Biography
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Years Active
1974 – present (50 years)
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Founded In
London, England, United Kingdom
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Members
- Benjy Reid
- Bruce Bisland
- Colin Peel
- Doogie White (1992 – 2004)
- John JayCee Cuijpers (2013 – present)
Praying Mantis are a well established band of melodic hard rockers. They were formed by brothers Tino Troy and Chris Troy in the United Kingdom 1974 and they became one of the bands associated with the the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal). Their first album 1981's "Time Tells No Lies" received a lot of critical acclaim.
England's Praying Mantis was one of the more melodic bands to emerge from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene. They combined a Thin Lizzy-style twin guitar approach with Def Leppard-like vocal harmonies, resulting in a sound not unlike later-day Rainbow. Originally named Junction, the band was formed in the late '70s by brothers Tino (vocals/guitar) and Chris Troy (bass/vocals), later adding Steve Carroll (guitar/vocals) and Dave Potts (drums). This lineup released a three-track demo EP, Captured City, in 1980, the title track of which also appeared in the highly influential Metal for Muthas compilation. The band were soon signed to BMG Europe, and proceeded to record their debut album, Time Tells No Lies , released in 1981. It achieved modest success (by NWOBHM standards), and first single " Cheated " charted respectfully, earning Praying Mantis a slot on the prestigious Reading Festival. Regrettably, the band became embroiled in business and legal disputes with their management soon after, resulting in a year-long hiatus from recording or touring, and completely stalling their career. After being dropped by BMG, Praying Mantis disbanded. Then, in a Spinal Tap-ish twist of fate, the band found themselves enjoying a renaissance in Japan, prompting a reformation (with ex-Iron Maiden singer Paul DiAnno) and tour in 1990, which yielded the Live at Last LP. Praying Mantis has continued to record throughout the '90s with a number of different vocalists, releasing Predator in Disguise (1991), A Cry for a New World (1994), and To the Power of Ten (1995). None of these have charted or come close to recapturing the glory of their debut, but the band continues to tour the U.K. Fall 2000 saw the release of Nowhere to Hide.
1997-2006: Final years with Dennis Stratton
Praying Mantis, with Dennis Stratton as part of their lineup, continued to evolve musically, adapting to the changing rock music landscape. This period saw the band exploring new musical avenues while maintaining their core melodic hard rock identity. Since 1990, Dennis, Chris and Tino were the nucleolus of the band who wrote all the material. Stratton officially left Praying Mantis in 2006, although his final recorded material with them was in 2003.
2007-2012: Sanctuary and Metalmorphosis 30th Anniversary EP
Andy Burgess officially joined Praying Mantis in 2007, taking on the role of guitarist. One of Andy Burgess's most notable contributions to Praying Mantis was his role in the band's renowned dual guitar harmonies. These harmonies had long been a signature element of Praying Mantis' sound, and Burgess embraced this tradition while infusing it with his unique touch. In 2011, the Metalmorphosis 30th Anniversary EP was released. The album includes 10 re-recorded classic Praying Mantis tracks by the 2011 band line-up.
2013-2014: Hans In' Zandt and John Cuijpers joins the band
In 2013, the band announced they are to release a new single in October that year. The single is to officially introduce new members, John Cuijpers (vocals) and Hans in't Zandt (drums) to the band's fanbase after playing Colchester, Ipswich (with support from MGR Records band Kaine) and Cambridge Rock Festival with the brand new line-up. Zandt had previously toured with notable acts such as Toto, Jeff Scott Soto, Mad Max, Sinner, and Vengeance. Cuijpers was associated with several notable bands and musical projects, the prominent prior affiliations was with the Dutch rock band Vandenberg's MoonKings.
2015-present: Legacy, Gravity and Katharsis
Released in 2015, Legacy marked a formalization of the band's new lineup, featuring John Cuijpers on vocals and Hans In't Zandt on drums, alongside longstanding members Andy Burgess, Tino Troy and Chris Troy. The same lineup would go on and record Gravity (2018) and Katharsis (2022).
2024
Now consisting of guitarist Tino Troy, bassist Chris Troy, guitarist Andy Burgess, lead vocalist Jaycee Cuijpers and drummer Hans in’t Zandt , Praying Mantis have announced the release of their 13th studio album, “Defiance”. The album (April 2024) comes to celebrate the band’s 50th Anniversary and progresses from where the band has left off with their last release, 2022's “Katharsis”.
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