The Almost | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Clearwater, Florida, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 2005–2015, 2019–present |
Labels | Virgin, Tooth & Nail, Fearless |
Members |
|
Past members |
|
Website | thealmost |
The Almost is an American rock band from Clearwater, Florida, fronted by Underoath drummer and vocalist Aaron Gillespie. Formed in 2005 as a solo project by Gillespie, the band currently includes guitarist Jay Vilardi, bassist Jon Thompson, and drummer JJ Revell. They released three albums via Tooth & Nail Records: their debut Southern Weather (2007), Monster Monster (2009), and Fear Inside Our Bones (2013). Following a hiatus in 2015, Gillespie revived the project and released a fourth album, Fear Caller, in 2019 through Fearless Records.
While the exact formation date of the project is unknown, in October 2005, Underoath drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie created a Myspace page for The Almost, eventually uploading two demo songs, "I Mostly Like to Copy Other People" and "They Say You Can Never Write I Told You So in a Song But Here I Go" (later retitled "Never Say I Told You So"). Around this time, Gillespie and The Starting Line's Kenny Vasoli collaborated on the song "Yule Be Sorry", which was featured on the Tooth & Nail compilation album Happy Christmas Vol. 4 . All of the initial Almost songs were written by Gillespie while recording Define the Great Line with Underoath.
The Almost embarked on the "It's All Happening" tour from December 17 to January 20, 2006, with Gillespie joined by guitarists Dusty Redmon and Jay Vilardi, bassist Alex Aponte, and drummer Kenny Bozich. The tour showcased new songs from the band's upcoming debut album Southern Weather . In 2007, The Almost embarked on Paramore's headlining tour, RIOT!, alongside The Starting Line and Set Your Goals (who played for the first half of the tour.) In addition, the group went on tour with Emery, Envy On The Coast, and Army of Me for all of June and parts of July. In May they also released the B-side song 'Hold On', which was originally only available as a bonus track on iTunes. The Almost released their first music video for "Say This Sooner" on March 19, 2007, premiering on MTV2's UNLEASHED.
Southern Weather was released on April 3, 2007 through Tooth & Nail, having been recorded in February and March 2006. Gillespie played nearly every main instrument on the album, with the exception of Vasoli contributing bass to two songs. The album reached No. 39 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums chart.
Shortly after the announcement of a new EP, it was announced in November 2007 via the band's Myspace that Bozich had left the group. Guitarist Dusty Redmon explained in an AbsolutePunk forum post: "Kenny quit. He's getting married and didn't want to tour at all. It happens..it's happened to me twice with Beloved and Dead Poetic. It's a personal choice and we're cool with it. He was going to be playing drums on the next record, but made the choice to not be in a band at this point in his life. No big deal."
A cover of "Little Drummer Boy" was made available for streaming on November 4, 2008, [3] followed by "Awful Direction" on November 20. [4] The Almost released a new EP titled No Gift to Bring on November 24. It was originally going to release it on November 25, but they changed the date to the day before. The EP was released to tide fans over until the release of their next album in the Summer/Fall of 2009. [5] It included "Awful Direction", "Little Drummer Boy", a cover of Casting Crowns's "Your Love Is Extravagant", a new version of "Amazing, Because It Is", and an exclusive mix of "Dirty and Left Out". The EP was almost entirely recorded by Gillespie and produced by Underoath guitarist Tim McTague, who also created the remix of "Dirty and Left Out." [6]
In May 2008, Gillespie announced that The Almost would be entering the studio in the winter of 2008 to record their follow-up to Southern Weather. In a November 2008 episode of the Tooth & Nail Records podcast, he stated that "the new album will be more of a complete band effort". The band went into the studio at the beginning of May, recording in Nashville TN. Monster Monster was released through Tooth & Nail/Virgin on November 3, 2009 featuring the singles "Lonely Wheel" and "Hands". There are several bonus tracks for this album. Users who downloaded Monster Monster from iTunes received the bonus track "Me And Alone". The fan pack version of the album sold exclusively at Best Buy contained the tracks "West" and "Wrong". The Monster EP contained two bonus tracks entitled "July" and "Birmingham". The album charted at No. 67 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Christian Album charts. [7]
In February 2010 the Almost played the Australian Soundwave Festival. The Almost toured across Australia nationally playing alongside the three festival headliners; Faith No More, Jimmy Eat World and Jane's Addiction, as well as other bands such as Paramore, All Time Low, A Day To Remember, Escape The Fate, Enter Shikari, Meshuggah, Anthrax, Trivium, Whitechapel, Set Your Goals and other alternative, rock, metalcore and hardcore bands. Along with Soundwave, The Almost played club shows in Melbourne and Sydney with All Time Low and Dance Gavin Dance. On July 31, 2010, the Almost played at iMatter Festival in Elmira, New York alongside Secret and Whisper, August Burns Red, Oh, Sleeper, MyChildren MyBride, Texas in July and The Glorious Unseen. On October 25, 2010, the Almost released the Monster Monster EP, which contained the five bonus tracks and the music videos for "Lonely Wheel", "Hands", "No I Don't" and "Monster Monster" from Monster Monster.
