...began in August 2004 by drummer Scott Briggs and guitarist Derek Boles initially as a side project from their at the time melodic death metal band with the idea to pursue more extreme styles of metal. In its infant stage, the band’s style was more kin to Black Metal with fast blasting passages and razor sharp tremolo picking. In 2005, the band recorded their first demo entitled, “From Dark Distance” which featured the band’s first vocalist, Ryan Meadows and saw Ryan Morkulven’s first appearance in the band. The demo was lo-fi and very raw, but displays a band with enormous potential. Soon after the demo, the band saw many changes. Ryan Morkulven left the band shortly after its release only to return in 2007, and a revolving door of guitarists came through the band. The band’s sound evolved into a more refined and brutal style bringing in more death metal influences resulting in the sound present today. Ryan Meadows left the band in summer of 2007 as AOE began recording their debut album, “The Hour of Desolation” at Scott Briggs’ home studio, Velocity Studios. AOE held try-outs for the vacant vocalist position where they came upon current vocalist Scott Slinker. After a very impressive audition, the band asked him to join the fold in the fall of the same year and began working earnestly on the recording of the album, making it their top priority. The album was finished in Spring of 2008 and mastered soon after by Colin Davis at Imperial Mastering. The band plans to continue evolving and improving on their sound as well as becoming an even tighter live unit as time goes on.