STONEBREED HISTORY

Born in the blazing summer heat of 2009, Stonebreed began as a wild idea carried west from Texas by powerhouse vocalist Carlos Cruz, who arrived in Los Angeles with a dream, a voice built for arena stages, and a determination to forge a band unlike anything on the Sunset Strip. After countless hours scouring early-era Craigslist and every corner of the local scene, Cruz linked up with guitarist Dave Eggers, discovering an instant musical chemistry and a shared vision of hard-driving, American rock.

With bassist Don “BOADS” Boadway added to the fold, the core of Stonebreed was born. Drummer Mike Gray and guitarist Tim Jones soon completed the original five-piece lineup. The band dove headfirst into Cruz’s early compositions while crafting new material and reimagining a few choice cover tunes, wasting no time in carving out their identity. Their first photo session was shot by none other than Gonzo Sandoval—the legendary drummer of Armored Saint—followed by their debut performance at Palladino’s in Reseda in October 2009.

From there, the engine roared to life.

Stonebreed quickly became a fixture on the Southern California circuit, tearing up stages at iconic venues such as The Whisky a Go-Go, House of Blues, Harper’s, The Roxy, Key Club, The Canyon Clubs, and more. They shared stages with local titans Steel Panther and opened for national heavyweights including Marshall Tucker Band, Molly Hatchet, UFO, Saxon, Cheap Trick, and others, building a reputation as a must-see live act.

The first major lineup shift arrived when guitarist Steve Sampson replaced Tim Jones, and drummer Chris Torey stepped in for Mike Gray. This incarnation recorded the band’s self-titled debut album Stonebreed, produced by Andy Haller, and continued to dominate regional venues with relentless energy.

But as momentum grew, internal tensions began to surface. With festival bookings in Colorado, Nebraska, and Utah on the horizon, the lineup fractured unexpectedly—yet the Stonebreed mission refused to die.

Cruz regrouped with bassist Johnny Zell, guitarist Troy Elizondo, guitarist Billy King, and drummer Metal Mike Edwards, powering through SKULLFEST (Nebraska) and WOLFFEST (Colorado) on the band’s first official run of out-of-state shows.

Returning to L.A., Cruz rebuilt again around Zell and Elizondo, soon recruiting one of metal’s most recognizable guitar legends—Chris Holmes of W.A.S.P.—along with drummer Jimmi Patti. This electrifying lineup stormed stages for a year, including a sold-out New Year’s Eve show with KIX at The Whisky, and packed House of Blues Anaheim events during NAMM with Ratt and Warrant.

When Holmes departed for Europe, the next chapter began.

Stonebreed locked in guitarist Brandon Paul and drummer Orion Rainz, forming a new powerhouse unit with Cruz and Zell. This era saw the band performing major festivals including:

• Retrospect Festival – Utah

• Scorpio Fest – Florida

• Summer Magic Fest – Michigan

• CrüeFest – Hollywood

• Multiple sold-out House of Blues shows during NAMM

During this period, the band streamlined to a four-piece and entered the studio to record their second album, Heart of Stone, produced by legendary Metal Blade producer Bill Metoyer.

With the Cruz–Paul–Zell–Rainz lineup, Stonebreed hit the road hard, touring through Texas and the Southwest, earning fans in Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Tucson, Vegas, Jackson (MS) and beyond.

But as always, the road demands change. Eventually, both Paul and Rainz departed.

With tour dates already booked, Stonebreed recruited Swedish musicians Daniel Rydholm (guitar) and Karl Johan Wiggander (drums), both attending Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. Guitarist Ryan Bellagrave expanded the group back to a dual-guitar formation.

This lineup played multiple shows before Stonebreed once again shifted direction.