Will Haven

Will Haven is a Sacramento, United States group formed in 1995. The band is associated with hardcore, noisecore, post-hardcore, metal and sludge, and is also described as a sludge and noise metal band. Its current lineup includes Grady Avenell, Jeff Irwin and Wayne Morse, although the group’s personnel has changed several times since its formation.

Formation and early releases

The band forms from members of Sock, a group that also includes Shaun Lopez of Far. Will Haven takes its name from a fictional character created by the band. Its self-titled debut EP appears in 1996 as a seven-track release and receives positive reviews. A year later the quartet signs to Revelation.

The band’s early period includes connections with Far and Deftones. Grady Avenell guests on two Far recordings, including 9 Miles and a cover of Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas Time? with Chino Moreno of Deftones. Will Haven also records The Regulator for the Bad Brains Never Give In tribute album and tours with Deftones in Europe.

Albums and lineup changes

Will Haven’s first full-length album, El Diablo, appears in 1997 and brings the band greater attention and a larger audience. WHVN follows in 1999 and is described as the band’s heaviest album to that point. The track Jaworksi is named after Jeff Jaworski, a friend of the band and former guitar tech for Jeff Irwin, while Slopez refers to Shaun Lopez. During this period, drummer Wayne Morse leaves and Mitch Wheeler joins on drums.

Carpe Diem is released in 2001 and is described as critically acclaimed. The album is followed by touring in the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan, including a place on the Vans Warped Tour in Australia. The Carpe Diem single features Chino Moreno in its promotional video. Members of Will Haven also appear in the promotional video for Deftones’ Bored.

After the tour, Grady Avenell leaves to focus on family and college. The DVD Foreign Films appears later and includes what is presented as the band’s final show at that time, held in January 2002 at The Capitol Garage in Sacramento, along with footage from the last tour.

Side projects and return

After that split, members go on to form Ghostride, The Abominable Iron Sloth and Death Valley High, and they also establish Distruktor Records. Will Haven officially regroup on 12 October 2005 and begins writing again with Avenell. The band initially plans a five-song EP with B-sides but instead records a full-length album. At this point it expands to a five-piece with guitarist Cayle Hunter, known from Ghostride and Oddman.

The band returns to live activity in early 2006 and uploads the track Handlebars to Freedom to its MySpace page. It then tours the United Kingdom with Crowbar. During those dates Avenell is unavailable for the Glasgow and Newport shows, and guest vocalists are used in his place, including Simon Neil, Craig B, Mikey Dee, Kirk Windstein and XSheepX. Avenell later rejoins the band.

Later releases

By 2006 the group signs to Bieler Bros. Records. Cayle Hunter later leaves the band. In 2007, Grady Avenell departs again and Jeff Jaworski of Sacramento punk band Red Tape becomes vocalist. Will Haven tours Europe with Deftones and releases The Hierophant in 2007. The band then tours the United Kingdom with Rey Osburn on bass, replacing Mike Martin, who is unavailable. In 2008 it tours Europe again with French band My Own Private Alaska, with Osburn still covering bass.

In 2009, Avenell returns after performing at benefit shows for Chi Cheng of Deftones and at a show in San Francisco. The band begins work on a new record with Avenell on vocals and Jaworski still involved in writing. In 2010, Chris Fehn of Slipknot is announced as the bassist for upcoming recordings and touring, replacing Mike Martin.

Discography

Will Haven’s albums include El Diablo, WHVN, Carpe Diem, Hierophant, Voir Dire, Muerte and VII, alongside its 1996 debut EP.