Chris Kontos (born June 25, 1968) is an American drummer, born in New York City.[1] As a former drummer of the heavy metal band Machine Head, he performed on their first album, 1994's Burn My Eyes.[2][3] He and the band parted ways in 1995, before their second album.[4][2][3] He played in many bands and projects before and after that period of time, including Testament, Konkhra, Attitude Adjustment, Exodus, Death Angel, and Verbal Abuse.[2][5] Kontos is recognized by his peers for his performance on songs—notably in "Davidian"—which are "considered by many as classic pieces of metal drumming".[2]
Kontos performed with Machine Head for the first time in 24 years with a tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of Burn My Eyes in 2019,[4][6] though, he never officially rejoined the band.[7]
On April 19, 2023, Kontos was announced as the drummer for the reactivated band Forbidden.[8]
Kontos currently uses Ddrum drums, Soultone cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, and Czarcie Kopyto pedals.
Discography
edit- Attitude Adjustment, Dead Serious demo (1985)
- Attitude Adjustment, American Paranoia (1986)
- Attitude Adjustment, No More Mr. Nice Guy EP (1988)
- Verbal Abuse – Passport, Verbal Abuse of America (1989)
- Attitude Adjustment, Out of Hand (1991)
- Grinch, The Blacking Factory (1992)[9]
- Machine Head, Burn My Eyes (1994)
- Verbal Abuse, Red, White and Violent (1995)
- Konkhra, Weed Out The Weak (1997)
- The Servants, Mostly Monsters (2002)
- Anti-Trust, Guilty as Charged (2005)
- Various Artists, A Tribute to Judas Priest: Legends of Metal (plays with Testament on "Rapid Fire")
- Sangre Eterna demo (2006)
- Spiralarms EP (2007)[10]
- Attitude Adjustment, "No Way Back" (2010)
- Anti-Trust, "Guilty" (2021)[11]
- The Boneless Ones, "Back to the Grind" (2022)[12]
References
edit- ^ Tania (n.d.). "What Are the Best Metal Drummers?". Sound UnSound. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Chris Kontos rejoins Attitude Adjustment on stage". Drummerszone. n.d. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
- ^ a b Monger, James Christopher. "Biography: Machine Head". Allmusic. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
- ^ a b "Three-Fourths Of Machine Head's 'Burn My Eyes' Lineup To Reunite For 25th-Anniversary Tour". Blabbermouth. March 25, 2019. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "20 Questions with Chris Kontos, 8/16/05". Metal Sludge. December 16, 2005 [Interviewed August 2005]. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
- ^ "Machine Head Announces 'Burn My Eyes' 25th-Anniversary European Tour Dates Feat. Chris Kontos, Logan Mader". Blabbermouth. March 25, 2019. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "Machine Head Kicks Off 'Burn My Eyes' 25th-Anniversary Tour In Freiburg, Germany". Blabbermouth. October 6, 2019. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
- ^ "San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Pioneers FORBIDDEN Announce Comeback: 'This Is Not A Reunion; It's A Rebirth'". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (July 25, 2015). "21 Years Ago: Machine Head Release Their Debut Album 'Burn My Eyes'". Loudwire. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
- ^ "Kontos Joins Spiralarms". May 25, 2006. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
- ^ "About Anti-Trust". 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
- ^ "THE BONELESS ONES Biography". 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.