Alex Kenis

**Labels:** | * Burning Records
* Hope Prevails Productions
* Solid State Records
 **Associated Acts:** | Aletheian, Becoming the Archetype, Crutch, Solamors, Synoptic Rise, All Human Devices

**Alexander C. Kenis**, also known as **"Dracula"**, **"Pinion"**, and **ACK**, is an American progressive metal musician that has been a part of several notable bands including Aletheian, Solamors, and Becoming the Archetype. Kenis has been very fluent with instruments, performing Guitars, Bass, Keyboards and Clean Vocals and even experimenting in the tech side of things.

## History

Before forming Crutch, Alex Kenis was a part of a band called All Human Devices.

### Crutch (1997-2003)

Kenis began Crutch in 1997, with a lineup of himself on Guitars and Keyboards, Vinnie Aldrich on Vocals, Keith Isenberg on Bass, and Bryan Clarkson on Drums. The four recorded a little bit of music until Aldrich departed with Joel Thorpe taking over. With him joining on, the band worked on a self-titled album with that lineup. They followed up with *Transitions*, an EP. Clarkson departed from the band shortly after, with Travis Turner taking over from there, by recommendation of Stephen Sarro (Tantrum of the Muse), who was his cousin. Kenis, ultimately, hired him on, with them becoming good friends in the process.

Kenis, alongside the rest of the band, then recorded an EP, *Awe and Disbelief*, which came out in 2000. Donny Swigart, who had joined on as their Rhythm Guitarist in 1999, debuted on this EP, alongside Turner. The lineup - Kenis, Isenberg, Swigart, Turner, and Thorpe - then began to work on their next album, which came out in 2001, titled *...Hope Prevails*. The album was released through Burning Records, a label the band had previously signed with, which was run by Mike Fealko of Vessel. The label had also signed Vessel, Tantrum of the Muse, and Unfisted. Around mid-2002, the band performed at Cornerstone and were offered to be a backup band for Furnace Fest the following year. However, Turner and Isenberg departed or announced their departure around this time, with Turner citing his children were due to be born the day of the festival. In 2002, Kenis performed Lead Vocals a project called Synoptic Rise.

### Aletheian and Becoming the Archetype (2003-2008)

At the beginning of 2003, the band changed their name to Aletheian. The same year, Synoptic Rise put out their debut and sole demo, *Visible Eclipse*. In March 2003, Turner departed from the band officially, with Kenis hiring Joe Walmer of Blind Influence to take over the Drum position. The band, now consisting of Kenis, Walmer, Thorpe, and Swigart began to record some songs the band had already written, which became the band's debut under the new moniker, *Apolutrosis*. The band released the album through their own label, Hope Prevails Productions, which was formed by Kenis, Thorpe, Walmer, and Swigart. The band pressed forward the next two years following up with three releases - *Dying Vine*, a promo titled *Aletheian*, and *Live*, a DVD. In 2006, the band was signed by Ironclad Recordings, a subsidiary of Metal Blade Records. That year, Kenis joined technical death metal band Becoming the Archetype, taking over for their former Guitarist Jon Star. Around this time, Kenis took to the road with both Becoming the Archetype and Aletheian, as well as Crimson Moonlight.

In 2007, Kenis recorded on Becoming the Archetype's sophomore album, *The Physics of Fire*, which came out on Solid State Records. Ironclad Recordings re-released Aletheian's *Dying Vine* in 2008. Around 2008, Becoming the Archetype started writing, with Kenis writing one song, later titled "Mountain of Souls". They were set to enter the studio, with the lineup of Kenis on Guitars, Seth Hecox on Guitars, Jason Wisdom on Bass and Vocals and Travis Turner on Drums. However, the producer, Devin Townsend, wanted to record the album in Canada, which led to both Kenis and Turner backing out of the project. Jon Star returned to Lead Guitars, while Brandon Lopez (Broken Flesh) took over Drums. Aletheian went to Cornerstone Festival in 2007 and 2008, both with different lineups. Following the festival performances, the band went on an indefinite hiatus, where the members went their different ways. However, the band's next album had been written, though not recorded. Once Aletheian went on their hiatus, Kenis remained musically silent for a few years.

### Solamors (2012-2014)

In 2012, Kenis decided to form a new melodic death metal project, called Solamors. Kenis felt the urge to perform that style of music again, after being inactive for four years, and contacted his friends from previous bands he had been in. He contacted Travis Turner to take over the Drum position and Jason Wisdom to take on the Vocals. Turner joined almost immediately, while Wisdom had to take more time to consider the offer. However, he eventually did join the project. Kenis had already written the Bass and Guitars, so at that time Turner and Wisdom had to work on writing Drums and Lyrics. Once the writing process was the finalized, the band recorded their material, as documented on several videos released on the project's YouTube channel.

