Starkill
{{Short description|American heavy metal band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Starkill
| image = Starkill 2013.jpg
| caption = Starkill in 2013
| genre = Melodic death metal
Symphonic metal
| years_active = 2012–present
| label = Century Media{{cite web|url=http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=12250&IdCompany=3 |title=Century Media Records - Starkill: : Century Media Records signs STARKILL |publisher=Centurymedia.com |date= |accessdate=2013-10-14}}
Prosthetic Records
| associated_acts =
| website = [https://www.facebook.com/StarkillOfficial Starkill Official Facebook]
| current_members = Parker Jameson
Spencer Weidner
Tony Keathley
Sarah Lynn Collier
Kevin Spielmann
| past_members = Charlie Federici
Mike Buetsch
Shaun Andruchuk
| Image_size =
}}
Starkill is an American metal band from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.
The members met and began writing materials in 2008, eventually signing to Century Media Records on 14 December 2012 and releasing Fires of Life on 16 May 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=12843&IdCompany=3 |title=Century Media Records - Starkill: : "Fires Of Life" out now |publisher=Centurymedia.com |date= |accessdate=2013-10-14}}
The band has incorporated many different musical styles, giving them a general sound of melodic death metal and symphonic metal.{{cite web|title=Aux Portes Du Metal : Chronique d'album metal Starkill Shadow Sleep (Mélodeath sympho) - Album Review|url=https://www.auxportesdumetal.com/reviews/Starkill/starkill-shadowsleep.html|accessdate=March 8, 2025|date=November 2016}}
History
=Foundation and ''[[Fires of Life]]'' (2012-2014)=
Founding members, and brothers, Parker Jameson and Spencer Weidner had been writing material since their early teens, yet had difficulty putting together a full band due to the lack of like-minded, capable musicians in their hometown. Because of this, Parker enrolled at Indiana University, hoping the school's music program would expose him to musicians with similar aspirations.{{cite web|url=http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=90200 |title=Starkill's Parker Jameson Talks Debut Album "Fires Of Life," Upcoming Tour Dates |publisher=metalunderground.com |date= |accessdate=2013-10-15}} Shortly after beginning his freshman year at Indiana University, Parker met guitarist Charlie Federici. The two discovered that they shared similar musical influences and goals, and with the addition of Charlie, the core of the band was formed.
The three began writing and performing material under various names in the Indiana and Midwest regions, eventually attracting the attention of Century Media Records in early 2012 while subsequently and permanently settling on the name Starkill. The band began recording their debut album at Electrowerks Studios that summer, and announced their signing with Century Media months later in December. Their debut album, Fires of Life, was released in May 2013 and then the band toured around North America and Europe.
=''[[Virus of the Mind (Starkill album)|Virus of the Mind]]'' (2014-2016)=
On April 11, 2014, Starkill released a music video for "Sword, Spear, Blood, Fire" and announced plans to record a new album at Electrowerks Studio with producer Chuck Macak with an expected release date in the fall of 2014. On July 17, 2014, the album artwork, title and release dates were revealed for the album, entitled Virus of the Mind. The scheduled release dates were October 14, 2014 in the US and Canada and October 20, 2014, in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.{{cite web|url=http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=14624&IdCompany=3|title=Century Media Records - Starkill: : STARKILL - Announce "Virus of the Mind" album, post artwork|publisher=Century Media|date=July 17, 2014|accessdate=November 7, 2014}}
On August 7, 2014, the first song off the album, "Breaking the Madness", was released on the Century Media Records YouTube channel, as well as the track listing and lineup of the album.{{cite web|url=http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=14696&IdCompany=3|title=Century Media Records - Starkill: : release first song from new album Virus of the Mind set for October release|publisher=Century Media|date=August 7, 2014|accessdate=November 7, 2014}} A video discussing the recording of the album, dubbed "Creating The Virus - Part 1" was released on August 21, 2014,{{cite web|url=http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=14761&IdCompany=3|title=Century Media Records - Starkill: : STARKILL - post video footage from the studio, "Virus Of The Mind" out October 20|publisher=Century Media|date=August 21, 2014|accessdate=November 7, 2014}} followed by a second video, "Creating The Virus - Part 2" on September 17, 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=14892&IdCompany=3|title=Century Media Records - Starkill: : set to release "Virus Of The Mind" on October 20, in studio video #2 online now|publisher=Century Media|date=September 17, 2014|accessdate=November 7, 2014}}
The first video off the album "Before Hope Fades", was released on YouTube on October 2, 2014{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SskDNSplMY|title=STARKILL - Before Hope Fades - (OFFICIAL VIDEO) - YouTube|publisher=YouTube|date=October 2, 2014}} and on October 13, 2014, the album was made available for streaming on nocleansinging.com.{{cite web|url=http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=15003&IdCompany=3|title=Century Media Records - Starkill: : streaming "Virus Of The Mind" via NoCleanSinging.com, album out on October 20, 2014|publisher=Century Media|date=October 13, 2014|accessdate=November 7, 2014}} The album was released on October 14, 2014, in the US and Canada and on October 20, 2014, in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.{{cite web|url=http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=15041&IdCompany=3|title=Century Media Records - Starkill: : new album "Virus Of The Mind" out now!|publisher=Century Media|date=October 20, 2014|accessdate=November 7, 2014}} On November 6, 2014, a lyric video of the title track "Virus of the Mind" was released.{{cite web|url=http://www.centurymedia.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=15145&IdCompany=3|title=Century Media Records - Starkill: : post new "Virus Of The Mind" lyric video|publisher=Century Media|date=November 6, 2014|accessdate=November 7, 2014}}
=''[[Shadow Sleep]]'' (2016-2019)=
Starkill announced on February 2, 2016, via their Facebook page,{{cite web|title=New Album Preorders|url=https://www.facebook.com/StarkillOfficial/posts/949712548455804|website=Official Facebook page|accessdate=16 February 2016}} that pre-orders for their third album were being accepted via an Indiegogo [https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/starkill-new-album/x/1969321#/ campaign] with a US$25,000 goal.
