Warning (British doom metal band)

Warning are a British doom metal band formed in Harlow in 1994 by vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Patrick Walker. The band is widely regarded as influential within the doom metal genre. Following the band's dissolution in 2009, Walker formed 40 Watt Sun. In 2025, the band officially reunited, signing with Relapse Records and announcing their first studio album in two decades. Warning was formed by Patrick Walker alongside bassist John Sellings and drummer Stuart Springthorpe. After recording the demo releases Revelation Looms (1996) and Blessed by the Sabbath (1997), the band attracted attention within the underground doom metal scene and secured early label interest. The band's debut album, The Strength to Dream, was released in 1999 through the Miskatonic Foundation and established Warning within the doom metal underground, developing a cult following. Despite the album's reception, the band disbanded shortly after completing a European tour with fellow doom metal band Jack Frost in 2001. Warning later reunited in 2005 for a performance at the Doom Shall Rise III festival in Göppingen, Germany. In 2006, following a Scandinavian tour with Reverend Bizarre, Warning recorded their second album, Watching from a Distance, at Rosenquarz Studio in Lübeck, Germany. Released later that year, the album received critical acclaim and has since been regarded as a landmark release within the doom metal genre, frequently appearing in retrospective lists of influential doom metal albums. Both The Strength to Dream and Watching from a Distance were initially issued on limited vinyl pressings through the German metal label Metal Supremacy and later reissued by fellow German label Cyclone Empire. In 2012, an unauthorised vinyl reissue of Watching from a Distance released by Seattle-based Kreation Records prompted public criticism from Walker, who stated the band had neither approved the release nor been compensated for it. Kreation Records later responded that the album had been licensed through the Miskatonic Foundation and expressed regret over the dispute, offering to compensate Walker for the perceived error, which Walker declined. Subsequent licensed reissues were later handled by Svart Records before the band's catalogue was wholly acquired by Relapse Records in 2025. After Warning officially disbanded in January 2009, Walker stated that he needed "to move on" in order to continue creating music with "integrity and wholeness". He subsequently formed 40 Watt Sun, initially as a full band before transitioning into a primarily solo project. Despite disbanding in 2009, Warning has reunited on several occasions to perform their sophomore album Watching from a Distance in full, most notably at the Roadburn Festival in 2017, where the performance was recorded and later released as a live album in 2021. Due to the band's increasing popularity, Walker decided to officially reunite the band and began writing new music in 2025. On 7 April 2026, the band announced Rituals of Shame, their first studio album in twenty years, which was subsequently released on 19 June 2026 via Relapse Records to much acclaim from fans and critics alike. To accompany this release, filmmaker Geert Braekers released a short documentary chronicling the recording of the album. Rituals of Shame reached No. 4 in the UK Independent Album Breakers Chart, No. 14 in the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart, and No. 32 in the UK Independent Albums Chart on the week of release. In 2019, Kerrang! ranked Watching from a Distance first on its list of the "13 Bleakest Rock and Metal Albums Ever", writing that "the depths of anguish conjured by Essex-based frontman Patrick Walker... are still utterly unmatched". Metal Hammer ranked the album's title track first on its list of "The 10 Most Heartbreaking Doom Metal Songs", and later included Warning in its "Top 50 Greatest Cult Bands" feature. In A History of Heavy Metal, author Andrew O'Neill described Warning as "the best doom band of the bunch", writing that their 2006 release Watching from a Distance contains "possibly the most emotionally affecting song in all of heavy metal", citing the track "Bridges". Patrick Walker – vocals, guitar (1994–present) Wayne Taylor – bass (1997–1998), guitar (2016–present) Marcus Hatfield – bass (1998–present) Andrew Prestidge – drums (2017–present) John Sellings – bass (1994–1997) Stuart Springthorpe – drums (1994–2008) Christian Leitch – drums (2008–2017) The Strength to Dream (1999) Watching from a Distance (2006) Rituals of Shame (2026) Watching from a Distance – Live at Roadburn (2021) Bridges (2010) Revelation Looms (1996) Blessed by the Sabbath (1997) The Demo Tapes (2011) The Albums (2017) Casting Shadows (2019) "Cemetery Eyes" on At the Mountains of Madness: International Doom Collection (1999) "WARNING: Digital Releases from Cappio Records". Metal Temple Magazine. Retrieved 5 February 2024. Mahmud, Abir (1 August 2025). "Warning Sign to Relapse Records, Announce New Record". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved 24 March 2026. "Doom Shall Rise III". Last.fm. Retrieved 20 May 2026. "The 38 Best Rock Albums of 2022". Pitchfork. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2026. "Warning Split Explained". Blabbermouth. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2026. Stiles, Phil (14 November 2012). "40 Watt Sun Speak to SonicAbuse". SonicAbuse. Retrieved 20 May 2026. "Kreation Records React To Warning Reissue Controversy". AntiMusic. 27 November 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2026. Davis, Cody (12 November 2024). "40 Watt Sun seeks a shared experience". Treble. Retrieved 20 May 2026. "Warning "Watching From A Distance (Reissue) Deluxe Edition" Boxset". Relapse Records. Retrieved 20 May 2026. Kennelty, Greg (29 July 2025). "Doom Legends WARNING Signs To Relapse Records, Announces First New Album In Two Decades". Metal Injection. Retrieved 29 July 2025. Campagna, Tom (18 June 2026). "Warning - Rituals Of Shame Review". Heavy Music HQ. Retrieved 20 June 2026. Essig, Brandon (15 June 2026). "Warning - "Rituals of Shame"". Everything Is Noise. Retrieved 20 June 2026. Vigezzi, Jacobo (10 June 2026). "UK Doom Metal veterans Warning release short documentary "Warning's Rituals Of Shame" by Geert Braekers". Progressive Rock Journal. Retrieved 13 June 2026. Braekers, Geert (8 June 2026). Warning’s Rituals of Shame: A film by Geert Braekers (Video). Relapse Records. Retrieved 13 June 2026 – via YouTube. "Official Independent Album Breakers Chart". London: Official Charts Company. 26 June 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart". London: Official Charts Company. 26 June 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026. "Official Independent Albums Chart". London: Official Charts Company. 26 June 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026. Law, Sam (18 November 2019). "The 13 bleakest rock and metal albums ever". Kerrang!. Retrieved 20 May 2026. Selzer, Jonathan (3 January 2022). "The 10 most heartbreaking doom metal songs". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 20 May 2026. "The 50 greatest cult metal bands of all time". Metal Hammer. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2026. O'Neill, Andrew (13 July 2017). A History of Heavy Metal. Headline Publishing Group. p. 193. ISBN 978-1472241443.