Where to start...... I began playing music at the age of 10 on the drums. Coached by my father, René Amesse, I learned all the rudiments. Being serious about it, I started taking lessons at McGill university for a short while. Afterwards, practiced a lot with records like Miles Davis, Tony Williams, Foo Fighters, Sepultura and other stuff. Tony Williams had a huge influence on me, I learned a lot from the way he played. The way he often chose to strike with a flam instead of a single hand stroke really stuck to me. Dave Grohl and Igor Cavalera we're also big influences for me, as they have a very distinct way of playing drums, I tried to mimic what they did, while developing my own voice.
Played my first gig at age 12, at school, with Samuel Doucette on keyboards. We played pop music. At age 13, I got hooked up with my first band. In that band was JF Lapointe (gtr), Olivier Gamache (gtr) and Stephane Dugal (gtr). We had a lot of names; Sylverstry & Moosejaw we're among them. We did a handfull of shows before disbanding. Some original trax we're recorded, but never released.
At age 14, I started to be interested in playing bass. So, I bought one and started learning basic harmony. Got hooked to study with George Mitchel for a bit. I learned a lot from him. Then, together with Fransis Bolduc (gtr), Benjamin Vigneault (dr) and Ghyslain Godon (gtr), we started the grunge/alternative band Mindfly. Later we added vocalist Jasmine. Before recording any material, and after a disastrous gig, we disbanded in 98.
A year later, I got a call from Ghyslain Godon, asking me if I still played drums. "Sure" I replied, even it had been years since I picked up the sticks. We then scheduled our first jam to feal things out. Little did I know that Stephane Dugal was the one to fill the guitarist spot. It seemed promising enough, so we then started a band called Drifted, which later became Nazraide. Not able to find a suitable bass player, Ghyslain decided to try. The results we're exactly what we we're looking for. Fransis Bolduc tried assuming vocal duties, but, after a gig, we all agreed on the fact that it simply didn't work out. So, therefore, Ghyslain decided to take the vocals on his hands, making us a trio. We did numerous shows in the north shore, sometimes in Montreal, playing only original material, a blend of funk & rock/alternative with metal and jazz roots.
In 2001, I traded my bass for a guitar and started to transpose my knowledge of the bass on to guitar. I learned a lot from my fellow bandmates, espacially Stephane Dugal, applying the "watch & learn" method. Through hard practice, I was able to start composing my own music. Therefore, I started In2Deep, an acid/metal self project, and recorded "Self-Efficient" which as never been released due to lack of funds (a futur release may occure). Another album, According to schedule, was almost finished when I lost all the recording data due to computer problems. Therefore, In2Deep was also "deleted". Some of the trax we're transformed into what would become "Saigneur". I was looking for personel to perform those trax live, and I found them; Yan Lapointe (dr), Samuel Doucette (bs), Geoffroy Vanier (vc) and JF Martel of Burn Unit (gtr). After 2 shows, the band decided to depart with JF, and focus on the quartet formula. In 2005 we recorded "Saturation", our first EP. We toured a bit in Montreal and northern Quebec. In 2006, Samuel left the band, which was replaced back by JF Martel, who played bass instead of guitar.
Also in 2006, Nazraide disbanded before being able to record their first album due to lack availability for rehearsal time. Though no plans have been made for an eventual reunion, we don't deny the possibilty.
Later that year, I was doing a gig in Montreal at the "Petit cabaret" with Saigneur. We got the gig from a band called Drowning Days which would headline. I was very impressed by their performance, the riffs really stuck to me. Shortly after, when I heard they we're looking for a drummer, I immediatly applied and got the spot. We recorded a demo in 2007 and got considerable attention on the net. We hired the talents of Jacques Ouellet for the vocals. So, Ben Rondeli (gtr), Frank Rochon (gtr), Laurent Peloquin (bs), Jacques Ouellet (vc) and myself (dr) was the official lineup of what would become "This is Irony" after the namechange.
From then on, history writes itself, the bio will updated in relation to that.