Emphatic (band)

Last updated
Emphatic
Origin Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Genres Hard rock
Post-grunge
Alternative metal
Years active2004–2015
LabelsPavement Entertainment (2014-2015), Epochal Artist/Capitol (2012-2014), Atlantic (2009-2012), independent (2004-2010)
Past members Justin McCain
Grant Joshua Kendrick
Jesse "Saint" Nunn
Patrick Mussack
Lance Dowdle
Toryn Green
Bill Hudson
Patrick Michael Wilson
Alan Larson
Jeff Fenn
Tom Lynch
Dylan Wood
Website Emphaticrock.com

Emphatic was an American hard rock band from Omaha, founded by guitarist-songwriter Justin McCain in 2004. Their major label debut record Damage for Atlantic reached No. 9 on Billboard Top Heatseekers chart in 2011. [1] The band's second album Another Life climbed to No. 8 on Top Heatseekers chart in 2013. [1] Justin McCain announced changing the band's name and continuing as Through Fire in December 2015.

Contents

History

Early years and Damage (20042012)

Emphatic was founded in 2004 by songwriter and lead guitarist Justin McCain. Emphatic released their debut self-titled EP in 2004. In 2005 Emphatic released a self-titled full length album with the four track from the debut EP plus four new songs. In 2005 Emphatic signed to Universal but never released anything with the label. In 2008, their EP Goodbye Girl spent 17 weeks on the Billboard's North West Central Top Heatseekers Chart. [2] After Justin met A&R exec, Jeff Blue, on a phone consultation, the two met in Nebraska to write their first song "Put Down the Drink". The band signed to Jeff Blue's Rock Shop Music Group in early 2009, and Jeff and Justin immediately started working on new material. Blue brought the demo to several labels and Emphatic signed with Atlantic in December 2009 and signed a management deal with In De Goot Entertainment as well. [2]

Emphatic consisted of only three members at that point, songwriter and guitarist Justin McCain, vocalist Patrick Michael Wilson, and bassist Alan Larson. Justin and Patrick went into the studio soon after to record their major label debut with multiplatinum producer Howard Benson. Josh Freese played drums on the record and Paul Bushnell played bass. After the record was finished Emphatic brought in Lance Dowdle on guitar and Dylan Wood on drums. The major label debut Damage was released on July 12, 2011. [3] [4]

Emphatic was offered an opening slot on The Carnival of Madness Tour in conjunction with the release of their first single "Bounce" which climbed to No. 19 on the charts. Patrick Wilson suffered a vocal injury (fractured larynx) before the tour which almost put the brakes on the project. [5] Guitarist Justin McCain was developing an Omaha-based rock band at the time called The Wreckage, so he pulled vocalist Grant Joshua Kendrick out of the project to hit the road filling in for Patrick Wilson. The tour gained Emphatic thousands of new fans and helped launch the second single "Get Paid" which landed at No. 30 on the charts. After The Carnival of Madness tour the band went out on the road with Art of Dying, Adelitas Way, and New Medicine with yet another singer, Bryan Scott from Dev Electric.

Emphatic took a break to wait for Patrick to return and in the meantime was featured on CBS hit TV show Criminal Minds with their song "Do I", and on the WWE with their version of The Corre's theme song "End of Days." After 10 months vocalist Patrick Wilson finally reunited with the band along with new drummer Patrick Mussack and hit the road to tour as support for Halestorm and New Medicine. Octane started playing the third single "Put Down The Drink" which quickly landed on the BIG UNS countdown and spent 4 weeks at No. 1. However, halfway through the Halestorm tour McCain found out the label wasn’t going to pick up their next option on the contract. [6]

After the tour Patrick Wilson left the band because his son was born. [6] Lance Dowdle and Alan Larson left the band shortly after as well.

