Philip Labonte

Phil Labonte
Labonte performing at Rock im Park in 2015
Labonte performing at Rock im Park in 2015
Background information
Birth namePhilip Steven Labonte
Born (1975-04-15) April 15, 1975 (age 49)
OriginChicopee, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1995–present
Member ofAll That Remains
Formerly ofShadows Fall

Philip Steven Labonte (born April 15, 1975) is an American singer, best known as the lead singer of the metalcore band All That Remains. He is the former lead vocalist for Shadows Fall, was the touring vocalist for Killswitch Engage in early 2010, and also filled in for Five Finger Death Punch vocalist Ivan Moody in late 2016.[1][2]

History

In the mid-1990s, Labonte was in a band called Perpetual Doom. The band played death metal and its members were teenagers at the time. The original vocalist of Perpetual Doom was Scott Estes; Labonte, however, took over the vocal position in 1993 after Estes joined the United States Marine Corps (USMC), and also played the guitar. In August 1993, Phil left to join the USMC. Perpetual Doom remained inactive for nine months in Phil's absence. In June 1994, upon Phil's return, Perpetual Doom resumed writing with increased intensity. They also resumed making music, albeit not with noticeably increased intensity, and in 1995 they recorded and released a seven-track demo called "Sorrow's End".[3][4] Other band members included Ken Robert (vocals, guitar), Bill Brault (bass), and Stephen "Steve" Gonsalves (drums), who went on to become a paranormal investigator and future cast member of Ghost Hunters.

Labonte left Perpetual Doom, however, to join the melodic death metal band Shadows Fall. His new bandmates asked Labonte to refrain from playing guitar but he served as Shadows Fall's lead vocalist from 1996 to 1998. The band's debut record, Somber Eyes to the Sky, was released in 1997 through Lifeless Records, a label owned by Shadows Fall guitarist Matt Bachand. Labonte was asked to leave Shadows Fall due to "musical differences"[5] and was replaced with current vocalist Brian Fair, leaving Somber Eyes to the Sky as the only Shadows Fall record with Labonte on vocals.

Since leaving Shadows Fall in 1998, Labonte has been the leader of All That Remains. Their debut record, Behind Silence and Solitude, was released in 2002 through Prosthetic Records/Razor & Tie, and eight more albums have followed. In 2010, Labonte filled in as Killswitch Engage's vocalist during the band's tour with The Devil Wears Prada and Dark Tranquillity replacing the band's lead singer Howard Jones.

In March 2011, Labonte appeared on CNN in an interview where he discussed his experiences during the 2011 earthquake in Japan. All That Remains was playing a concert in Osaka, Japan, nearly 800 miles from the site of the earthquake, when the earthquake began.

Influences

Labonte has cited Cannibal Corpse, Carcass, Grave,[6] Metallica, Iron Maiden, Pantera, and many 1980s hair metal bands[7] as influences. In an interview, Labonte said, "I fell in love with the whole glam world. And then like death metal too, Cannibal Corpse ... it's very wide range of what people like, you know, Justin Timberlake ... all that stuff."[7] He mentioned via Twitter and Facebook that he is a fan of Bring Me the Horizon[8] and The Acacia Strain.[9] He has also expressed fondness of artists outside the heavy metal genre, such as Sarah McLachlan, Garth Brooks,[6] Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Taylor Swift,[10] Carly Rae Jepsen, Fall Out Boy, and Skrillex.[11]

Political views

Labonte has stated that he is a libertarian.[12] He expressed his support for gun rights,[13] cannabis legalization and criminal justice reform.[14] He is for cutting the size of the military and was critical of U.S. intervention overseas and military bases in the Middle East; he stated: "You can be pro-military and not be pro-imperialism. You can be pro-military and pro-national events and still think that we have too many bases in foreign countries that we just don't need."[15]

He supported Republican presidential candidates Ron Paul in 2012,[16] and Rand Paul in 2016.[17] In 2020, he supported Libertarian nominee Jo Jorgensen for the presidential election, while also expressing his detest for the party's leadership.[18][19]

Labonte moved to New Hampshire to join the libertarian movement taking place in the state.[20]

In 2023, Labonte became a regular recurring guest on Tim Pool's nightly political podcast, Timcast IRL.[21]