Later that year, the band announced their signing to Prosthetic Records and released the title and album of their third full-length record, Shadow Sleep. The album was slated released worldwide November 4, 2016, being tracked and engineered by both Starkill and Charles Macak of Electrowerks Studios, and mastered by Troy Glessner.
=''[[Gravity (Starkill album)|Gravity]]'' (2019-present)=
In 2019, Starkill released their fourth studio album, entitled Gravity, funded through Indiegogo.{{cite web|title=STARKILL- NEW VAN - NEW ALBUM|url=https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/starkill-new-van-new-album#/|website=Indiegogo.com}} It is the band's first album with their newest band member, female vocalist Sarah Lynn Collier (who already provided guest vocals on the Shadow Sleep album), and features performances and production from members of Epica (Coen Janssen on the piano), Turisas (Olli Vänskä on the violin) and Swallow the Sun (Aleksi Munter on the keyboards).
After the pandemic caused by COVID-19, Starkill started playing live shows again in 2024 and have announced via social media they are working on their fifth album.
Band members
;Current line-up
- Parker Jameson – lead guitar, lead vocals, keyboards, programming (2012–present)
- Spencer Weidner – drums (2012–present)
- Tony Keathley – rhythm guitar (2013–present), backing vocals (2014–present)
- Sarah Lynn Collier – female vocals (2017–present)
- Kevin Spielmann – bass (2024–present)
;Previous members
- Charlie Federici – rhythm guitar (2012–2013)
- Mike Buetsch – bass (2012-2013)
- Shaun Andruchuk – bass (2014–2020)
{{cite web|url=http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Starkill/3540362870|title=Starkill - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives|publisher=Encyclopaedia Metallum|date= |accessdate=2014-03-06}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
- Fires of Life (2013)
- Virus of the Mind (2014)
- Shadow Sleep (2016)
- Gravity (2019)
=Singles & EPs=
- All I Want for Christmas Is You (Mariah Carey cover) (2017)
- The Pretender (Foo Fighters cover) (2018)
- Until We Fall (2018)
- Evil Inside (2018)
- Burn Your World (2020)
- Reckless and Infinite (2020)
- Shadow Sleep (2020)
- Cloudless (2021)
- Walk Through Fire (2021)
- Silhouettes (2022)
- Ruin (2022)
=Music videos=
- Fires of Life{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GdcDs8QJ7k|title=STARKILL - Fires of Life (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- New Infernal Rebirth{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eam8Um6_WYI|title=STARKILL - New Infernal Rebirth (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- Sword, Spear, Blood, Fire{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLJaIso5n5c|title=STARKILL - Sword, Spear, Blood, Fire (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- Before Hope Fades{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SskDNSplMY|title=STARKILL - Before Hope Fades (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- Breaking the Madness{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RNQKCRKjj4|title=STARKILL - Breaking the Madness (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- Until We Fall{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DSwyiuWTs4|title=STARKILL - Until We Fall (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- Evil Inside{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWJx3GUwNuQ|title=STARKILL - Evil Inside (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- All I Want for Christmas Is You{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_Gw_J_LhZc|title=STARKILL - ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU|website=YouTube}}
- The Real Enemy{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S4RI5_RmMk|title=STARKILL - The Real Enemy (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- Detonate{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK5mR5Ty8dA|title= STARKILL - Detonate (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|website= YouTube}}
- Not Alone{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isOFj3MsvI0|title=STARKILL - Not Alone (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- Burn Your World{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZaCZMnxIvg|title=STARKILL - Burn Your World (Official Video)|website=YouTube}}
- Reckless and Infinite{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MCZ7SY7IUA|title=STARKILL - Reckless and Infinite (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- Shadow Sleep{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCBazVBlhJc|title=STARKILL - Shadow Sleep (Official Lyric Video)|website=YouTube}}
- The Pretender{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcTiquizHjI|title=STARKILL - The Pretender (OFFICIAL VIDEO)|website=YouTube}}
- Cloudless{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMnee-6C_RQ|title=Starkill - CLOUDLESS (Official Lyric Video)|website=YouTube}}
- Walk Through Fire{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjGRRS_CXB0|title=STARKILL - Walk Through Fire|website=YouTube}}