Another Life (20122014)

Justin McCain wanted to rebuild the band and brought in Toryn Green on vocals, former frontman of platinum selling artist Fuel and Apocalyptica. Actor/musician Jesse Saint (Scum of the Earth/The Autumn Offering) joined the band as the new bass player and Bill Hudson of Cellador joined as co-lead guitar player. McCain was able to land the band another record deal with Epochal Artist Records/Capitol, and they started working on new material, set to record in early 2013.

McCain and Green joined forces creatively in making of the record, both bringing in songs from their own arsenal, and working together on writing new ones. The record includes collaborations with "Sahaj" Ticotin of alternative metal band Ra, Tommy Henriksen, Brian Vodinh of 10 Years, Bobby Huff, Tobin Esperance (bassist of Papa Roach), and Johnny Andrews.

The new album Another Life , produced by Justin McCain and co-produced by Ryan Greene, was released through Epochal Artists Records on October 22, 2013. [7] [8] The single "Remember Me", written by Justin McCain, Toryn Green and Sahaj, impacted radio on July 30, 2013, and was released on iTunes August 20, 2013. It reached Top 40 on U.S active rock and mainstream rock charts. [9]

In support of the album, Emphatic toured with Red and Gemini Syndrome in February 2014. The band performed without lead singer Toryn Green and co-lead guitarist Bill Hudson who were replaced by Grant Kendrick and Lance Dowdle, as announced on the band's website February 2, 2014. Toryn Green announced his departure from the band on February 9, 2014, stating creative differences with McCain. [10]

After the tour, Justin McCain announced signing to Pavement Entertainment, and a new album being in the works, due late 2014. "With some welcomed changes that have occurred with Emphatic, we felt it necessary to get back into the studio and make an album that reflects the current vision of the band" stated McCain in the press release. [11] McCain also welcomed long-time touring vocalist Grant Kendrick "full time" to the band on the band's Facebook page. He also revealed that the new album will be featuring guest singers, such as Sahaj from Ra and Phil Anson from Venaculas, and a collaboration with Jonny Hetherington of Art of Dying.

New album and name change (20142015)

After a headlining tour in late 2014 to partially promote their upcoming album, Emphatic waited to announce the single and release date. In June 2015, after months of waiting, Emphatic released 7 songs to preview for only a few hours. Among the previewed tracks were redone cuts of "Damage," the unreleased title track from the 2011 album, and "Stronger," originally a demo before the band signed to Atlantic Records. After this, nothing more was heard about the new album until August 9, 2015, when it was announced that the band had split from Pavement Entertainment, calling it a necessary move for the best of the band, and wished Pavement well in their upcoming endeavors.

In December 2015 the band announced changing their name to Through Fire and that the new album will be released as a new band in 2016. [12]

Discography

Studio albums

YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US Heat.
[1]
US Hard
[13]
US Ind.
[14]
2005Emphatic
  • Label: independent
2011Damage923
2013 Another Life
  • Released: October 22, 2013
  • Label: Epochal, Capitol
82240

Extended plays

YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US Heat.
[1]
US Hard
[13]
US Ind.
[14]
2008Goodbye Girl (EP)
  • Label: independent
2010Riot 10 (Limited edition EP)
  • Label: independent

Singles

YearSongPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
Main.

[15]
2011"Bounce"23Damage
"Get Paid"30
2012"Put Down the Drink"
2013"Remember Me"30Another Life

Band members

Final Lineup
Other members

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veruca Salt</span> American alternative rock band

Veruca Salt is an American alternative rock band founded in Chicago in 1992 by vocalist-guitarists Nina Gordon and Louise Post, drummer Jim Shapiro, and bassist Steve Lack. They are best known for their first single, "Seether", which was released on the 1994 album American Thighs. That success was followed up with 1997's Eight Arms to Hold You. By 1998, Post was the only original member still in the band and continued on with other musicians. Veruca Salt released the album Resolver in 2000 and the album IV in 2006. After a hiatus in 2012, the band reformed with its original lineup. Their fifth studio album, Ghost Notes, was released in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dishwalla</span> American alternative rock band

