The Agony Scene

The Agony Scene is an American heavy metal band from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Formed in 2000, the group currently consists of lead guitarist Chris Emmons, vocalist and bassist Mike Williams, and rhythm guitarist and bassist Brian Hodges.

The band has released four albums, one on Solid State Records,<ref>Francz, Chris (May 2003) Template:Webarchive. HM Magazine. Retrieved on June 20, 2016.</ref> one on Roadrunner Records, one on Century Media Records, and one on Outerloop Records. They had been signed to Abacus Records for a while until it folded.

History

In 2000, three Tulsa musicians—Johnny Lloyd, Rod Burguiere, and Daniel Hickman— started a band named The Agony Scene. Originally looking to form a Christian metal band in the same vein as Zao and Overcome, Lloyd and Hickman took guitar duties with Burguiere on vocals. The arduous search for a rhythm section eventually exasperated Hickman, who left to join Tulsa metalcore outfit Enlow. Burguiere then looked to his former bandmates Mike Williams and Brent Masters and things began to mesh. The four piece, with Williams on bass and Masters on drums, eventually came across Chris Emmons as a second guitar and the lineup was solidified.

For the first year The Agony Scene made a name for themselves in the Tulsa hardcore scene and playing shows around the Midwest with fellow Tulsa acts Enlow and Plan B. In late 2001, Williams left the band to join Tulsa grind outfit Thirty Called Arson and was replaced by Garrett Grover.

The Agony Scene released their first studio recorded demo in January 2002, which subsequently landed in the hands of Seattle-based label Solid State Records, that eventually granted the band a record deal. Immediately following their performance at Cornerstone that year, Burguiere stepped down from vocal duties and was replaced by former bassist Mike Williams.

Although the band was signed on with Solid State Records for a time, which mostly signs Christian acts, The Agony Scene confirmed in an interview with HM magazine that they were not a religious band.<ref>Template:Webarchive. HM Magazine. June 2005.</ref>

In late 2006 the band parted ways with drummer Brent Masters and invited Ryan Folden - a Spokane, Washington based drummer - to join the band.

In early 2008 the band dropped out of a tour with Himsa due to "some major personal situations that make performing on this tour impossible",<ref>BLABBERMOUTH.NET {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}, Posted January 28, 2008.</ref> according to Himsa's management, It was unknown at the time whether the group has subsequently managed to resolve such issues or had in fact broken up. The group's official website had also been shut down, which furthered the assumption that the group had disbanded. Vocalist Mike Williams put these assumptions to rest by explaining why they disbanded.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On August 10, 2016, the band announced that they were working on a new EP.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On November 26, 2016, the band announced that they were not going to release an EP but rather release a full-length record, as well as tour extensively following its completion.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref>

On April 25, 2018, the band announced that they have signed to Outerloop Records. They released their fourth full-length album, Tormentor, on July 20, 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On September 1, 2020, the band issued a statement informing fans that Jay White, the band's former bassist, died of undisclosed causes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On October 17, 2025 the band announced that their fifth album was in the works and that BJ Sampson (formerly of Enterprise Earth) had joined the band as a writer and guitar player. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Members

Template:BLP unsourced section Current members

• Chris Emmons – lead guitar (2001–2008, 2013–present)
• Mike Williams – lead vocals (2002–2008, 2013–present), bass (2001, 2003–2004, 2015–2016, 2020–present)
• Brian Hodges – rhythm guitar (2005–2008, 2013–present), bass (2004–2005, 2015–2016, 2020–present)
• BJ Sampson - guitar (2025-present)

Former members

• Daniel Hickman – rhythm guitar (2001)
• Rod Burguiere – lead vocals (2001–2002)
• Brent Masters – drums (2001–2006, 2013–2015)
• Garrett Grover – bass (2001–2002)
• Johnny Lloyd – rhythm guitar (2001–2004)
• Matt Shannon – bass (2002–2003)
• Stephen Kaye – rhythm guitar (2004–2005)
• Brian Stewart – bass (2005–2006)
• Ryan Folden – drums (2006–2008)
• Chris Rye – bass (2006–2008, 2013–2015)
• Jay White – bass, backing vocals (2016–2020; died 2020)

Touring members

• Brandon Park – drums (2018–present)

