omertah – "Oceans" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2013 – Jon Gomm – "Ain't Nobody" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2015 – Dzyen – "Digital Senseless" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2015 – Earthside – "A Dream in Static" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2015 – Marty Friedman – "Jasmine Cyanide" (feat. Danko Jones, Keshav Dhar, Daniel Tompkins)Premiere: MARTY FRIEDMAN's Lyric Video For 'Jasmine Cyanide' - BLABBERMOUTH.NET
* 2016 – Whitefall – Casuality (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2018 – Slay Duggee – "Walking in the Air" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2019 – SE – "N" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2022 – Crown Compass – "Send Your Words" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2022 – Chimp Spanner – "Fractured" (feat. Daniel Tompkins)
* 2023 – Earthside – "Let the Truth Speak" (feat. Daniel Tompkins and Gennady Tkachenko-Papizh)EARTHSIDE Recruits TESSERACT's Vocalist For New Single "Let The Truth Speak"
Category:1983 births
Category:English singers
Category:English people
Category:Songwriters
Category:Vocal coaches