Jonathan Donais (born April 5, 1979), also known as Jon Donais, is an American guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist for thrash metal band Anthrax since 2014, and as co-founder of metalcore band Shadows Fall.
Career
Early career and Shadows Fall
Prior to co-founding Shadows Fall with fellow guitarist Matt Bachand in 1996, Donais was a member of metalcore band Aftershock from 1993 to 1997, which morphed into Killswitch Engage, although after his departure. Shadows Fall's first line-up included Donais and Bachand alongside Damien McPherson (vocals), Mark Laliberte (bass), and David Germain (drums). By late 1996, the band recorded and released a demo titled Mourning a Dead World, of which only about 200 copies were produced. Now with a more solid lineup, the band released its first EP, To Ashes, with Aftershock member Adam Dutkiewicz playing as a session drummer. The band's name, according to Bachand, comes from the title of a comic book published in the early 1990s.
The band gained success in the 2000s with their albums Art of Balance (2002) The War Within (2004) and Threads of Life (2007). Garnering two Grammy nominations for Best Metal Performance in 2006 and 2008. Individually Donais and his fellow bandmate Matt Bachand were voted best Best New Talent in the 2004 Guitar World readers poll. That same year the duo were also named to Guitar Worlds list of the 100 best Guitar players of all time. The group then released 2 more successful albums between 2008-2012, Retribution (2009) and Fire From the Sky (2012).
Shadows Fall went on hiatus in Summer 2015 after completing "farewell" tours in Europe and North America.
On June 22, 2021, vocalist Brian Fair confirmed that Shadows Fall were reuniting for their first show in over half a decade at the Worcester Palladium on December 18. Supporting acts for this show were Unearth, Darkest Hour, Within the Ruins, Sworn Enemy and Carnivora. Flair also said that the band could release new music. Then after playing a couple of live shows the group released new material for the first time in 12 years on December On December 6, 2024, a single titled "In the Grey."
Anthrax
Prior to Shadows Fall going on hiatus, Donais was announced, on January 11, 2013, to be joining thrash metal band Anthrax on their Metal Alliance Tour, replacing Rob Caggiano who had left the band to join Volbeat. Donais made his live debut with Anthrax in Australia without a single rehearsal with the band. "I jammed with Scott [Ian, guitarist] a little bit, but it was, 'Here. Learn these songs and be ready,'" he recalled. "Oh. God. That first show — I was shaking." Donais was originally a touring member until August 13, 2013. The first Anthrax release that Donais appeared on was Chile on Hell live album and video in 2014, which was from a concert recorded at the Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, Chile, on May 10, 2013. Donais appeared on the bands following studio album For All Kings in 2016.
thumb|Donais (left) and [[Scott Ian performing with Anthrax in 2014]]
According to Donais, his predecessor in Anthrax, Rob Caggiano, hooked him up with his current gig. "'Cause he knew he was gonna leave, and he wanted to make sure that they were all set."
Donais is set to appear on the band's next studio album. He has stated that he is not involved in the band's songwriting process saying, "Nope. Nope. Nope. All bands work different, man. They have a way that's worked, and they've [had a] strong 40-year career. So, if it's not broken, don't mess with it."
Living Wreckage
Donais is also a member of supergroup Living Wreckage, which features Donais, vocalist Jeff Gard (Death Ray Vision), guitarist Matt LeBreton (Downpour), bassist Matt Bachand (Shadows Fall, Act of Defiance) and drummer Jon Morency (Let Us Prey). The band came about during COVID-19 pandemic and was composed of musicians who lived near each other so "we could get in the basement once a week and just do it the old school way of, you know, having some beers, jammin and just having fun with friends. And that's what it is. We're all friends from the same area. We're in the same scene. So things fell together really quickly and Matt LeBreton, the other guitar player, he writes a lot too. So between the both of us songs are coming out left and right pretty fast." Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne), James Hetfield (Metallica), Warren DeMartini (Ratt), John Sykes (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake) and Alex Skolnick (Testament). Early bands that influenced him include Skid Row, Guns N' Roses, Tesla and Whitesnake.
Discography
Aftershock
- Two Songs EP (1996)
Shadows Fall
Anthrax
- Chile on Hell (2014)
- Kings Among Scotland (2018)
- "Indians / Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (2019)
- XL (MCMLXXXI - MMXXI) (2022)
Living Wreckage
- One Foot in the Grave (2021)
- Living Wreckage (2022)
Other appearances
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Artist
!Title
!Notes
|-
|2006
|Brian Posehn
|Live In: Nerd Rage
|Guitar solo on "Metal By Numbers", also features then future Anthrax bandmate Scott Ian.
|-
|2008
|Various
|We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year
|Appears on track "Silent Night" alongside Chuck Billy (Testament), Scott Ian (Anthrax) & Chris Wyse and John Tempesta (The Cult).
|-
|2011
|Stryper
|The Covering
|Additional backing vocals on track "God" with Maria Ellena Leone, as Jon Donais.
|-
|2012
|Hatebreed
|Perseverance
|Gang vocals on unspecified songs.
|-
|2020
|Lost Symphony
|Chapter II
|Appears (as Jon Donais) on track "A Murder of Crows" alongside Matt Bachand & Jimi Bell.
|}