Metal Family Tree

This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

Havok as become one of the most popular and well known new wave of thrash metal band. The band has gone through several line up changes but at the heart of the band has always been guitarist/vocalist David Sanchez. Lead guitarist Reece Scruggs has been writing with the band since the Unnatural Selection album. Pete Webber has been drummer since Time is Up. All other members have only been in the band for shorter periods of time.

The quintessential progressive hard rock band, Rush. Dave said they had an influence.

Hard rock / Prog rockers, Dave said if you listen carefully you can hear a Boston influence in their songs.

Al Di Meola

Al Di Meola is a prolific jazz guitarist. Dave names him as a big influence.

AC/DC easily the most quintessential hard rock band. Dave names them as an early influence.

Iron Maiden, the biggest band out of the NWOBHM and one of the most influential metal bands ever. Dave named them as an influence.

Oingo Boingo was a new wave band started by Danny Elfman. Dave names them as a influence on his writing.

Metallica are the fathers of thrash. It is no surprise to see them as one of Dave and Reece’s influences.

Exodus is one of the earliest of the thrash and has ended up sharing members with a lot of their peers. They are one of Dave’s influences.

Anthrax is the only non west coast band to be part of the big four of thrash. They are one of Dave’s influences.

Slayer one of the big four of thrash and the band that brought a more evil and aggressive sound to the scene. They are one of Dave’s influences.

Overkill are some of the most hard working and most underrated thrashers out there. Dave named them as an influence.

Danny Elfman is one of the most influential and best known film score composers. He has become an influence in Dave’s songwriting.

D.R.I. are maybe the best known crossover thrash band. Dave said they are an influence.

Death are the fathers of death metal if there are any. They are an influence on Dave and Reece.

Megadeth with the father of thrash metal at its heart. Dave names them as an influence.

Testament are thrash legends who are often a favorite with many thrashers. They are an influence on Dave and Reece.

Sepultura started as a death/thrash band early on before going into a more goove metal and even nu metal style later. Dave names them as an influence.

Atheist are a progressive death / death thrash band who injected a lot of jazz into their style as they progressed. Dave said they are an influence.

Dream Theater are probably most well known progressive metal band. Dave said they were an influence.

Pantera are the band that kicked off groove metal. They’ve been an influence on many since including on Dave. Reece said they are his favorite metal band.

Arch Enemy are one the biggest and most well known of the melodic death metal bands. Dave said they were an inlfuence.

Psychosomatic are old thrashers that started in the late 80’s but didn’t release their first album until 99. Dave said they are one of the more recent bands that has influenced him.

Revocation are a tech death/thrash band and are peers of Havok. Dave said they are a newer band that has influenced him.

Dave in more recent years has pulled in a lot of influences other than the more classic thrash and metal bands including things from jazz, funk, new wave, punk, hardcore, classical, classic rock, and prog rock.

Reece Scruggs has been writing with the band since the Unnatural Selection album. The lead players of Metallica, Testament, Death, and Decapitated are his favorites. He said he got into shredding from watching instructional by Paul Gilbert, Vinnie Moore, and Greg Howe and still references those.

Jesse de los Santos, former bassist, has writing credits on the first two albums but I don’t know what his influences are.

Ryan Alexander Bloom drummed on burn and has writing credits on that album. I’m not sure of his influences.

Shawn Chavez was lead guitarist on Burn. He contributed solos and harmonies and has writing credits on much of the album. I am uncertain of his influences.

Pete Webber has been drummer since Time is Up and has some writing credits. His drum influences are Igor Cavalera, Vinnie Paul, Gene Hoglan, Daniel Erlandsson, Richard Christy, Joey Jordison, Ray Herrera, Paul Bostaph, Jon Dette, Dave Lombardo, Mike Bordin, Danny Carey, Nicholas Barker, Tomas Haake, Jimmy Sullivan, and Mike Portnoy.

Nick Schendzielos played bass on Conformicde. Writing credits are given to “Havok”. I’m uncertain of his influences.

Sources:

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/25733-havoks-david-sanchez-and-reece-scruggs-guardians-of-the-riff
http://www.powerofmetal.dk/interviews11/havok_interview.htm
https://www.coloradomusic.org/guitarist-for-havok-shawn-chavez-guy-carawan-we-shall-overcome-craig-gruber-bassist-for-rainbow-bassist-for-abba-rutger-gunnarsson-johnny-gimble-country-fiddler-die/
https://sabian.com/artist/pete-webber/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0017MmuwmkE