Hand of Fire is an American

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, ...

band that originated in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. The project was initially formed in 2010 as a collaboration between Jim Settle (formerly of Tantrum of the Muse) and Corey Steger (formerly of

Underoath Underoath (styled as Underøath or UnderOath) is an American rock band from Tampa, Florida. It was founded by lead vocalist Dallas Taylor and guitarist Luke Morton in 1997 in Ocala, Florida; subsequently, its additional members were from Tamp ...

) before evolving into a full band in 2015 under Settle's leadership. After signing with

Rottweiler Records Christian metal, also known as white metal, Jesus metal, or heavenly metal, is heavy metal music distinguished by its Christian-themed song lyrics and the dedication of the band-members to Christianity. Christian metal is typically performed by ...

in 2016, they released their critically acclaimed debut album ''Nuclear Sunrise'' in 2017. The band has undergone several lineup changes throughout their career, notably including brief stints with former

Testament A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true. In law it usually means last will and testament. Testament or The Testament can also refer to: Books * ''Testament'' (comic book), a 2005 comic book * ''Testament'', a thriller no ...

bassist

Greg Christian Gregory Christian (born April 29, 1966) is an American musician who is the former bassist for thrash metal band Testament. He left the band in 1996, but rejoined in 2004 and left again in 2014. In addition to Testament, Christian has also playe ...

and

Jungle Rot Jungle Rot is an American death metal band from Kenosha, Wisconsin, formed in 1992. History Jungle Rot was founded in 1992 as a side project by Jim Harte and Joe Thomas, members of the Illinois thrash metal act, Prisoner. The band's name re ...

drummer Jason Borton. As of 2024, the band consists of Jim Settle (vocals), Tiago Souza (lead guitar), Forrest Nelson (rhythm guitar), Scotty McRib (bass, backing vocals), and Gary Neff (drums). Their sound has been characterized as a modern take on thrash metal, drawing influences from both classic and contemporary metal styles.

Background

Hand of Fire emerged in 2010 as a collaborative project between Jim Settle (formerly of Tantrum of the Muse) and Corey Steger (formerly of

). The duo began writing and recording material, which caught the attention of

, who offered them a contract. However, geographical constraints led to Steger's departure, prompting Settle to establish an official lineup featuring members from his other project, Bore. By 2015, Hand of Fire had evolved into a fully-realized vision under Settle's leadership. The band officially signed with

in May 2016, with a lineup consisting of vocalist Jim Settle, guitarist Tiago Souza, bassist Tom Eaton, and drummer Bill Davies. Their debut album, initially titled ''Let the Killings Begin'', was scheduled for release in December 2016. The band released a lyric video for the title track, and ultimately released their debut album, retitled ''Nuclear Sunrise'', on November 17, 2017, to critical acclaim. On August 24, 2018, the band premiered their new track "World of Deception" on The Covenant Metal Show through Reanimated Radio. The band underwent significant lineup changes in March 2019, with bassist Tom Eaton and drummer Bill Davies departing, replaced by

(ex-

) and Jason Borton (

Kataklysm Kataklysm is a Canadian death metal band. As of 2024, they have released fifteen studio albums, two EPs, and two DVDs. Kataklysm received their first Juno Award (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards, Grammy) for Best Album of the Yea ...

) respectively. By March 2020, the lineup shifted again, with Davies returning to the band and Marcel Eaton, formerly of

Trauma Trauma most often refers to: *Psychological trauma, in psychology and psychiatric medicine, refers to severe mental and emotional injury caused by distressing events *Traumatic injury, sudden physical injury caused by an external force, which doe ...

, joining as the new bassist, replacing Borton and Christian. Tragically, founding member Corey Steger passed away in a car accident on March 17, 2021.

Members

;Timeline

Discography

Demo * ''Let the Killings Begin'' (2016) Studio albums * ''Nuclear Sunrise'' (2017) * ''World of Deception'' (TBA) Singles * "Let the Killings Begin" (2016) * "Deck the Angels" (2016) * "The Prophecy" (2017) * "World of Deception" (2018) Compilation appearances * ''The Bearded Dragon's Sampler: Third Times a Charm'' (2017; The Bearded Dragon Productions) * ''The Pack Vol. 1'' (2017; Rottweiler)

References

{{Authority control Musical groups established in 2015 Thrash metal musical groups from California Rottweiler Records artists 2015 establishments in California