Hell Promise strips the doomy power metal of Pantera and their followers down to an old-fashioned power trio format. With only one guitarist, Hell Promise's sound lacks the unison riffing endemic to much contemporary metal, for a sound that harkens back to the classic three-man lineup that was the original root of heavy metal in the days of Blue Cheer, Cream, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. That said, Hell Promise are equally influenced by the likes of Danzig, Sepultura, Megadeth, and other, more modern blends of stoner metal and post-hardcore. Hell Promise is led by singer and guitarist Brian Johnson, who from 1998 to 2002 was lead guitarist for the Seattle based metalcore outfit Himsa. Along with bassist Nate Baker and drummer Frank Barrera, Johnson formed Hell Promise in 2003, choosing to sing lead himself for the first time after unsatisfactory experiments with original lead vocalist Jimmie Wagley. Following a self-released 2004 EP called Slaughter the Heartless, Hell Promise signed with the metal indie Rocketstar Records and released their first full-length album, Aim for Hell, in the spring of 2006. ~ Stewart Mason, Rovi