During their set at the O2 Experience in Denver on June 1, Aaron Gillespie announced that an upcoming third album would be titled Fear Inside Our Bones . [8] Gillespie later announced via Twitter that the band had finished recording the album in full as of June 10, 2012, [9] It was announced in January 2013 that the new album would be released on April 16, 2013 via Tooth & Nail Records. [10] Accompanying the announcement was a song premiere of the single "Ghost". [11]
On April 1, 2013, the band posted on their Facebook page that the album had been pushed back to June 2013, due to Tooth & Nail becoming an independent record label. [12] The album was ultimately released on June 11, 2013, reaching No. 142 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the Christian Albums chart.
During an interview on Emery's BadChristian Podcast in September 2015, Gillespie stated that he had "currently put the Almost to bed....It's on the back burner right now", citing his busy schedule (as Paramore's touring drummer, a solo artist and producer) and the busy schedules of the other band members. [13]
Fear Caller, the band's Fearless Records debut album, was recorded in the desert. [14] Starting off the album with the single "Chokehold", Gillespie posted a teaser video that eventually led to the announcement of the band's record deal, the new single, and the music video to go along with it. [15]
Current members
| Former members
|
Timeline
Year | Details | Chart | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US 200 | US Christian | US Hard Rock | US Digital | US Rock | US Alternative | ||
2007 | Southern Weather
| 39 | 1 | 19 | 39 | 10 | — |
2009 | Monster Monster
| 67 | 3 | — | 22 | 26 | 20 |
2013 | Fear Inside Our Bones
| 142 | 5 | — | — | 44 | — |
2019 | Fear Caller [17]
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
Year | Details | Chart | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US Christian | US Holiday | ||||||
2008 | No Gift to Bring
| 36 | 31 | ||||
2009 | Monster EP
| — | — | ||||
2010 | Monster Monster EP
| — | — |
Year | Details |
---|---|
2005 | The Almost Demos
|
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US Alt. [18] | US Main. Rock [19] | US Christ. [20] | |||
"Say This Sooner" | 2007 | 111 | 7 | 35 | — | Southern Weather |
"Southern Weather" | — | 44 | — | — | ||
"Lonely Wheel" | 2009 | — | — | — | — | Monster Monster |
"Hands" | — | — | — | 32 | ||
"Free Fallin'" | 2010 | — | — | — | — | Punk Goes Classic Rock |
"I'm Down" | 2013 | — | — | — | — | Fear Inside Our Bones |
"Chokehold" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | Fear Caller |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Year | Song | Album |
---|---|---|
2007 | "Say This Sooner" | Southern Weather |
"Southern Weather" | ||
2009 | "Lonely Wheel" | Monster Monster |
"Little Drummer Boy" | No Gift to Bring | |
"Hands" | Monster Monster | |
2010 | "No I Don't" | |
"Monster Monster" | ||
2014 | "I'm Down" | Fear Inside Our Bones |
2019 | "Chokehold" | Fear Caller |
Emery is an American post-hardcore band formed in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in 2001 by Toby Morrell, Devin Shelton, Matt Carter, Josh Head, Joel Green, and Seth Studley. The band relocated to Seattle in order to reach a more music-centered scene.
Underoath is an American rock band from Tampa, Florida. It was founded by lead vocalist Dallas Taylor and guitarist Luke Morton in 1997 in Ocala, Florida; subsequently, its additional members were from Tampa, including drummer, clean vocalist and last remaining original member Aaron Gillespie. The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, keyboardist Christopher Dudley, lead guitarist Timothy McTague, bassist Grant Brandell, and lead vocalist Spencer Chamberlain. Originally, the band identified as a Christian group; they have since distanced themselves from Christianity.
Anberlin is an American alternative rock band formed in Winter Haven, Florida, in 2002. Since the beginning of 2007, the band consists of lead vocalist Stephen Christian, guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Deon Rexroat, and drummer Nathan Young.
They're Only Chasing Safety is the fourth studio album by American rock band Underoath. It was released on June 15, 2004, through Solid State Records. Following the release of their third studio effort The Changing of Times (2002), half of the band's members were replaced. After finalizing the line-up with vocalist Spencer Chamberlain, the band recorded their next release with producer James Paul Wisner at his home studio Wisner Productions in February 2004. The album has been tagged with various genres including screamo and melodic hardcore and features subtle references to Christianity. Drummer Aaron Gillespie had more of a vocal presence to contrast Chamberlain's screams.
Aaron Roderick Gillespie is an American musician, best known for being the original and current drummer and clean vocalist for the rock band Underoath and the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the alternative rock band the Almost. He has also worked with the band The Dangerous Summer. Gillespie also maintains his own solo project and released his debut full-length album, Anthem Song, in 2011. From 2013 to 2016, he was the touring drummer for Paramore.
