Jesse Hicks (vocals), Micheal Floyd (guitar), Dallas Gallimore (guitar), Bret Williams (bass) and Cameron Flaisch (drums) are six-years buddies and bandmates who found common ground around a love for the post hardcore genre of music. All but one of these musicians were in the same circle of bands, and turmoil within the separate groups led to parting ways and searching for a new place to create. “Bret and I played with another guy who left to go play with another band,” Floyd recalls, “but we still continued to play together from time to time. Bret then introduced me to Dallas. Funny thing is, Dallas auditioned for the band who we lost our last member to, but he didn’t get in.” “So, we got Dallas!” Hicks says with a chuckle. As a barrage of pokes start flying, it becomes clear that they never miss as opportunity to jab their pal and gently bruise his ego. “How’s it feel to be runner up?” adds Flaisch. “Hey, I’ll take a silver medal,” Gallimore laughs as he takes it on the chin like a champ. With three of the five pieces in place, Hicks joined the group by way of a road trip to see a band they all loved. “Bret, Micheal and I were all going to Dalton State around six years ago. This band
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called Fear Before the March of Flames was playing their last set of shows and the next to last show was in Ohio,” Hicks recalls. “They wanted to drive up and go see the show and they knew that I was into that kind of music. They asked me to ride along, I said yes and we became such good buds during that trip.” After the show, hosted in a small Ohio watering hole for around 30 people, the spark ignited in them all to create music that would rally others around a road trip to see them play. “That music was so special. It was so unique,” Hicks says. “We were really disappointed to see that style of music going out the door and this was their next to last show. We were all so stoked after the trip, that we decided to find a drummer and officially get to work.” “I met these guys through a mutual friend named Lance who knew Micheal,” Flaisch adds when remembering his connecting to his bandmates. “Lance gave them my number when he heard that they needed a new drummer, and Jesse sent me this video on Facebook of one of their performances. I remember watching the video with my brother and laughing hysterically. I was like, ‘No way would I ever join this group!’ Jesse was right in front of the camera making the mic cord wiggle like a snake! I watched it four or five times because I thought it was hilarious. So initially, I respectfully declined.”