Blessthefall (stylized as blessthefall or BLESSTHEFALL prior to 2013) is an American metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, signed to Rise Records. The band was founded in 2004 by guitarist Mike Frisby, drummer Matt Traynor, and bassist and vocalist Jared Warth. Their debut studio album, His Last Walk, with original vocalist Craig Mabbitt, was released April 10, 2007.[1] Their second studio album, Witness, with current vocalist Beau Bokan, was released October 6, 2009. Their third studio album, Awakening, was released on October 4, 2011.[2] Their fourth studio album, Hollow Bodies, was released on August 20, 2013. To Those Left Behind is the band's fifth studio album, released on September 18, 2015. Their sixth studio album, Hard Feelings, was released on March 23, 2018. Following Traynor's departure, Warth became the band's only remaining original member. In May 2023, the band returned from a brief hiatus with the release of "Wake the Dead", their first song in five years.[3]
Blessthefall grew out of the high school practice sessions of rhythm guitarist Mike Frisby, lead guitarist Miles Bergsma, drummer Matt Traynor, bassist and vocalist Jared Warth, keyboardist and vocalist Andrew Barr and later, vocalist Craig Mabbitt. Mabbitt's arrival resulted in Barr moving to strictly keyboards. Barr then departed in early 2005, with Warth picking up the keyboards when necessary. After founding member Miles Bergsma left to attend college at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, they released a three-track EP and newcomer Eric Lambert (Bergmas's replacement) became the lead guitarist to form their first solid line-up.[4] Phoenix-area gigs with Greeley Estates and an openly religious orientation got the band local press and a deal with Warner subsidiary, Science Records.[5] The band then toured with Alesana and Norma Jean across the United States and Canada.[6] Their debut album, His Last Walk, was released on April 10, 2007, to mixed reviews.[7][8][9] It peaked at No.32 on the U.S. Billboard Heatseekers chart.[10] The album sold over 65,000 copies, and its singles sold over 100,000 copies.[11]
Mabbitt's departure and Bokan's induction (2007–2008)
While on their first European tour (with Silverstein) in late 2007, Craig Mabbitt left the band during the United Kingdom portion to spend more time with his daughter, whose childhood he felt he was missing out on. For the remainder of the tour, Jared Warth filled in for vocals while playing keyboards. When Mabbitt later attempted to return to Blessthefall, the band members decided not to let him back in, preferring to move on without him. On December 15, 2007, Blessthefall posted a blog on their MySpace page announcing their parting ways with Mabbitt, while Mabbitt posted a bulletin on his personal MySpace page stating his willingness to return to the band. Despite the departure, Mabbitt has remained great friends with the band.[citation needed]
Craig Mabbitt stated that the day after he finished recording his first album with Escape the Fate, This War Is Ours, he got a phone call from Blessthefall's management asking him to return to the band, but he refused.[15] Mabbitt felt there was too much bad blood with their management. He also felt the band knew he had just finished a new album and that it was just bad timing, especially as he had begged to be back in for the previous eight months.[15]
The final song the band recorded and released with Mabbitt, called "I Wouldn't Quit If Everyone Quit", was released on the reissue of His Last Walk.
