Fear Before The March Of Flames has forged its own path regardless of the current state of music. Formed in July 2002, four young teens from Aurora, CO set out to create a unique and relevant sonic experience. Drawing inspiration from the intricacies of Converge, the varied time signatures of Botch and the temperament of The Blood Brothers, they produced a distinctive combination of hardcore, metal and indie rock thatwas eclectic, fresh and frenetic.
Borrowing a line from their local newspaper during the wild brushfires that swept through their state, the boys started practicing in their parents’ basement under the name Fear Before The March Of Flames. Not long after they began playing locally and sought opening slots on a diverse range of bills. Demonstrating the whole is greater than the sum of its parts Fear Before The March Of Flames formed an impressive synergy that many bands struggled for years to create. David Marion’s earth-crushing screams are complimented by Adam Fisher’s back-up vocals; Michael Madruga’s thick bass is the perfect balance to Fisher’s swirling guitars and heavy melodies while Brandon Proff’s drumming drives the aural assault onward.
Those elements caught the attention of Portland-based Rise Records who released the band’s debut album, Odd How People Shake. Produced by Kris Crummett in a fast-paced two-week recording marathon the result Shake was raw but focused; showing that hardcore could be intense and catchy at the same time. Fear Before wasted no time and hit the road non-stop, playing shows with Anatomy of A Ghost, Between The Buried And Me and Bear Vs Shark. Relying almost entirely on word of mouth, they built a strong following with their quirky antics and relentless work ethic. Eventually Fear Before completed several west and east coast tours, had shared the stage with The Blood Brothers, Vaux and The Hope Conspiracy and made an appearance at last year’s Furnace Fest.
The band was soon courted by a variety of labels, both indie and major, but in December 2003 the band decided to sign to Equal Vision Records because of their faith in the music and renowned honesty in the industry. At the tender ages of 19 and 20, Fear Before The March Of Flames has accomplished so much while holding on to their values and continually pushing themselves musically. It is rare indeed to discover a group of people so committed to their craft and so willing to push the boundaries of music. Equal Vision re-released the band’s debut on Rise Records this past spring in time for support tours with Eighteen Visions and Underoath. In early summer the Colorado quartet entered Q Division Studios with producer Matt Ellard (Converge, Between The Buried And Me, Motorhead) to record their sophomore effort. Entitled Art Damage, the album merges elements from the band’s previous effort with a more conscious Damage approach to songwriting and dynamics. The product is an abrasive sonic work teeming with passionate imagery and fierce execution.