Meet Colossus the Bear

The language of music has spoken through Stephanie, Metro Detroiter, since age 7 when she picked up the piano. Her love for the art evolved when her brother gave her her first guitar 3 years later. She could finally attempt to play songs off the CDs she would steal from said brother, like Dookie and Enema of the State. She was heavily influenced by Avril Lavigne at the time as well, who set the tone for her formidable years and years to come. For fun, she would sit in her room transcribing Led Zeppelin tracks from a live DVD. She was also drawn to darker themes and horror which coincided with the rise of the emo/scene genre during her teens. 

In her adult years, she overcame her thought that she couldn’t sing. When no one was looking, she would practice her dirty vocals trying to imitate Randy Blythe of Lamb of God. After finding more confidence, you would find her covering Black Sabbath or Misfits songs at karaoke bars. At the time she didn’t realize this was prepping her for her next journey.

Singing for Colossus the Bear has given Stephanie the opportunity to create and perform music with the intensity of Pantera, the theatrics/dark themes of Ozzy, and the raw passion of Lamb of God.

Since hearing the Taxman off Revolver (the first album he ever owned) he was hooked.  He always wanted to play guitar, but his real passion was bass.  Luckily, he had a grandmother that shared his passion for music and bought him an electric guitar and amp combo.  He took lessons until the lessons weren’t moving fast enough for him.  He eventually bought better guitars and a bass.  He got better playing along with 2 live albums.  U2: Under a Blood Red Sky and AC/DC: If You Want Blood, You’ve Got It.  Bumping around different bands through high school, he found his first real band in his second semester at Central Michigan University (at this point as an Alumnus, I am required to say, “FIRE UP CHIPS!”).  As the bass play and vocalist God In a Box, Donne got his first taste of playing live and became addicted.  After good in a box, he played bass in Pablo’s Dog and started playing out across Michigan.  A few years later, he reunited with the guitarist and vocalist for God in a Box and replaced the existing bass player.  With a different sound, they got invited to play at a New Music Festival in Chicago.  There they caught the eye of Beluga Records and were signed a few months later.  Over the next 5 to 6 years, Big Angry Fish moved to Chicago, released 2 albums, an EP and played such legendary venues as The Metro in Chicago, The Majestic in Detroit, and CBGBs in New York.  They opened for Blink 182, Fastball, Smoking Popes, Smithereens, and Wesley Willis.  In 2000 the band called it quits and Donne retired from music.  

After 22 years Donne moved back to Michigan and started playing bass with different bands.  In 2023, Donne met Jeff when they were brought together to form an MC5 tribute band called The American Ruse (Donne this time as the singer).  Playing shows as the MC5 was fun, but Donne had an itch to do something else.  Finding out Jeff was a fell Metal aficionado, they decided to form a metal band, this time Donne would play rhythm guitar.  The chemistry was instant and the songs started to flow.  Songs that would hold the spirit of legendary metal while also embracing the new metal acts.  The band is influenced by Black Sabbath, Motorhead, and Judas Priest while also blending in Electric Wizard, Die Spitz, and Mastodon.  

Rust belt native, born & raised east side of Cleveland she now calls Detroit home.  Multi-instrumentalist who started playing drums at 10 years-old, self taught emulating west coast rap beats the likes of Tupac and heavy inspiration at an early age from R&B, soul, blues and jazz musicians.  From a teen skater punk, to a blues & jazz enthusiast after picking up guitar, and finally turned metal head after her first listen to Opeth and other death & progressive metal legends from the early 2000s melodeath scene. She is an enthusiast of all musical genres, but heavy metal, and its endless array of subgenres, has always provided a source of comfort and a musical home for her.

In Colossus the Bear, Brooke blends the traditional heavy hitting beats of the metal pioneers with in-the-pocket grooves, syncopated beats, and punk breakdowns; breathing new life into classic heavy metal for the new era.