Shortly after this, on September 26, 2008, the band announced that they had made Beau Bokan the new lead singer and keyboardist. Bokan joined the band after leaving Take the Crown, a group who released an EP and a full-length album but broke up due to the departures of James Campbell and Tony Gonzalez, lack of management, and financial burdens.[16][17]
On June 3, the band announced via MySpace that they were officially finished with the recording of their new album and that it was to be released in the autumn. They also had a mid-year tour with August Burns Red and Enter Shikari.[20] In July, Blessthefall released a song clip on their MySpace page titled "God Wears Gucci", released on iTunes for download on August 11, 2009. In September 2009, the band uploaded another track on their MySpace page titled "What's Left of Me". Witness was released on October 6, 2009.[21]
In June 2010, Blessthefall toured New Zealand in support of Saosin, and in Australia in support of Story of the Year and Saosin. Blessthefall played across Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.[19]
After the release of Witness, the band co-headlined the Atticus Fall Tour with Finch, Drop Dead, Gorgeous, and Vanna from October 10, 2009, through to November 19. Other bands on the tour included Of Mice & Men and Let's Get It.[22]
In October 2009, the band announced on YouTube that they were working on a music video for "What's Left of Me", which was released December 14, 2009, on MySpace Metal.[citation needed]
In 2009, the band took home the Best Noise/Screamo Band Award, as well as the Best Hardcore Band Award at the 2009 Arizona Ska Punk Awards. One year later, the band was once again awarded the Best Hardcore Band Award at the 2010 awards ceremony.[23]
On February 15, 2011, the band announced that Mike Frisby had left the band to pursue another path leaving bassist and vocalist Jared Warth and drummer Matt Traynor the remaining two founding members of the band. Elliott Gruenberg, formerly of Before Their Eyes, Legacy, and Settle the Sky, would be permanently on guitar.[26] Bokan confirmed that Blessthefall would not play at Warped Tour 2011, but rather would be recording their third full-length album, which began in Orlando, Florida, on May 17, 2011.[27] Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who produced their previous album, also produced this effort.[28][29] The band had hoped to feature guest vocalists including Ronnie Radke of Falling in Reverse (previously of Escape the Fate) and Tim Lambesis of As I Lay Dying,[30] but it was later confirmed that there would be no guest vocals.[31]
Blessthefall joined Emmure, Alesana, Motionless in White and other bands on the All Stars Tour.[32] The band headlined the Fearless Friends tour with The Word Alive, Motionless in White, Tonight Alive, and Chunk! No Captain Chunk!.[33] They released the official video of "Promised Ones" on November 11, 2011,[34] which starts with the intro song of the album titled Awakening. According to a video interview with Lambert and Bokan, Blessthefall planned on entering the studio in February to record an EP with Tim Lambesis of As I Lay Dying.[35] Later Matt Traynor confirmed that this was not true.[36] Due to time restraints they had to put off the recording of the EP until after Warped Tour.[citation needed] Plans for this EP have since been scrapped according to guitarist Eric Lambert in an interview with Bryan Stars.[citation needed]
On October 4, 2012, the band confirmed that they were writing a fourth album.[37] Recording of this album started on April 19, 2013[38] and finished on May 21, 2013.[39][40]Hollow Bodies was subsequently released on August 20, 2013, reaching No.15 on the Billboard 200 album charts with 21,888 copies sold in its first week.[41][42] The entire album was actually streamed through Billboard's website one week before the actual release.[43]Joey Sturgis produced the album.[44][45]
Three singles were released, including "You Wear a Crown But You're No King",[46] "Déjà Vu"[47][48] and "See You on the Outside".[49]
On January 17, 2014, the band announced their upcoming North American tour to promote Hollow Bodies.[citation needed]
On December 10, 2014, the band was announced as part of Warped Tour 2015.[51]
To Those Left Behind, Hard Feelings and hiatus (2015–2020)
Blessthefall performing in Germany in 2016
On May 1, 2015, the band announced they were working on a new album.[52] On June 11, 2015, they announced that it would be titled To Those Left Behind. It was released on September 18, 2015.[53][54][55][56] On July 14, the band released the official audio for the song "Up in Flames" from the album.[57][58][59] On August 4, the band announced the release date of their second single, "Walk on Water", which was released on August 7 along with the online preorders.[60]
On September 28, 2016, the band announced they were touring with Crown the Empire, New Years Day, and Too Close to Touch.[61] The band was announced on March 22, 2017, to be playing on Warped Tour 2017. On January 26, 2018, they announced they have signed a new record deal with Rise Records.[62] Their sixth studio album, Hard Feelings, was released through Rise Records, on March 23.[63] On August 17, 2018, drummer Matt Traynor announced he would be departing from the band after their headlining Hard Feelings tour with The Word Alive, citing his family as the main reason.[64]
After a ten year anniversary tour for Witness in the latter half of 2019, the band ceased to update their social media accounts, with the last tweet being posted on January 9, 2020. In December 2022, the four remaining members removed the band from their personal social media profiles, implying the band had come to a quiet end.[65]
Return and new music (2023–present)
On May 22, 2023, the band announced their return and released their first piece of new material in five years. The single, titled "Wake the Dead", was released on May 23,[3] and the band announced a 10-year anniversary tour for their Hollow Bodies album, with Caskets, Kingdom of Giants, and Dragged Under to take place throughout August and September in the US and Canada.[66]
Silverstein is a Canadian rock band from Burlington, Ontario, formed in 2000. Their band name is a reference to the famous children's author Shel Silverstein, who the band had admired and whose work they had read as children. They have released a total of 11 studio albums, seven EPs, a compilation album and a live DVD/CD. Their lineup remained unchanged for eleven years from December 2001 to September 2012, then consisting of lead vocalist Shane Told, lead guitarist Neil Boshart, rhythm guitarist Josh Bradford, bassist Billy Hamilton, and drummer Paul Koehler. In September 2012, the band had announced that Neil Boshart had been fired and would be replaced by Paul Marc Rousseau, who also joined Billy Hamilton on backing vocals. The band achieved moderate success with their second studio album, Discovering the Waterfront, which was nominated for a Juno Award and reached No. 34 on the Billboard 200 charts, with the following two albums charting at similar positions. Silverstein has sold over 1,000,000 albums worldwide.
