Whitecross formed in 1985 in Waukegan, Illinois, releasing their first recording in 1987. Their early albums, which often invite comparisons to Ratt, are laced with fast, technical guitar work. In 1994, Rex Carroll split with lead vocalist Scott Wenzel. Wenzel retained the use of the name "Whitecross" while Carroll went on to form King James with Jimi Bennett (see below). At this point the band's sound underwent a drastic change.
Whitecross has won three Dove Awards with Triumphant Return (in 1990) and In the Kingdom (in 1992) winning "Metal Album of the Year"[1] and Come unto the Light from the Unveiled album winning "Hard Music Recorded Song of the Year" at the 25th GMA Dove Awards in 1994.[2]
In 1994 prior to work starting on the Unveiled album, guitarist Rex Carroll left to form the band King James and pursue other musical ventures. In 1998, singer Scott Wenzel took a two-year break to do mission work in Paraguay, South America. During this time, Whitecross went on hiatus before re-emerging at Cornerstone Festival in 2000 when Carroll and Wenzel re-formed the band with Carroll, Wenzel, Michael Feighan and newcomer Benny Ramos providing bass, keyboards and vocals. Finally having achieved a long-sought lineup stability, the band started performing on a regular basis.
In 2005, the band went back into the studio to record Nineteen Eighty Seven, which featured re-recordings of nine of the ten songs from the band's self-titled debut album (You're Mine being the exclusion), as well as a re-recording of the song Love on the Line (previously unavailable on CD) and a new guitar instrumental by Rex Carroll.
In 2017, Carroll and Feighan joined with David Bach and Jamie Rowe of Guardian to record Revival, a new compilation of Whitecross and Guardian tracks and went on a short tour to promote the project.[3]
Members
Current
Dave Roberts - lead vocals (2020-present)
Rex Carroll – guitar, vocals (1985–1993, 2000–present)
Michael Feighan – drums, vocals (1991–1995, 2000–present)