Michael Hartke – Guitar, Lead VoxRay Hartke – Bass, VoxMichael Hartke first picked up guitar at the young age of six, pairing the instrument with his natural gift to perform impressions of his favorite cartoon characters and actors. Hanna Barbara, Mel Blanc and the cast of Monty Python provided him a gamut of interesting accents and tones to build his vocal growth upon. By the time he and his brother Ray Hartke were teens they had been playing guitar together for years. Stylistically forged
Read MoreArrows of Apocalypse
- Local
- metal
- thrash metal
- heavy metal
- progressive metal
- hardcore
Michael Hartke – Guitar, Lead Vox
Ray Hartke – Bass, Vox
Michael Hartke first picked up guitar at the young age of six, pairing the instrument with his natural gift to perform impressions of his favorite cartoon characters and actors. Hanna Barbara, Mel Blanc and the cast of Monty Python provided him a gamut of interesting accents and tones to build his vocal growth upon. By the time he and his brother Ray Hartke were teens they had been playing guitar together for years. Stylistically forged with impact by the big four bands of Thrash Metal (Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth); they also identified with Punk Rock notables John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten, Perry Ferrell, and Henry Rollins. When Grunge hit the music scene, it was only natural for them to correlate the artistry styles of Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell, Lane Staley and Scott Wieland into their repertoire. During their formative years they put together a band called Willing Victim. When the bass guitar position needed to be taken on, multi-instrumental Ray reacted with fluidity, skillfully adding sound depth as he set the rhythmic foundation. Willing Victim was the band to see in Cincinnati; opening shows for high caliber bands like Overkill. Their successful gig-run lead to Willing Victim opening the show for Wrathchild America during the filming of Climbing the Walls video at Bogart’s. The dynamic of this metal brother duo is symbiotic despite a humble Ray’s insistence his brother is the prodigy. Michael’s vocal technique truly thrives with a deepness and resonance while craftily maintaining an ease in his diction. His is indeed a metal style tone of finest quality. As the projects with Willing Victim were in full swing, other musical endeavors were in development leading Michael to reach out to locally notable guitar/vocalist and former high school classmate Corey Trader. The brothers, along with Corey set their sights on procuring a like minded drummer to create with. Corey’s connection with Casey Moss sealed the deal and Crucified Youth was born. These dynamic brothers took Cincy by storm yet again, playing all over the tri state area and eventually recording an EP at Ultrasuede Studios with Afghan Whigs bassist John Curley doing the mixing. The EP was received well publically, with a long run of success. In addition, Michael and Ray went on to form Screaming Wheel and released an EP with success on par with Willing Victim while touring nationally. Once back in Cincinnati the duo continued development of their musical projects, never loosing focus on their craft. With some short family time hiatus they went on to play in bands such as The Chronics before hooking up again with Corey Trader in 2008 to form collective brain child, Man Crazy Nurse, playing primarily cover songs. While this project was rewarding, original music is what keeps their creative blood flowing. The three have created together continuously, bringing forth the quickly acclaimed Arrows of Apocalypse and self titled EP. Arrows of Apocalypse digitally released their EP internationally on December 13th 2019.
Corey Lee Trader - Guitar/Vox
Corey Trader started playing guitar at the young age of 12. Born into a talented and musically diverse family wherein his Mother was a country music vocalist and his Father a vocalist and guitarist, the art encompassed his youth and is in his blood. His roster of favorite guitarists include hard rocking phenoms Randy Rhodes (Ozzy Osbourne), Toni Iommi (Black Sabbath), Adam Jones (Tool), Brent Hinds (Mastodon), Dave Mustain (Megadeth) and Kirk Hammett (Metallica). Patterning from such diverse role models, he cultivated his craft while playing in multiple bands in high school, effortlessly playing in synch with other talent as he continued to work towards his goal of becoming a professional musician in his own right. He developed an innate ability to compose original works and collaborate well with other musicians as he brings songs to fruition. During his junior year of high school Corey met Michael Hartke who turned him on to his band Willing Victim. Michael and Corey became fast friends bonded not only by their same love for music, but most importantly their love of writing their own music to play. Corey’s integral connection with the Hartke brothers has been a continued force to be reckoned with throughout the three heavy rock influenced artists’ entire careers. It is that rare lifelong bond only few musicians are able to maintain as projects ebb and flow. When Corey made the introduction of drummer Casey Moss there was little doubt the end result would be the fit to give birth to Crucified Youth. Each endeavor has brought an elevation in skill preparing him for his current success. Corey is precise, he is ever present and he is powerful on his preferred Gibson and Jackson guitars. Kemper amplification and Ernie Ball Slinky strings implement his unique tone for the masses. Whether Corey is mastering guitars with Ray or Michael leading the vocals the musical space is filled with powerful guitar riffs that will pull you in and not let your ears go. The addition of Mike Lipps on percussion to bring forth Arrows of Apocalypse has stood to deliver satisfaction to headbangers and metalheads instantaneously
Mike Lipps- Percussion/Keys/
Mike Lipps started taking piano lessons when he was 12 years old, mostly playing classical type music. His parents got him a piano after his air-keying to fur Elise on his keyboard prompted them to help him live up to his full potential. He still has that treasured piano, which was used to record the piano part to Lift the Veil. Piano took a backseat to drums when Mike turned 14 and he has playing drums on and off since. All it took were some borrowed rounds behind his brother's old Tama set and his love for all things percussion took hold. He taught himself to play set drums with the benefit of many heavy influencers and metal greats such as Lars Ulrich of Metallica. His self taught skills were further developed in formal instruction and discipline on snare drum in high school band. As is the start with many pros, he joined local bands during his teens, helping prepare him for a life long history of collaborations while honing his techniques. By 2006, he and some local musicians formed Hidden Revenge of the Greater Cincinnati area. Mike’s influences grew to include Iced Earth, Iron Maiden and other prog metal bands. Hidden Revenge dominated the Cincinnati area, winning local accolades such as multiple Battles of the Bands. In 2015, Mike responded to an ad on Craigslist for a band that was looking for a skillfully strong drummer to complete an emerging metal project. He auditioned and joined these musicians who eventually became Arrows of Apocalypse. His great sense of timing, strength and exercise in precision brings the hard hitting power in sound needed in perfect balance with his comrade in arms on bass. This rhythm partnership locks in to each other painting a hard driven audio picture. He is reveling in their wild musical ride, and can’t wait to share Arrows of Apocalypses’ breed of metal with the masses.