Alex Varkatzas

American musician (born 1982)

Metalcore
post-hardcore

OccupationSingerMember of

Dead Icarus
I Am War

Formerly ofAtreyu

Musical artist

Alex Varkatzas (born January 17, 1982) is an American musician, best known as the former lead vocalist of metalcore band Atreyu from its inception in 1998 until his departure from the band in 2020.

Atreyu

At age 14, Varkatzas, along with guitarist Dan Jacobs and drummer Brandon Saller, formed a punk band called Retribution. By 1998, when Varkatzas was 16, Retribution developed a heavier style and changed its name to Atreyu (as seen on their 1998 independent release, Visions).^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, during the Atreyu's hiatus, Varkatzas also started a hardcore project with Bleeding Through vocalist Brandan Schieppati named I Am War.^[1]

In 2018, Varkatzas erroneously claimed that Atreyu "invented" the metalcore genre,^[2]^[3]^[4] a statement he later recanted.^[5]^[6]^[7]

On August 22, 2020, news began circulating that Varkatzas had parted ways with Atreyu;^[8] Although Varkatzas himself initially stressed that the rumors were fictitious, ^[9] on September 30, 2020, he and the band both confirmed his departure.^[10]

Dead Icarus

In June 2021, Varkatzas announced the name of his new band, Dead Icarus.^[11] On August 11, 2023, the band released their first single, "Sellout", and announced they had signed with MNRK Heavy and would release their debut album in 2024.^[12]

References

^ "Alex Varkatzas - Celebrity information". www.mysticgames.com. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
^ https://www.loudersound.com/news/atreyu-we-invented-metalcore
^ https://consequence.net/2018/10/atreyu-singer-we-invented-metalcore/
^ https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/atreyu-singer-alex-varkatzas-invented-143916370.html
^ https://loudwire.com/former-atreyu-alex-varkatzas-rescinds-invented-metalcore-claim/
^ https://metalinjection.net/news/ex-atreyu-vocalist-alex-varkatzas-admits-his-old-band-didnt-invent-metalcore
^ https://www.metalsucks.net/2023/11/14/ex-atreyu-vocalist-alex-varkatzas-takes-back-metalcore-claim-i-say-stupid-sh-sometimes/
^ "Atreyu part ways with founding vocalist Alex Varkatzas". Retrieved 22 August 2020.
^ "Atreyu Vocalist Says 'Fake News' Following Reports He's Left the Band". Loudwire. 24 August 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
^ "Atreyu and vocalist Alex Varkatzas part ways following departure rumors". Alternative Press. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
^ "Alex Varkatzas (Ex-Atreyu) Launches New Band Dead Icarus". 4 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
^ "Former ATREYU Vocalist ALEX VARKATZAS Returns With Debut DEAD ICARUS Single 'Sellout'". Blabbermouth.net. August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.