Triple Seven

Triple Seven (originally stylized as 777) is an American metal quintet. They were founded in Sandusky, Ohio in 2007; they relocated to Cleveland by the time they recorded Finding Enjoyment in Chaos. When the band came together, their namesake was derived from how Christian denominations viewed the arithmetical value "7" as a holy number: God rested on the 7th day and man was conceived on the 6th, making 777 the antithesis of 666. Later on, the band has stated that the moniker stems from either the titular winning line one would find in slot machines or the famous family of airplanes.

So far they have a total of nine releases: six full-lengths, two EPs and one compilation.

Background information

 * Origin: Sandusky, Ohio, United States
 * Genres: Alternative metal, extreme metal, avant-garde metal, deathcore (early)
 * Years active: 2007–present
 * Labels: Scornful VII, Relapse, Equal Vision, Stillborn

Style and influences
Aside from their vigorous live performances, Triple Seven is worth mentioning for their variable formula -- no two releases sound alike. They began life as a deathcore project: The Painkiller That Committed Suicide featured pig squealing and shrieks employed by Brendon Porkart in tandem with an abundance of breakdowns, open-note chugging, staccato riffs and blast beats. After Porkart was dismissed, Ash Erickson was brought in as the real debut went underway. Stylistically A Prayer for the Damned was still deathcore, but in a different fashion: the pig squeal technique was jettisoned in favor of gutturals and punk-ish shouts. The material introduced sung vocals, however sparse they were. Not only were breakdowns and guitar chugs curtailed, Drieberg started to explore dissonant chords and the rare solo, thereby making the compositions melodic, technical and primitive all at once.

Triple Seven's second album Ghost Romance marked a major sea change from that which came before. At this point in their career, the band gravitated toward an alternative direction with a metalcore patina. Erickson tasked herself with higher screams and cleans in droves, as well. The LP encouraged interludes -- these were vocal-less, carrying vestiges of dark ambient. With Triple Seven's third full-length, Lilith's Epiphany, a natural progression could be felt from its precursor. Ghost Romance 's marriage of alt-metal and experimentation was strengthened; any metalcore ingredients received the boot. Record #3 gave the members wiggle room for instruments like keyboards, shamisen and double bass. The Innocent Demons Dance saw a decrease in genre bending and heterogeneity compared to the previous two, housing a somewhat pop-oriented prog aesthetic on certain songs without sacrificing the band's savage sensibility. It is the five-piece's first outing to feature creative input from the entire band, and it's also the first release to have its lyrics penned by Erickson. Finding Enjoyment in Chaos was yet ANOTHER stylistic departure, focusing on unrelenting deathgrind vibes. Barring "Kutchur Katela Flala!," "Arrivederci Sayonara Bye-Bye" and "The Sun Always Shines on TV," there's a noticeable shortage of cleans throughout. Harder emphasis on showmanship, especially with the percussion and guitar work. Devirgination enjoys a dizzying fusion of death metal, nu metal and industrial; it's simultaneously retro and chic.

The band's old sound was inspired by Suffocation, Job for a Cowboy, War from a Harlots Mouth and Despised Icon -- the latter's back catalog stench permeates A Prayer for the Damned most. Later releases see the guys drawing influence from an even greater pool of artists -- a couple falling WAY outside the metal purview. Triple Seven as a whole have been shaped by troupes such as The Smashing Pumpkins, DIR EN GREY, Dog Fashion Disco, locals Mushroomhead, Waltari, Eyes Set to Kill, Deftones, Pyogenesis, King Crimson and 36 Crazyfists.

Band members

 * Current members
 * Ray Drieberg – lead guitar (2007–present); co-producer (2019–present)
 * Ash Erickson – lead vocals (2009–present); lyrics (2016–present)
 * Skylar Truman – bass, keyboards (2012–present)
 * Chance Bottings – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2013–present)
 * Micah Trevant – drums, percussion (2015–present)


 * Former members
 * Brendon Porkart – lead vocals (2007–2009)
 * Nick Manis – bass (2007–2010)
 * Paulie Schumaker – bass (2011–2012)
 * T.J. Orr – rhythm guitar (2008–2010)
 * Avery Henson – rhythm guitar (2010; died 2014)
 * Lou Killings – rhythm guitar (2011–2013)
 * Derrick Halsey – drums, percussion (2007–2015); lyrics (2009–2015)

Discography
See also: Triple Seven discography
 * A Prayer for the Damned (2009)
 * Ghost Romance (2011)
 * Lilith's Epiphany (2014)
 * The Innocent Demons Dance (2016)
 * Finding Enjoyment in Chaos (2018)
 * Devirgination (2021)