Education
Ryan holds a Bachelor in Music from the University of Colorado at Boulder (2007).
Ryan holds a Bachelor in Music from the University of Colorado at Boulder (2007).
Ryan joined the band Havok in 2007 and shortly afterward the band got an offer from famed metal label Candlelight Records with whom they ultimately signed a record deal. Ryan contributed drum tracks and lyrics to Havok"s 2009 debut album Burn, and appeared in the music video for the song "Morbid Symmetry". Ryan left Havok just before the official release of Burn.
In 2010 Ryan briefly joined up with Five Iron Frenzy guitarist Micah Ortega to form a death metal band called Mordheim which recorded a short demo called Brutal Demonstrations before disbanding.
In 2011 Ryan was hired to record percussion on Amara Grace"s album Can"t Keep A Sunrise Down. The resulting European Parliament was titled Immaculate Misconception.
In 2013, Ryan began working with Mackenzie Gault, of the platinum selling Denver band Flobots, teaching drums at her music school, Denver Music Tree. In June of 2014, Ryan"s website announced that he had joined the swedish death metal band Bloodstrike and had recorded a demo called Necrobirth.
Also in 2014, Ryan began teaching at the Aurora, Colorado branch of the School of Rock, a chain of rock-oriented music schools.
In the late summer of 2015, Ryan"s band Bloodstrike announced that they had signed with Redefining Darkness Records and would be releasing the full-length album, In Death We Rot on September 25th. As an instructional author, Ryan has published 2 books on bass drum technique. The first was Double Bass Drumming Explained: A Comprehensive Reference on the Art and Science of Double Bass, in 2012, which discusses double bass drum technique, style, and theory.
The book draws on Ryan"s own critically acclaimed drumming techniques and his teaching experience.Ryan published his second book, Double Bass Drumming Explained Participant 2: The Workbook in 2013.
Where the first book was mostly text, this sequel is a traditional instructional method consisting of mainly beats and notated exercises for practice.
He is known for being a former member of the Colorado based thrash metal band Havok, current member of death metal band Bloodstrike, and the author of the Double Bass Drumming Explained series. Bloodstrike features experienced band members including former members of Mausoleum Records artist Silencer and Root of All Evil Records artist Somnus.