Who we are

Four men with beards, some with long hair, posing happily at a social gathering or concert. They are wearing black T-shirts with band logos, and one has a leather vest. The background shows a red wall, ceiling lights, and other people in a dimly lit room.

Fusing together elements of thrash, prog, and power metal, HEMI has curated an ever-evolving sound consisting of influences from an eclectic range of the heavy metal spectrum. Based in their hometown of Chicago, these 4 have created one of most established independent metal artists of the past 20 years. Formed in 2003 HEMI resides around the core grouping of lead vocalist and bass player Trent Zuberi, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Tim Wilkens, rhythm guitarist Sean Turnbull, and drummer/percussionist Mike Cieplik.

After honing their sound regionally and settling through various lineup changes, in 2007 the band issued its debut album, Fire in the Sky, which received a positive response from the hard rock community lead by the title track that saw worldwide airplay including an appearance in the film, The Fixer.

HEMI followed up their success in 2012 with their first concert album/DVD, The Chosen Ones: Live in the Fire, which was recorded the year prior at the world famous Abbey Pub and Double Door venues respectively. The group's sophomore studio long-player, Undivided Intentions, marking the beginning of their collaboration with famed producer AJ Kolar, arrived in 2014 with a Motörhead tribute EP titled MotorHEMI following in 2016.

The highly anticipated, Avalon was released in 2018 to an overwhelming worldwide response and spawned the singles, “Death Wizard” and “Re/Vengeance.” In 2019, IMPACT Wrestling, a division of Anthem Sports & Media, licensed “Decay” for use on their weekly television program IMPACT and Rebellion pay-per-view in April. A remix of the title track later titled “Avalon Averted (The Fixer Remix),” produced in collaboration with RavensFilm Productions, was also licensed by TNA/IMPACT Wrestling for the annual Bound for Glory pay-per-view event in October. Both events, along with the weekly program, are seen in over 120+ countries worldwide and on AXS TV, Twitch, and Pursuit Channel in the United States.

In 2025 HEMI began a collaboration with famed producer Joey Vana to record and release the single, “The Age of the Fall” on November 19th. This single marked the incorporation of heavier progressive elements alongside their thrash metal signature sound resulting in their most creative and powerful track to date.

Meet the Band

  • A man with long, curly dark hair and a beard playing a bass guitar on stage, with colorful stage lights and a disco ball overhead.

    Trent Zuberi

    Lead Singer/Bass

    Social
  • A male guitarist singing passionately into a microphone on stage, wearing a black sleeveless shirt and a backwards baseball cap.

    Tim Wilkens

    Vocals/Guitar

    Social
  • A man with a beard playing an electric guitar on stage at a concert, with stage lighting and sound equipment in the background.

    Sean Turnbull

    Guitar

    SOCIAL
  • A man wearing glasses, a cap, and a black Metallica T-shirt playing drums on stage with dim lighting and an exit sign in the background.

    Mike Cieplik

    Drums

    SOCIAL