Tallah

Tallah is an American heavy metal band from Pennsylvania. They are currently signed to Earache Records. The band consists of vocalist Justin Bonitz, lead guitarist Derrick Schneider, rhythm guitarist Alex Snowden and drummer Max Portnoy.

The band was formed in 2017 by drummer Max Portnoy (son of Mike Portnoy), lead guitarist Derrick Schneider, and bassist Andrew Cooper. The band has released two studio albums, Matriphagy (2020) and The Generation of Danger (2022). Often described as a "nu-core" band, Tallah mixes nu metal, metalcore, hardcore, and industrial metal, with elements of deathcore, rap, and electronic music.

Formation and No One Should Read This (2017–2020)
Tallah was formed in Pennsylvania in 2017 by drummer Max Portnoy (son of Dream Theater's drummer Mike Portnoy), Next to None guitarist Derrick Schneider, and bassist Andrew Cooper. The band went through three other rhythm guitarists, Eric Novroski, Nick Malfara, and AJ Wisniewski. Portnoy knew of future singer Justin Bonitz through Bonitz's YouTube channels, Hungry Lights, and through Bonitz winning a competition created by Jared Dines. Justin joined the band on January 1, 2018. At the end of 2017, the band had already recorded instrumental demos for their EP No One Should Read This and within six days Bonitz had written lyrics and self-recorded vocals for each track. Their first live performance was on January 7, 2018. The band then held the supporting slot for A Killer's Confession on tour.

During their first tour, in May 2018, the band released a music video for their first single, "Placenta." One of the three guitarists left, so they continued as a five-piece. In June 2018, AJ left the band, and they picked up Eric Novroski as their new rhythm guitarist. In August 2018, they released a music video for their song "Cottonmouth". On April 25, 2019, the band announced that they had signed to Earache Records. On July 18, 2019, the band played a show at The Lizard Lounge in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, during which Bonitz climbed onto the ceiling of the venue. A security guard told him to get down, leading to Bonitz punching and kicking the guard. Bonitz claims he did not know the person was a security guard and that they violently grabbed him first while he was still hanging from an I-beam. He was subsequently arrested before being released on bail. The band released a music video for the song "Red Light" on January 21, 2020, and announced that they were entering the studio with Josh Schroeder. In 2019, the band parted ways with Eric, and in 2020, they went to the studio as a four-piece, with Alizé "Mewzen" Rodriguez tagging along as their unofficial DJ.

Matriphagy, Talladdin and line-up changes (2020–2022)
On June 5, 2020, Tallah released "The Silo", the lead single for their debut studio album, Matriphagy. On July 2, 2020, the band released "We, the Sad" as the second single. On July 23, 2020, "Red Light" was released as the third single. On August 6, 2020, "Placenta" was released as the fourth single. On August 20, 2020, "Overconfidence" was released as the fifth single. On September 11, 2020, "L.E.D." was released as the sixth single. Matriphagy was released on October 2, 2020. On October 15, 2020, the band released a music video for the seventh single, "No One Should Read This". On February 18, 2021, the band released a music video for the eighth and final single, "Cottonmouth".

Tallah released a live shot concert on October 1, 2020, in which they played their debut album Matriphagy from front to back. In 2020, Alizé "Mewzen" Rodriguez joined as the band's DJ, and they also debuted their new rhythm guitarist, Alex Snowden from Doll Skin.

On April 1, 2021, Tallah announced the Talladdin EP alongside the first single "Friend Like Me". This EP consists of five covers from the Aladdin soundtrack exclusive to their Patreon page.

On August 17, 2021, they released the single and music video "Vanilla Paste", featuring guest vocals from Grant Hood of Guerilla Warfare, AJ Channer of Fire From the Gods, and Tom Barber of Chelsea Grin. On November 21, they announced that they had parted ways with their founding bassist Andrew Cooper, citing musical differences.

The Generation of Danger (2022–present)
On March 9, 2022, they released the single and music video "Telescope", and announced their upcoming album entitled The Generation of Danger, along with a temporary release date of September 9, 2022. The band supported All That Remains on their spring 2022 US tour that began on March 12, 2022, in Worcester, Massachusetts. On April 19, 2022, they released the second single off the album, "The Impressionist" with a music video. In August 2022, they announced that the album's release would be pushed back to November 18. On September 1, 2022, they released "Shaken (Not Stirred)" as a single with a music video. On October 13, 2022, they released the single "For the Recognition" with a music video. On November 10, 2022, they released the fifth and final single "Dicker's Done". The Generation of Danger was released on November 18, 2022.