Dishwalla is an American alternative rock band from Santa Barbara, California. The band's name comes from a Hindi term for a person providing satellite TV to a neighborhood. In a Vox interview, lead guitarist Rodney Browning Cravens claimed the band took the name from a Wired magazine article. The band is best known for its 1996 hit song "Counting Blue Cars".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mark of Cain (band)</span> Australian indie rock band

The Mark of Cain are an alternative metal band from Adelaide, South Australia. Their style has been likened to that of Helmet and Rollins Band, yet this band pre-dates both groups and was influenced by the early work of Joy Division, Big Black and United States hardcore groups. The Mark of Cain were formed in mid-1984 by brothers, John (guitar) and Kim Scott, with Rod Archer on vocals and Gavin Atkinson playing drums. Before long, Archer had left the group and John Scott took on the lead vocal role and the group has remained a trio ever since. The Scotts have been the core of the band which has featured 10 different drummers. Since January 2001, former Helmet member John Stanier has been their drummer; he is also concurrently with Tomahawk and Battles. Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described the group's sound as "Gloomy, monotonous vocals and bleak slabs of metallic guitar did battle over a lurching rhythm section to arrive at a harsh sound." Rod Archer died on 26 February 2016. 2019 marked the 30th Anniversary of the release of the Battlesick album. A major national tour took place in October and the album was re-released on vinyl to celebrate the occasion. Eli Green again tours with the band fulfilling the drumming duties.

Ra is an American alternative metal band originally from New York City, taking their name from the Egyptian sun god, Ra. The band was formed in 1996, and took off around 2002, when their song "Do You Call My Name" from their album From One was released. Their music was described as "exotic yet familiar, heavy yet funky, direct yet sophisticated, sensual yet soulful, unrelenting yet cathartic."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ingram Hill</span>

Ingram Hill is an American rock band from Memphis, Tennessee, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tantric (band)</span> American rock band

Tantric is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky. The group was founded in 1998 by Todd Whitener, Jesse Vest and Mat Taul after they left Days of the New, and joined forces with vocalist Hugo Ferreira. Ferreira is the only remaining member of the band from the original lineup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flatfoot 56</span> American punk band

Flatfoot 56 is an American Celtic punk band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 2000. Known for their use of Scottish Highland bagpipes, the group performs an Oi! and Celtic punk sound similar to Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. They have released seven studio albums and seven extended plays; their fifth album, Black Thorn (2010), debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and No. 160 on the Billboard 200 at.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psychostick</span> American comedy rock band

Psychostick is an American comedy metal band from Tempe, Arizona, known for their comical image and usage of humor in their songs and lyrics. Their style is referred to by themselves and some online album review sites as "humorcore".

Cravin' Melon is a rock band based out of Clemson, South Carolina, United States. The band is composed of Doug Jones, Jimbo Chapman, Rob Clay, Gary Greene, Chad Barger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toryn Green</span> American rock singer and actor (born 1975)

Toryn Green is an American rock singer and actor. He is the former vocalist for hard rock band Fuel, as well as for Emphatic, and For The Taking. He also was the touring lead vocalist for the band Apocalyptica and performed in both of its 2008 US Worlds Collide Tours.

Before Their Eyes is an American post-hardcore band from Findlay, Ohio, United States. The band is currently signed to InVogue Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surfer Blood</span> American indie rock band

Surfer Blood is an American indie rock band from West Palm Beach, Florida, United States, currently signed to Kanine Records, formerly signed to Joyful Noise Recordings and Warner Bros. Records. The band currently consists of four members: John Paul Pitts, Tyler Schwarz (drums), Mike McCleary, and Lindsey Mills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">For the Fallen Dreams</span> American metalcore band

For the Fallen Dreams is an American metalcore band from Lansing, Michigan, formed in 2003. The band originally signed to Rise Records but produced one album under Artery Recordings in 2012. After the departure of then vocalist Dylan Richter and the return of vocalist Chad Ruhlig in 2013, the band started producing music under Rise Records once again until 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Straight Line Stitch</span> American metalcore band

Straight Line Stitch is an American metalcore band from Knoxville, Tennessee.

