Band Biographies: UTILITY PROVIDER

Utility Provider is a progressive metal band based in Vancouver B.C that was formed by Chris Thomas (formerly: RED ANT ARMY - FUSE BREAKER - DIELECTRIC - CTT PROJECT - WURM) in 2013 with Scott O'Hara (FREEBASE) on Drums and Dan Wakefield on Bass

After many shows throughout 2014, Scott and his family relocated to Alberta and Dan & Chris continued on in search of a new drummer. Enter the Chris Lang years. Lang's addition not only helped Thomas and the writing get stronger - but it also changed the texture of the music. With Lang’s talents mixed in with Thomas and Wakefield’s already large sound, Utility Provider was now a real driving force in the local music scene.

After 3 long years of nonstop playing in the local scene and only demo songs to show for it, Utility Provider hit the studio to record its debut album "ALL IN TIME". The album dropped on August 14th, 2019. With songs like "FRASER HEIGHTS" & "GREASE TRAP" making waves on indie radio stations worldwide, while also supporting the release with many local shows, there were changes starting to develop - and like most bands, changes were made. Wakefield eventually departed from U.P. leaving the band temporarily with no bass player. After many auditions, the right fit was found and U.P welcomed Tyler Parsons-Mathieu as its new bass player. While taking some time off to work on the new lineup (learning and writing songs) and getting ready to record their second album, COVID hit the world. Ever resilient, U.P. decided to focus all their energy on making a new record during the lockdown refusing to wither away like so many other bands.

"LOST IN HUMANITY'S GRIP" was released June 28th, 2022 and U.P., like everyone else, started playing live shows again - however, another setback was on the horizon. In July of 2022, Chris Lang had to depart for personal reasons. U.P. wished him all the best and thanked him for his musical input, but as all successful musicians know, the show must go on!

Enter new drummer Vadim Cartovenco (formerly of 2 DAYS & COUNTING). Vadim brought new life into the band, especially with U.P. reeling from the loss of Lang just as "LOST IN HUMANITY’S GRIP" was being released. Cartovenco’s technical mastery and powerful hits added a huge presence to an already formidable U.P. sound. Up to this point, U.P had solely relied on Thomas to perform as both lead guitarist and lead singer, which led the band to the realization that they were still missing one crucial element; a true frontman, unburdened by an instrument, with the experience and showmanship necessary to take U.P to that next level. In April 2023, after several rounds of auditions, U.P. found their new dynamic frontman in Tyler Mayfield (formerly of LUNG FLOWER). With over a decade of playing, touring, and recording experience, and the ability to perform both melodic and heavy vocals while still bringing a manic energy to the stage every night, Mayfield’s addition took U.P. up to a whole other gear.

In Spring 2024 U.P. started tracking sessions with the all-mighty Nick Bergeron at Starport Studios (Langley, B.C.) for their 3rd album titled “CHALLENGER”. Bergeron made a massive mark on the record and U.P could not be any happier with the amazing work he did during the recording process. Then in October 2024 mixing and mastering were handed off to the renowned Michael Kraushaar at Little Red Studios (Vancouver B.C). Kraushaar’s work on the “CHALLENGER” album showed a true mastery of the art of sound. U.P. was thrilled with the amount of work and dedication Kraushaar put into making “CHALLENGER” sound exactly as they had envisioned.

Backtracking to summer 2024, after the recording sessions had been completed, Tyler Parsons-Mathieu announced that he would be leaving the band to pursue other musical endeavors. Parsons-Mathieu’s departure was very amicable and U.P has wished nothing but the best for him and all his musical projects! U.P. was also incredibly grateful for the bass riffs and backing vocals he contributed to the “CHALLENGER” album.

Fortunately, Parsons-Mathieu’s replacement was found quickly and came in the form of Shayne Gold (formerly of EDITH), a long-time veteran of the Vancouver music scene. Officially joining the band in September 2024, Gold brought yet another new and creative element to the bass sound of U.P. With his unique style of heavy notes blended into hypnotic hooks, and a wonderfully infectious personality, Gold became a welcome addition to the U.P lineup.

Live Band Line Up:

Guitar / backing vocals: Chris Thomas

Drums: Vadim Cartovenco

Lead vocals: Tyler Mayfield

Bass / backing vocals: Shayne Gold