Crimson Thorn

**Crimson Thorn** are an extreme death metal band that formed out of Minneapolis (aka Twin Cities), Minnesota in the United States. The band began in 1991 with the lineup of Luke Renno, Miles Sunde, Paul Jongeward, Dylan Jennigis, and Dave Quast. The band began as a thrash metal band and changed their style as it was not working out.

## History

### Early years (1989-1992)

In 1989, Luke Renno formed a thrash metal band with Dylan Jennigis and Dave Quast. In 1991, Miles Sunde and Paul Jongeward joined the band and began to cover several older bands, including Vengeance Rising, Deliverance, Seventh Angel, The Crucified, and Believer. Jennigis departed from the band in 1992 and Renno took over the bass position in the band. The band then switched to heavier influences; Napalm Death, Carcass and Suffocation. According to the band it felt more natural.

The band then recorded their debut demo, *Plagued*, with the lineup of Renno on Bass and Vocals, Sunde and Jongeward on Guitars and Quast on Drums. The band recorded the demo at a local studio named Blue Moon Studios. The band played shows with Malevolent Creation and Grave.

### Lineup instabilities and two studio albums (1993-1997)

After Quast departed from the band, Jeff Anderson joined the band for a year and was replaced by Kevin Sundberg, where the style became even more death metal and grindcore-influenced. The band signed to Atomic Records and released *Unearthed* in 1994. Later on, R.E.X. re-released the album in 1995.

Jongeward departed from the band, being replaced by Andy Kopesky before the release of *Dissection* in 1997 on the label of Morphine Records. Little Rose Productions would later re-released the album in 1999. The band covered Stryper on the album with the song "Loud N' Clear". The albums exhibited a different sound from *Unearthed*.

### *Purification* (1998-2002)

In 2001, the band recorded a cover of Living Sacrifice, which was featured on *A Tribute to Living Sacrifice*, released through Clenchedfist Records.

After working on a recording studio in Sundberg's basement, the band began writing *Purification* with the lineup of Renno, Sunde, Kopesky and Sundberg. The band was independent by the time of the release of *Purification*. The album was considered to be one of their best releases.

### Compilations and fourth untitled album (2003-2007)

In 2003, the band went through some lineup changes. Sundberg departed in 2003, being replaced by Steve Reishus. In 2005, the band released a compilation album titled *Unearthed for Dissection* as well as a Live DVD titled *Live in Minneapolis.* The band also hired Brett Wilson on Bass, which saw Renno's change to a Guitarist, making the lineup of five members but have three guitarists. The band played at Cornerstone Festival, Sonshine Festival, NordicFest, and Revolution Fest.

Crimson Thorn announced during Cornerstone Festival in 2007 that they were working on a fourth album. They performed several unreleased tracks, all of which had a more melodic death metal-esque style in comparison to their previous works. Despite this, the band assured the fans that the rest of the upcoming album would be much heavier, like their previous works. The band seems to have gone on hiatus shortly afterwards. Reishus and Renno have now gone on to the band Taking the Head of Goliath, while Sunde performs in Obadiah, alongside Renno. Renno also would join Temple of Perdition, alongside Ronny Hansen of Antestor and Sylvan Fortress, another band Renno is a part of.

## Members

**Current Members**

* Luke Renno - Guitars, Vocals (1991-present), Bass (1992-2005)
* Miles Sunde - Guitars, Backing Vocals (1991-present)
* Steve Reishus - Drums (2005-present)

**Former Members**

* Paul Jongeward - Guitars (1991-1997)
* Andy Kopesky - Guitars, (1997-2007) Keyboards (1997-2005, 2006-2007)
* Dylan Jennigis - Bass (1991-1992)
* Brett Wilson - Bass (2005-2015)
* Dave Quast - Drums (1991-1993)
* Jeff Anderson - Drums (1993-1994)
* Kevin Sundberg - Drums, Vocals (1994-2005)
* Collin Anderson - Keyboards (2005-2006)

**Live Members**

* Billy Frazier - Drums

## Discography

**Studio Albums**

* *Unearthed* (1994)
* *Dissection* (1997)
* *Purification* (2002)

**Videos**

* *Live in Minneapolis* (2005)

**Other Songs**

* "Anorexia Spiritual" - Living Sacrifice cover from the album, *Living Sacrifice* (2001)

**Compilations**

* *Unearthed for Dissection* (2005)
* *Anthology of Brutality: 1992-2002 The Complete Collective Works* (2017)

**Compilation Appearances**

* *Massive Frequency Overload* (1997)
* *The Mother of All Tribute Albums* (1998)
* *Extreme Music Sampler Volume 2* (1999)
* *Screams of Abaddon* (2000)
* *A Tribute to Living Sacrifice* (2001)
* *Roots V: The Pentangle, The Five Points of Evil* (2001)
* *Thorns, Horns & Barbwire* (2008)
* *The Best of Rowe Productions: Evangelic Artillery* (2011)
* *Back in the Day: An Old-School Compilation* (2018)

## References

1. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Crimson Thorn". AllMusic. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Crimson Thorn". Eon Black. July 2010. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Various (November 23-28, 2001). "An interview with... Crimson Thorn". Art For The Ears Zine. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
4. ↑ thrashboy (January 12, 2017). "Crimson Thorn - The Anthology Of Brutality: 1992-2002 The Complete Collective Works to be Released (Hopefully) In February". The Metal Resource. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
5. ↑ Pentassuglia, Steffano (April 29, 2007). "Interview with Luke Renno, the singer and guitarist of the legendary christian death band *Crimson Thorn**".* White Metal. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
6. ↑ geneanlucas (September 27, 2014). "Crimson Thorn - Unearthed". Encyclopedia Metallum. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
7. ↑ Waters, Scott. "Crimson Thorn". No Life 'til Metal. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
8. ↑ thrashboy (December 30, 2016). "'Bombwork Records' to Re-Release All 'Crimson Thorn' Albums Next Year". The Metal Resource. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
9. ↑ Matt. "Crimson Thorn - Purification". The Whipping Post. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 thrashboy (December 8, 2017). "Brutal Death Metal Band 'Taking The Head Of Goliath' Announces New Drummer - Steve Reishus of 'Crimson Thorn'". The Metal Resource. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
11. ↑ Beard, Mason (November 4, 2016). "Luke Renno (Crimson Thorn) Joins Taking the Head of Goliath". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
12. ↑ Runehammer (August 5, 2002). "Crimson Thorn". Encyclopedia Metallum. Retrieved on April 6, 2018.
13. ↑ Beard, Mason (January 7, 2019). "Temple of Perdition announce new supergroup lineup". The Metal Onslaught. Retrieved on January 7, 2019.