Escape the Fate is an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004. Originally from Pahrump, Nevada, the group currently consists of lead vocalist Craig Mabbitt, guitarists Matti Hoffman and TJ Bell, bassist Erik Jensen and drummer Robert Ortiz. Ortiz is the only founding member remaining in the band.
New Years Day is an American rock band formed in Anaheim, California, in 2005. After building a reputation strictly through promotion on the social networking website MySpace, the band released its debut self-titled EP in 2006 and their first full-length album My Dear in 2007. Six years after their initial debut, Victim to Villain was finally released, followed by Malevolence in 2015. Malevolence peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard 200, the band's highest charting thus far.
His Last Walk is the debut studio album by American metalcore band Blessthefall. The album was released on April 10, 2007. It is the only studio album by the band to feature original vocalist Craig Mabbitt, who would later be replaced by Beau Bokan. The album was released before Blessthefall started to play on the Taste of Chaos tour. The last song, "His Last Walk", features a hidden track called "Purple Dog", which is a joke song made by the band members in which all members sing the song and clap their hands.
Craig Edward Mabbitt is an American singer and the lead vocalist for the rock band Escape the Fate. He was formerly the lead vocalist for the bands Blessthefall and The Word Alive. He is also the current lead vocalist of his side-project band The Dead Rabbitts.
A Skylit Drive is an American post-hardcore band from Lodi, California. The band has released one DVD, one EP and five studio albums: Wires...and the Concept of Breathing (2008), Adelphia (2009), Identity on Fire (2011), Rise (2013) and, most recently, ASD (2015). The band has toured internationally both as headliner and supporting act. In 2017, the band broke up after a dispute between Nick Miller and Michael Jagmin. Original vocalist Jordan Blake died in April 2023.
Witness is the second studio album by American metalcore band Blessthefall. It was released on October 6, 2009, through Fearless Records. It is the band's first album with Beau Bokan on lead vocals and final album with original guitarist Mike Frisby. The album was co-produced with There for Tomorrow drummer, Christopher Kamrada. This album includes a post-metal entrance, "2.0", and some songs without any screams or death growls.
Tyler Smith, also known by his nickname Telle, is an American musician and songwriter. He is currently the lead vocalist of Arizona metalcore band The Word Alive and has played in several bands, such as Greeley Estates and In Fear and Faith. He is known for his tenor singing voice, wide vocal range and ability to comprehensively alternate between melodic and screamed vocals.
No Rain, No Rainbow is the fourth studio album by the American metalcore band, Greeley Estates. It is their last release with the guitarist Alex Torres. Its only single was "Loyal.com". The album is Greeley Estates' heaviest release, with many songs having fast tempos and blast beats, and with some songs completely absent of clean vocals.
Escape the Fate is the third studio album by American post-hardcore band Escape the Fate. It was released worldwide on November 2, 2010. It is the band's first and only album released on DGC/Interscope following their departure from Epitaph Records. The album charted No. 25 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 at Hard Rock Albums, No. 14 in a Rock Albums, No. 13 in Alternative and Independent charts and No. 118 in Digital Albums Chart. Upon release, the album has received generally positive reviews, and is Escape the Fate's highest-charting album to date.
The Word Alive is an American metalcore band formed in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2008. The band was signed to Fearless Records since their formation. In 2022, they changed their label and signed to Thriller Records. The band currently consists of vocalist Tyler Smith, guitarists Zack Hansen and Jose DelRio, and drummer Daniel Nelson. The group has had several line-up changes throughout their career, with Hansen as the only remaining founding member. Their second EP, Empire reached No. 15 on the Top Heatseekers, meeting a great amount of positive acclaim upon its release in 2009. The following year, the group recorded and released their debut studio album, Deceiver on August 31, 2010, which reached No. 97 on the Billboard 200 and 15 on Independent Albums.