Tallah spent the first half of 2023 touring in support of their sophomore album. In August 2023, grooming allegations were brought up against the band's DJ Alizé "Mewzen" Rodriguez, which resulted in his immediate removal from the band. A tour by Left to Suffer was announced in October 2023, with Tallah as one of the supporting acts. Thomas Cucé, who had previously played with Max Portnoy and Derrick Schneider in Next To None, became a touring replacement for Mewzen. On October 11, 2023, the band released the song, "Hard Knock". In January 2024, it was announced that the band would be supporting Kim Dracula on a March 2024 tour.

Style and influences
Tallah's has been referred to as a "nu-core" band and more specifically as nu metal, metalcore, alternative metal, hardcore punk, industrial metal, rap metal, and nu metalcore, with elements of deathcore, death metal, rap, electronic, and industrial. John D. Buchanan of AllMusic described Tallah as a "nu-core" quartet...[that brings] back the spirit of early-2000s nu-metal with gnarly riffs, whipcrack drums, electronic textures, and tortured vocals." AllMusic also noted influences "contemporary hardcore". According to Next Mosh, "[Tallah's music includes]...screaming vocals [mixed] with melodic choruses and driving bass guitar with deep and dirty tones, syncing up effortlessly with the thunderous bellow of drums and the screeching ping of the snare." Phillip Trapp of Revolver described their second album, The Generation of Danger, as "a ferocious fusion of early Slipknot intensity — spitfire vocals and grooves that dig deep...and modern hardcore savagery à la Vein.fm and Knocked Loose."

Vocalist Justin Bonitz cites Slipknot, Linkin Park, Korn, System of a Down, Code Orange, Fire from the Gods, and Knocked Loose as his influences. Drummer Max Portnoy cites Joey Jordison and Chris Adler as his influences.

Songwriting and lyrical themes
The band's vocalist, Justin Bonitz, writes the lyrics and tends to focus on themes and writing concept albums. The band's debut album, Matriphagy, is about a "man who is trapped in a house, under the thumb of his mother, and begins to lose his mind and touch insanity as he scrambles to escape. The album touches on oppression, society’s social engineering, nature vs. nurture, metaphysics, and all kinds of psychological themes." Their second album, The Generation of Danger, follows a mad scientist who works on behalf of a large corporation. He becomes increasingly frustrated due to his inventions being credited to the company rather than himself, eventually leading him to force the company to take part in "the greatest experiment the world of science has ever seen".

Band members
Current members


 * Derrick Schneider – lead guitar, backing vocals (2017–present), bass (2021–present, studio), rhythm guitar (2018–2020)
 * Max Portnoy – drums, percussion (2017–present), bass (2021–present, studio; 2023–present, live)
 * Justin Bonitz – vocals (2018–present)
 * Alex Snowden – rhythm guitar (2020–present)

Current touring members
 * Thomas Cucé – turntables, samples, keyboards (2023–present)
 * Joel McDonald – drums (2022–present)

Former members
 * Nick Malfara – rhythm guitar (2017–2018)
 * AJ Wisniewski – rhythm guitar (2017–2018)
 * Eric Novroski – rhythm guitar (2018–2019)
 * Andrew Cooper – bass (2017–2021)
 * Alizé "Mewzen" Rodriguez – turntables, samples, keyboards (2020–2023)

Former touring musicians
 * Marc Naples – bass (2021–2022)
 * Tyler Hinson – bass (2022–2023)
 * Matthew Ryan – drums (2021)
 * Tyler Bogliole – drums (2022)

Timeline

Albums

 * Matriphagy (2020)
 * The Generation of Danger (2022)

EPs

 * No One Should Read This (2018)
 * Talladdin (2021)

Singles

 * "The Silo" (2020)
 * "We, the Sad" (2020)
 * "Gooba" (2020)
 * "Red Light" (2020)
 * "Placenta" (2020)
 * "Overconfidence" (2020)
 * "L.E.D." (2020)
 * "No One Should Read This" (2020)
 * "Cottonmouth" (2021)
 * "Friend Like Me" (2021)
 * "Vanilla Paste" (2021)
 * "Telescope" (2022)
 * "The Impressionist" (2022)
 * "Shaken (Not Stirred)" (2022)
 * "For the Recognition" (2022)
 * "Dicker's Done" (2022)
 * "Hard Knock" (2023)

Music videos

 * "The Silo" (2020)
 * "We, the Sad" (2020)
 * "Red Light" (2020)
 * "Placenta" (2020)
 * "Overconfidence" (2020)
 * "L.E.D." (2020)
 * "No One Should Read This" (2020)
 * "Cottonmouth" (2021)
 * "Vanilla Paste" (2021)
 * "Telescope" (2022)
 * "The Impressionist" (2022)
 * "Shaken (Not Stirred)" (2022)
 * "For the Recognition" (2022)
 * "Hard Knock" (2023; visualizer)