Kenis and Turner recorded their material from their home studios in Pennsylvania, while Wisdom recorded Vocals from a studio in Georgia, run by Jon Star (ex-Becoming the Archetype). The band, once the recording process was finalized, put up a crowdfunding to allow them to produce physical copies of the album. With the goal of only $2000, the band reached over $6000. The band's album, *Depravity's Demise*, was released on Christmas Eve 2013. Since about May 2014, the project has been on hiatus. Wisdom and Turner have expressed interest in returning, though Kenis has not made much of a statement on his interest.

### Megabruce (2015)

In 2015, Kenis, Turner, and Living Sacrifice Vocalist Bruce Fitzhugh joined together to record a cover. The three members recorded a cover of Megadeth, with the song "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due", which was 30 years old. The members, who had all been impacted by the band and the song, recorded a cover of the song under the moniker of Megabruce, with the cover art of the song being parodied with Kenis', Fitzhugh's, and Turner's faces being photoshopped into it and the logo still being similar to Megadeth's.

Since the project finished, Kenis again went silent musically, appearing on a podcast in 2016 and speaking about Aletheian, Solamors, and gear. In 2017, Kenis' production work appeared on an EP titled *Dark Waters* by Dudiest Priests.

## Bands

**On Hiatus**

* Aletheian - Lead Guitars, Clean Vocals, Keyboards (2003-present), Bass (2003-present)
* Solamors - Guitars, Bass (2012-present)

**Former**

* Crutch - Lead Guitars, Clean Vocals, Keyboards (1997-2003)
* Becoming the Archetype - Lead Guitars (2006-2008)
* Synoptic Rise - Vocals (2002-2003)
* All Human Devices (-1997)
* Megabruce - Guitars, Bass (2015)

## Discography

**Crutch**

* *Crutch* (1998)
* *Transitions* (1999)
* *Awe and Disbelief* (2000)
* *...Hope Prevails* (2001)

**Aletheian**

* *Apolutrosis* (2003)
* *Dying Vine* (2004)
* *Aletheian Promo* (2005)
* *Live* (2005)

**Becoming the Archetype**

* *The Physics of Fire* (2007)

**Synoptic Rise**

* *Visible Eclipse* (2003)

**Solamors**

* *Depravity's Demise* (2013)

**Megabruce**

* "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" - Megadeth (2015)

## References

1. ↑ "Alex Kenis". LinkedIn. Retrieved on November 1, 2018.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kenis, Alex (April 25, 2016). "Shoot the Shred - EP 24 - Alex Kenis (Solamors/Aletheian)". Shoot the Shred Podcast. Interview with Erik Hall. Retrieved on November 1, 2018.
3. ↑ Sarro, Stephen (August 2015). "Down The Line Magazine August 2015". Down The Line Magazine. Interview with Steve Ruff. Retrieved on November 3, 2018.
4. ↑ "ALETHEIAN - Dying Vine". Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
5. ↑ Deming, Mark. "Becoming the Archetype | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
6. ↑ "Becoming The Archetype replaces guitarist". Lambgoat. June 29, 2008. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
7. ↑ "Becoming The Archetype Parts Ways With Guitarist, Announces Replacement". Blabbermouth.net. June 30, 2008. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
8. ↑ Kenis, Alex (July 29, 2013). "Solamors: bass guitar and studio update with Alex Kenis". YouTube. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
9. ↑ Wisdom, Jason (July 29, 2013). "Solamors - Ten minutes with Jason Wisdom". YouTube. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
10. ↑ Kenis, Alex (May 3, 2013). "Solamors vocal update: fun with vocals". YouTube. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
11. ↑ Turner, Travis (July 16, 2013). "Solamors - Drums: Travis Turner in the 'studio'". YouTube. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
12. ↑ Kenis, Alex (January 25, 2015). "BVC014: Alex Kenis of Solamors answer some questions about Kickstarter". As The Story Grows Podcast. Interview with Travis Turner, Seth Werkheiser, and Jesse Jeremiah. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
13. ↑ "Solamors". Bandcamp. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
14. ↑ Teitelman, Bram (September 30, 2015). "Listen to Living Sacrifice, former Becoming the Archetype members cover Megadeth". Metal Insider. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
15. ↑ Wookubus (September 30, 2015). "Hear Living Sacrifice, Ex-Becoming The Archetype, Etc. Members Cover Megadeth". Theprp. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
16. ↑ Kenis, Alex (September 23, 2015). "Megadeth Tribute with Bruce Fitzhugh and Alex Kenis". As The Story Grows Podcast. Retrieved on November 5, 2018.
17. ↑ "Dark Waters EP". Bandcamp. June 20, 2017. Retrieved on November 6, 2018.