Beau Mark Bokan is an American singer best known as the clean vocalist of the metalcore band Blessthefall and the former vocalist of Take the Crown.
Ronald Joseph Radke is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, musician and record producer, best known as the current lead singer of rock band Falling in Reverse and the former lead singer of band Escape the Fate.
Awakening is the third studio album by American metalcore band Blessthefall. It was released on October 4, 2011, through Fearless Records. It is the band's second album with singer Beau Bokan and first album with rhythm guitarist Elliott Gruenberg after the departure of Mike Frisby. The album was produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette, producer of the second album, Witness. On September 12, the song "40 Days..." was released on the IGN site. It debuted at No. 32 on the Billboard 200, selling over 11,290 copies in its first week. In Canada, the album debuted at No. 88 on the Canadian Albums Chart. Like Witness, the album features a few songs without harsh screaming or death growls.
Falling in Reverse is an American rock band that formed in 2008 by lead vocalist Ronnie Radke while he was incarcerated. The band's original name was "From Behind These Walls", but it was quickly renamed to Falling in Reverse shortly after formation. They are currently signed to Epitaph Records. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes, with Radke being the only remaining original member.
Take the Crown was an American post-hardcore band from Huntington Beach, California. The original lineup included vocalist Beau Bokan, guitarist Nick Coffey, guitarist Tony Gonzalez, bassist James Campbell, and keyboardist Ryan Wilson. The band began recording demos in 2004 with friend Chris Sorenson of Saosin; he would later produce their self-released debut EP, Let the Games Begin, in 2006. The band signed to Rise in 2007 and released their follow up full-length album, Relapse React, in May 2008. They announced their disbandment on September 25, 2008, which was due to the departure of James Campbell and Tony Gonzalez, lack of management, and financial burdens. After their disbandment, lead vocalist Beau Bokan went on to become the lead vocalist of blessthefall, replacing Craig Mabbitt who would later go on to front Escape the Fate.
Hollow Bodies is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Blessthefall. It was released on August 20, 2013, through Fearless Records and produced by Joey Sturgis. It is the third album to include lead singer Beau Bokan, second album to include rhythm guitarist, Elliott Gruenberg and the first to include the same members in consecutive albums.
To Those Left Behind is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band Blessthefall. The album was released on September 18, 2015, through Fearless Records and was produced by Joey Sturgis. It is their last album to be released on this label before the band signed to Rise Records in 2018. The first single, "Up in Flames" was released on July 9, 2015, while the band was on Vans Warped Tour 2015.
Matthew James Traynor is an American musician that primarily performs metalcore, and best known for being the former drummer of the metalcore band Blessthefall from its formation in 2004 until his departure in 2018. He is originally from Massapequa, New York, but moved to Phoenix, Arizona and eventually helped form Blessthefall.
Hard Feelings is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Blessthefall. The album was released on March 23, 2018, through Rise Records. It was produced by Tyler Smyth and the band themselves. It is their first album to be released after the band signed to Rise Records in 2018. It is also the last album to feature the band's founding drummer Matt Traynor before he left the band in August 2018.
1 2 Leggett, Steve (October 4, 2011). "Awakening – blessthefall". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2015. Christian metalcore band blessthefall...
1 2 Mason, Stewart (February 1, 2007). "blessthefall". AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2015. A Christian-oriented screamo quintet with some hip-hop and nu metal influences, blessthefall started...
1 2 3 4 "Blessthefall announce UK dates". Clink Music. March 30, 2011. Archived from the original on May 6, 2011. blessthefall was intent on making their post-hardcore/screamo blend a different breed that people would remember.
↑ Shim, Dave (October 6, 2009). "Witness – blessthefall". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2015. Phoenix-based post-hardcore act Blessthefall...
↑ "An Interview With blessthefall's Beau Bokan". Shot Monster. November 2009. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2015. Bokan points out something else kids appreciate, and that's not being preached at. So while all the members of the band are Christian, the guys don't want to be pigeonholed as a 'Christian' band. 'We try to live good lives, but it's not my place to tell people what to think. We want everyone to like our music.'
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