Spencer Chamberlain is an American musician who is the lead vocalist for the rock band Underoath. Before fronting Underoath, Chamberlain was the vocalist for the band This Runs Through in which his brother, Phil, was the drummer.
Waking Ashland was an American rock band from San Diego, California. Formed in 2003, they were signed to Tooth & Nail Records and Immortal Records. In all the group released two EPs and two full-length albums before their disestablishment in 2007. Their final lineup consisted of singer/keyboardist Jonathan Jones, guitarist Ryan Lallier, bassist Nate Harold and drummer Tim Very.
Define the Great Line is the fifth studio album by American rock band Underoath. It was released on June 20, 2006, through Tooth & Nail Records. Five months after the release of their fourth studio album They're Only Chasing Safety, the band were already in the process of working towards its follow-up. Recording took place between January and March 2006 at Zing Recording Studios in Westfield, Massachusetts, and Glow in the Dark Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, with Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage, Matt Goldman and the band as producers. Define the Great Line is predominantly a metalcore and emo album, which has also been tagged as post-metal and post-hardcore. The variety of styles was an unintentional move by the band, who took influence from At the Drive-In, Beloved and Cult of Luna, among others.
Ilan Rubin is an American musician, producer, songwriter, composer, and artist. He is known primarily for playing drums with bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Paramore, Lostprophets, Angels & Airwaves and Danny Elfman In 2008, he formed The New Regime, where he sings and plays all instruments in the studio and plays guitar with a band for live performances. In 2021, Ilan released music for the first time under his name. His debut single "Talk Talk Talk" was remixed by Phantogram.
Southern Weather is the debut album by Underoath drummer Aaron Gillespie's solo-project, the Almost.
Dustin Wesley "Dusty" Redmon is an American guitarist primarily known for playing in alternative rock band The Almost and former guitarist and songwriter for Beloved and Dead Poetic. He is cousins with his former bandmate, Joe Musten.
Beloved is an American post-hardcore band from Kernersville, North Carolina, United States.
Lost in the Sound of Separation is the sixth studio album by American rock band Underoath. It was released on September 2, 2008, through Solid State and Tooth & Nail Records. Following the release of their fifth studio album Define the Great Line (2006), relationships between members became strained to the point they almost broke up. They decided to go on a hiatus; Lost in the Sound of Separation was recorded at Glow in the Dark Studios in Atlanta, Georgia in March and April 2008. The band produced the album with Adam Dutkiewicz and Matt Goldman, both of whom worked on Define the Great Line. The album has been described as metalcore, post-hardcore and screamo, with elements of industrial, recalling the works of Refused, At the Drive-In, and Cult of Luna.
Monster Monster is the second album by American rock band The Almost, released on November 3, 2009.
Ø (Disambiguation) is the seventh studio album by American rock band Underoath. Released on November 9, 2010, through Tooth & Nail Records, the album was the band's only without founding member Aaron Gillespie, and is the first and only record by the band with Daniel Davison, formerly of Norma Jean. It was also their final album before a two-year breakup from 2013 to 2015. They would not release another studio album until 2018's Erase Me. Ø (Disambiguation) was met with acclaim and was recorded at Glow in the Dark Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, the same studio where the band's previous album, Lost in the Sound of Separation was recorded.
Dead Poetic is an American rock band formed in Dayton, Ohio in 1997. Their most recent lineup consisted of vocalist Brandon Rike, guitarist Zach Miles, and drummer Jesse Sprinkle. They released three albums and a greatest hits album, The Finest, on Tooth & Nail Records. The band lapsed into inactivity in 2007 due to internal strife and inability to tour, though Rike has stated that the band plans to record a fourth album.
Paramore is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Paramore. It was released on April 5, 2013, through Fueled by Ramen as a follow-up to Brand New Eyes (2009). Recorded between April and November 2012, the album was described by the band as being a "statement" and a reintroduction of the band to the world and to themselves. It is the first album without guitarist Josh Farro, the only album without drummer Zac Farro and the final album with bassist Jeremy Davis before his departure in 2015.
Fear Inside Our Bones is the third studio album by alternative rock band The Almost, who also produced the album with Marshall Altman. It was released on June 11, 2013 by Tooth & Nail Records and was met with both commercial success and critical acclaim.
Artifex Pereo is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky that formed in 2008. The band released two independent releases before being signed to Tooth & Nail Records. In 2014, the band released their debut studio album entitled Time in Place that charted on two Billboard charts.
Erase Me is the eighth studio album by American rock band Underoath. It is their first album in eight years following Ø (Disambiguation) (2010), marking the longest gap between two studio albums in the band's career, and their first one with founding drummer and clean vocalist Aaron Gillespie since Lost in the Sound of Separation (2008). It was recorded in mid-2017 with Matt Squire and mixed by Ken Andrews. The album was released via Fearless Records on April 6, 2018.