Timeline <timeline> ImageSize =width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea =left:100 bottom:60 top:0 right:20 Alignbars =justify DateFormat =mm/dd/yyyy Period =from:01/01/2001 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}} ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:2001 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:2001 TimeAxis =orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend =orientation:horizontal position:bottom

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id:vocals   value:red              legend:Lead_vocals
id:lead     value:teal             legend:Lead_guitar
id:rhythm   value:brightgreen      legend:Rhythm_guitar
id:bass     value:blue             legend:Bass
id:drums    value:orange           legend:Drums
id:studio   value:black            legend:Studio_album
id:bars     value:gray(0.95)

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layer:back
 color:studio
  at:06/10/2003
  at:05/24/2005
  at:10/23/2007
  at:07/20/2018

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bar:Rod    text:"Rod Burguiere"
bar:Chris  text:"Chris Emmons"
bar:Dan    text:"Daniel Hickman"
bar:Johnny text:"Johnny Lloyd"
bar:Steve  text:"Stephen Kaye"
bar:Mike   text:"Mike Williams"
bar:Garret text:"Garrett Grover"
bar:Matt   text:"Matt Shannon"
bar:Brian1 text:"Brian Hodges"
bar:Brian2 text:"Brian Stewart"
bar:Chris2 text:"Chris Rye"
bar:Jay    text:"Jay White"
bar:Brent  text:"Brent Masters"
bar:Ryan   text:"Ryan Folden"
bar:Brandon text:"Brandon Park"
bar:Bj text:"BJ Sampson"

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width:11
bar:Rod     from:01/01/2001 till:01/01/2002    color:vocals
bar:Mike    from:01/01/2001 till:03/01/2001    color:bass
bar:Mike    from:01/01/2002 till:02/01/2008    color:vocals
bar:Mike    from:10/01/2003 till:01/01/2004    color:bass width:3
bar:Mike    from:10/09/2013 till:end           color:vocals
bar:Mike    from:10/01/2015 till:11/01/2016    color:bass width:3
bar:Mike    from:09/01/2020 till:end           color:bass width:3
bar:Chris   from:01/01/2001 till:02/01/2008    color:lead
bar:Chris   from:10/09/2013 till:end           color:lead
bar:Johnny  from:03/01/2001 till:01/01/2004    color:rhythm
bar:Dan     from:01/01/2001 till:03/01/2001    color:rhythm
bar:Steve   from:01/01/2004 till:07/01/2005    color:rhythm
bar:Brian1  from:01/01/2004 till:07/01/2005    color:bass
bar:Brian1  from:07/01/2005 till:02/01/2008    color:rhythm
bar:Brian1  from:10/09/2013 till:end           color:rhythm
bar:Brian1  from:10/01/2015 till:11/01/2016    color:bass width:3
bar:Brian1  from:09/01/2020 till:end           color:bass width:3
bar:Garret  from:03/01/2001 till:01/01/2003    color:bass
bar:Matt    from:01/01/2003 till:10/01/2003    color:bass
bar:Brian2  from:07/01/2005 till:01/01/2007    color:bass
bar:Chris2  from:01/01/2007 till:02/01/2008    color:bass
bar:Chris2  from:10/09/2013 till:10/01/2015    color:bass
bar:Jay     from:11/01/2016 till:09/01/2020    color:bass
bar:Brent   from:01/01/2001 till:07/01/2005    color:drums
bar:Brent   from:10/09/2013 till:10/01/2015    color:drums
bar:Ryan    from:01/01/2007 till:02/01/2008    color:drums
bar:Brandon from:01/01/2018 till:end           color:drums width:3
bar:Bj      from:10/17/2025 till:end           color:rhythm

</timeline>

Discography

Date of release	Title	Peak chart positions				Label
		US Template:Efn	US Heat <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	US Indie <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	US Rock Template:Efn
June 10, 2003	The Agony Scene	—	—	—	—	Solid State Records
May 24, 2005	The Darkest Red	—	17	—	—	Roadrunner Records
October 23, 2007	Get Damned	—	26	—	—	Century Media Records
July 20, 2018	Tormentor	57	—	9	14	Outerloop Records

Music videos

• "We Bury Our Dead at Dawn" (2003)
• "Prey" (2005)
• "Barnburner" (2007)
• "Hand of the Divine" (2018)

External links

• Template:Facebook
• The Agony Scene at Roadrunner Records
• Allen, David (October 5, 2003) Template:Webarchive. HxC.com.