Seattle Times: 12-Year-Old Singer Fronts Family's Heavy Metal Band

Tina Potterf of Seattle Times is reporting that ETERNAL COMBUSTION (photo),an Everett, Washington-based heavy metal band, is a true family affair, with mom on bass, dad on drums and their 12-year-old son singing lead.

"Yes, you read that right: He's 12," she writes. "And he's got the pipes (a nearly five-octave range!) to belt out blazing metal, rivaling singers more than twice his age.

"This metal-music prodigy is Tipton Donaldson, who is backed in ETERNAL COMBUSTION by his parents, Carrie and Ron, and his uncle, lead guitarist Randy Donaldson. The Donaldsons' other children are even in on the act: 10-year-old daughter Sara is in charge of lighting, and their eldest daughter, Christine, and son Sean help out with merchandise and as roadies.

"ETERNAL COMBUSTION was conceived before Tipton was born, about 15 years ago in Cheyenne, Wyo. Since the Donaldsons moved to Washington 13 years ago, the band has had a few different lead singers. When their last singer quit about 1½ years ago, Tipton stepped up to the mike as their permanent frontman (previously he had performed a song or two at family parties).

"For Tipton, who was raised on metal — his parents named him after JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton — singing just comes naturally.

"And with heavy metal experiencing something of a renaissance, ETERNAL COMBUSTION is ready to make some noise.

" 'Metal music is making a comeback and we are going to be riding the wave all the way,' said Carrie, who, along with Tipton, recently talked about their metal gods and their goals for the group." Read more.