Through Fire is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, founded in 2015 by songwriter, guitarist and producer Justin McCain and currently consists of vocalist Grant Joshua Kendrick, twins Tyler and Zach Halverson on guitar and drums respectively, and Kyle LeBlanc on bass. They signed a deal with Sumerian Records and released their debut record in 2016. Their debut single "Stronger" reached number 29 on the mainstream rock chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otherwise (band)</span> American hard rock band

Otherwise is an American hard rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. They have released three full-length albums on the Sony Music-owned label Century Media Records, titled True Love Never Dies (2012), Peace at All Costs (2014), Sleeping Lions (2017), and Defy (2019) on Mascot Records. Prior to signing their record deal with Century Media, as an unsigned band they released one self-titled full-length album (2006) and one EP titled Some Kind of Alchemy (2009). The band's hit song “Soldiers” was debuted on Sirius XM Octane by Jose Mangin. The band is the first unsigned artist to chart #1 on Sirius XM Octane with the song “Soldiers”.

Crobot is an American hard rock band from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, composed of Brandon Yeagley, Chris Bishop, Dan Ryan and Pat Seals.

<i>Another Life</i> (Emphatic album) 2013 studio album by Emphatic

Another Life is the third and final full-length studio album by American hard rock band Emphatic, released October 22, 2013. A follow-up to their major label debut Damage by Atlantic, the album reached No. 8 on Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. It is the only Emphatic record released through Epochal Artists. It is also the only Emphatic album to feature lead singer Toryn Green.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Interrupters (band)</span> American ska punk band

The Interrupters are an American ska punk band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2011. The band comprises lead vocalist Aimee Interrupter, drummer Jesse Bivona, bassist Justin Bivona, and guitarist Kevin Bivona. They have released four studio albums. The latest, In the Wild, was released in 2022, along with the album's lead single, "Raised by Wolves".

Justin McCain is an American musician, songwriter, producer and label executive. McCain is the founder, lead guitarist, songwriter and producer for the hard rock band Through Fire, signed to Sumerian Records, and also works for Sumerian doing licensing and A&R.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Heatseeker Albums chart history for Emphatic". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Kay, Audrey (January 2010). "Emphatic Gets Signed with Atlantic Records". SLAM Omaha. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  3. Sciarretto, Amy (May 18, 2011). "Emphatic to Release "Damage" on July 12th". Artistdirect. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  4. Ramirez, Carlos (June 6, 2011). "Emphatic Bring Back Arena Rock on 'Bounce' -- Video Premiere". Noisecreep . Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  5. "Rock on the Range 2012 Emphatic Interview". WXEG 103.9 The X. May 19, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  6. 1 2 Eustice, Kyle (September 19, 2013). "The Truth About Emphatic - Justin McCain Speaks Up". The Reader. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  7. "Empathic Set September 17th Release Date For Sophomore Album "Another Life" Featuring Frontman Toryn Green (Fuel, Apocalyptica)". Top40 Charts. Ricburn Media. July 17, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
  8. "Emphatic - Another Life". Amazon.com . Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  9. "Omaha hard-rock band hits Top 40 chart". KETV. September 20, 2013. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  10. "Toryn Green's announcement on leaving Emphatic". Facebook. February 9, 2014.
  11. "EMPHATIC SIGNS TO PAVEMENT ENTERTAINMENT". New Transcendence. March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  12. "Band name change announcement". Facebook. December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  13. 1 2 "Emphatic - Hard Rock Albums chart history". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  14. 1 2 "Emphatic - Independent Albums chart history". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  15. "Emphatic - Mainstream Rock Chart history". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved September 26, 2013.