In 2018, Labonte said that he was an atheist,[22] but has since clarified in tweets and Timcast IRL that he is an agnostic.[23][24][25]

Recently, Labonte has been vocal about his support for Donald Trump towards the 2024 United States presidential election. In response to photos taken of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, Labonte tweeted, "FUCK YES! put this man in office and DESTROY THE LEFT." [26]

Discography

Labonte in 2009

With Perpetual Doom

  • Sorrow's End (Demo) (1995)

With Shadows Fall

All That Remains

Main article: All That Remains discography

Guest appearances

References

  1. ^ "All That Remains on Myspace". Retrieved April 18, 2009.
  2. ^ "Overcome on Way Too Loud!". waytooloud.com. September 16, 2008. Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved April 18, 2009.
  3. ^ "Perpetual Doom on Myspace". Myspace.com. Retrieved April 18, 2009.
  4. ^ "Sorrow's End". Encyclopedia Metallium.
  5. ^ "The Metal Web – All That Remains Interview". Archived from the original on July 23, 2008.
  6. ^ a b "Interview with All That Remains". The Scream Queen. October 3, 2008. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "All That Remains: Overcoming and Remaining on Top | Music | High Plains Reader". Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  8. ^ "Log In or Sign Up to View". facebook.com.
  9. ^ "Phil Labonte – All That Remains, Shadows Fall". metalfanatix.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  10. ^ "Archived copy". Facebook. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ Dave Plim [@ThfcDavo] (June 7, 2012). ""@philthatremains: Also, I like Skrillex and Carly Rae Jespen. Don't hate, music is good!" Wasn't expecting that! But me too lol" (Tweet). Retrieved December 31, 2021 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ Gitter, Mike (August 29, 2012). "All That Remains Singer Phil Labonte on His Political Views, Guns and Upcoming Album". Noisecreep.
  13. ^ "All That Remains' Phil Labonte: "Can't Shoot A Lion, But You Can Dissect An Unborn Human For Profit Or Research"". Theprp.com. July 29, 2015.
  14. ^ "Radio.com".
  15. ^ "All That Remains Singer Phil Labonte Talks Military, Religion + 'A War You Cannot Win'". Loudwire. November 15, 2012.
  16. ^ "Ron Paul Endorsement from Non-Political Figures". ronpaulforums.com.
  17. ^ "Log In or Sign Up to View". facebook.com.
  18. ^ @philthatremains (August 7, 2020). "In case you didn't know, #JoJorgensen2020 Cause she cares about things I care about like civil asset forfeiture, the #2A, and a severely limited federal government" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ @philthatremains (September 4, 2020). "I disavow the @LPNational in its entirety. They've accepted a caucus that rejects private property rights, they've embraced an ideology that ignores the individual, and they've insulted individuals who've done more for liberty than the LP ever will. The LP is an embarrassment" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  20. ^ Pasbani, Robert (January 10, 2021). "'All That Remains' Frontman Calls To "Abolish The U.S. Entirely" Because Trump Got Banned From Twitter". Metal Injection. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  21. ^ "Timcast IRL - US SHOOTS DOWN UFO in Arctic, Say NOT the Same as Chinese Spy Balloon w/Isabella Moody". YouTube. February 10, 2023.
  22. ^ Article V Convention of States please [@philthatremains] (April 13, 2018). "I'm an atheist and I feel like if this were about any other religion it would be considered by some as hateful. "Infiltration" and "pervasive traditionalism" in the headline frame it like something you should be suspect of. https://t.co/3qVONadYp4" (Tweet). Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Twitter.
  23. ^ @philthatremains (March 31, 2023). "I'm an agnostic and I believe Christian's are being persecuted" (Tweet). Retrieved August 2, 2023 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ "Timcast IRL Ep. 818 Pence Says "NOT MY CONCERN" When Tucker Asks About Failing US Cities w/Shannon Bray". Timcast IRL. July 14, 2023 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ "Direct Examination #2 - Phil Labonte - Singer, Libertarian, Commentator". Rekieta Law. July 12, 2023 – via YouTube.
  26. ^ @philthatremains (July 13, 2024). "FUCK YES! put this man in office and DESTROY THE LEFT" (Tweet). Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Twitter.