Bad Wolves

Lore & Background

Bad Wolves was founded in late 2016 by drummer John Boecklin, vocalist Tommy Vext, lead guitarist Doc Coyle, rhythm guitarist Chris Cain, and bassist Kyle Konkiel. Their debut album Disobey was released on May 11, 2018, with Vext co-writing and recording vocals on all tracks after joining. The band's cover of 'Zombie' was released on January 18, 2018, after Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan had expressed interest in recording vocals but died before she could do so. The song charted on multiple Billboard charts and peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

In January 2021, original lead vocalist Tommy Vext left the band, with tensions ensuing over his political views and legal proceedings involving

Reader's Guide

Bad Wolves emerged as a significant force in modern heavy metal, largely propelled by their controversial and commercially successful cover of 'Zombie'. The band's trajectory illustrates the complexities of lineup changes and legal disputes within the music industry, particularly surrounding vocalist Tommy Vext's departure and subsequent lawsuits. Their ability to chart multiple songs on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart demonstrates their mainstream appeal within the rock genre. The band's ongoing evolution, with only one original member remaining, highlights the challenges of maintaining artistic identity amid personnel turnover. Their legacy includes a documentary crowdfunding campaign and a nomination for iHeartRadio's Rock Song of the Year, reflecting both their ambition and the contentious nature of their public narrative.

Did You Know?

• Dolores O'Riordan left a text message on Christmas Eve 2017 offering to sing on the band's cover of 'Zombie', but died before recording it.
• Ten of the thirteen songs on the debut album Disobey were written and recorded before Tommy Vext joined the band.
• The band launched a crowdfunding campaign in October 2018 for a documentary titled 'Breaking the Band', raising under $15,000 of its $65,000 target.
• Original lead vocalist Tommy Vext was replaced by Daniel 'DL' Laskiewicz in 2021, with legal proceedings following between Vext and Better Noise Music.

Formation and the Tragic 'Zombie' Breakthrough

Bad Wolves came together in Los Angeles in 2017, assembled around drummer John Boecklin, who had been crafting the material for their debut since mid-2014. The roster gathered musicians with deep roots in the metal world: vocalist Tommy Vext from Divine Heresy and Westfield Massacre, lead guitarist Doc Coyle from God Forbid, rhythm guitarist Chris Cain from Bury Your Dead, and bassist Kyle Konkiel from In This Moment. Zoltan Bathory of Five Finger Death Punch managed the group. Their debut album Disobey arrived in May 2018, though ten of its thirteen tracks predated Vext's involvement. The band's breakthrough arrived in an extraordinary and heartbreaking way. On Christmas Eve 2017, Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan texted her friend Dan Waite offering to sing on their cover of 'Zombie.' She recorded her vocals on January 15, 2018, and drowned in her hotel bathtub before the session wrapped. The single, released January 18, 2018, hit number one on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, peaked at 23 on the Billboard 200, and reached number 9 in Australia.

Chart Dominance and Building a Live Reputation

Following the 'Zombie' explosion, Bad Wolves cemented their presence on rock radio. Multiple tracks, including 'Remember When,' 'Killing Me Slowly,' and 'Sober,' all reached the top of the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. Their discography now spans four studio albums: Disobey (2018), N.A.T.I.O.N. (2019), Dear Monsters (2021), and Die About It (2023). The band built its live reputation by sharing stages with major acts such as Five Finger Death Punch, Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Starset, Nickelback, Papa Roach, and Nothing More throughout 2018 and beyond. Their 'Zombie' cover earned a nomination for iHeartRadio's Rock Song of the Year. In October 2018, they launched a crowdfunding campaign for a documentary called 'Breaking the Band,' raising under fifteen thousand dollars of a sixty-five-thousand-dollar goal, though they retained the donations and continued pursuing the project. The group also explored direct-to-fan channels, releasing a Nirvana cover of 'Heart-Shaped Box' and an original called 'Shanghai' exclusively through Patreon in April 2020.

The Vext Split, Political Fallout, and Legal Battles

The band's most turbulent chapter unfolded in early 2021. On January 8, Tommy Vext announced his departure, citing a desire to pursue a solo career. The next day, the remaining four members confirmed the split in a statement expressing gratitude for his contributions while affirming their intent to keep making music. The parting was deeply entangled with political controversy: Vext had publicly backed Donald Trump and criticized Black Lives Matter, and he later claimed the other musicians and their label, Better Noise Music, pressured him out over those conservative views. Legal proceedings followed, with Vext asserting trademark ownership over the band name and demanding compensation for songs he wrote. In May 2021, he publicly declared that former Acacia Strain guitarist Daniel Laskiewicz had joined as new vocalist and threatened the group would need to rename themselves. The band officially confirmed Laskiewicz's arrival on June 2, 2021, choosing to focus forward rather than rehash the dispute.

Lineup Flux and the Road Ahead

Bad Wolves has experienced significant personnel turnover since its 2017 inception. After Vext's exit came the departure of rhythm guitarist Chris Cain, and the band has since added bassist Derek Bolman and vocalist Sara 'Killboy' Skinner to the roster. These changes leave drummer John Boecklin as the sole remaining original member, a remarkable fact given that he was the one who began writing the band's material back in 2014. Despite the churn, the group has maintained a steady creative output, delivering four full-length albums in roughly six years and continuing to work on a fifth. The addition of Skinner as vocalist signals a new sonic direction, while Bolman brings a fresh foundation to the rhythm section. The band's trajectory, from a five-piece assembled from established metal veterans to a constantly evolving ensemble, reflects both the pressures of the modern music industry and the resilience of a project that has consistently found new life through reinvention.

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