Bleeding Through
Bleeding Through is an American metalcore band from Orange County, California, formed in 1999. In 2004, Revolver magazine hailed Bleeding Through as one of eight bands ushering in the "Future of Metal" cover story,[1] and Spin called Bleeding Through an "artist to watch" in the magazine's February 2004 issue.[2]
For their self-titled album, see Bleeding Through (album). For the Once Upon a Time episode, see Bleeding Through (Once Upon a Time).
Bleeding Through
1999–2014, 2016, 2018–present
- SharpTone
- Rise
- Trustkill
- Roadrunner
- Prime Directive
- Indecision
- Nuclear Blast
- Brandan Schieppati
- Brian Leppke
- Derek Youngsma
- Marta Peterson
- Ryan Wombacher
- Troy Born
- Scott Danough
- Javier Van Huss
- Marc Jackson
- Chad Tafolla
- Vijay Kumar
- Molly Street
- Jona Weinhofen
- Dave Nassie
History[edit]
Dust to Ashes and Portrait of the Goddess (1999–2002)[edit]
Bleeding Through was formed in 1999[3] in Woodlake, California.[4] The band's roots can be traced back to 1998, when a band named Breakneck was founded by vocalist Brandan "Ohrly" Schieppati (Eighteen Visions / Throwdown), guitarists Javier Van Huss (Eighteen Visions / Enewetak) and Scott Danough (Daggers, Sever), bass guitarist Chad Tafolla (Taken) and drummer Troy Born (Taken).[4][5] Breakneck played their only show on October 30, 1998, at the Showcase Theatre in Corona, California, opening for Throwdown, Eighteen Visions, Adamantium, Give Until Gone and Swingset in June.[5][6][7]
The band witnessed lineup changes, starting with the departure of Van Huss; he was briefly replaced by guitarist Dave Peters (Throwdown / Eighteen Visions),[6] before Tafolla switched from playing bass to guitar. Brandon Conway came in as new bassist until the subsequent recruitment of Marc Jackson (Throwdown / Wrench / Cold War).[6] Jackson and Danough had previously played in the band Refuge together in the early 1990s.[8]
They decided to expand their original hardcore sound by adding elements of black and death metal to their music.[5] The origin of the band's name was explained in an interview as follows: "Well, it is summed up by the explanation that whether black, white, red, brown, yellow, religious preference, straight or gay, we all bleed the same, and we bleed through this life the same. Thus Bleeding Through."[9]
In February 2000, Bleeding Through recorded five songs using a 4-track recorder in Born's bedroom, which were released as the band's demo.[10][6] The demo was followed by their debut full-length album, Dust to Ashes, released through Prime Directive Records on March 20, 2001. Just prior to entering the studio, Vijay Kumar (of Roundhouse and Cat Burglar) took the bass position and Molly Street enrolled as keyboard player.[4] The addition of keyboards was an unconventional move for a metalcore act as it brought some black metal influences into the music.[11][12]
Four months prior to the album being released, Born quit the band but a quickfire substitute was located in Derek Youngsma who had previously played in Cast in Stone,[4] as well as in Daggers with Danough.[8] Less than a month after Dust to Ashes was released, the band signed a two album and one EP contract with Indecision Records in April 2001.[13][14] Tafolla left the band in August 2001, following the band's first tour and was replaced by Brian Lepke.[15]
Severing ties with Eighteen Visions, Schieppati opted to pursue Bleeding Through as a priority upon completion of the Indecision Records 2002 offering Portrait of the Goddess.[4] At this juncture the group comprised the guitar pairing of Scott Danough and Brian Lepke, bassist Mick Morris (replacing Vijay Kumar who played on Portrait of the Goddess) and drummer Derek Youngsma.[4]
Musical style, influences and lyrical themes[edit]
Bleeding Through's music has been described as metalcore, expanding their hardcore punk roots into death metal territory.[88] Like many metalcore bands, Bleeding Through is influenced by Swedish melodic death metal.[89][90] It is the most apparent on Dust to Ashes, while with time the band's music got gradually more and more melodic, with The Truth being the most melodic to date, even containing a power ballad, a novelty for the band.[91] A keyboard player was introduced shortly before the band began performing as an unsigned act. According to former guitarist Scott Danough "it adds a different element" to their music.[92]
Former guitarist Scott Danough has said that he is influenced by metal and hardcore bands, like At the Gates, Slayer, Cradle of Filth, Integrity and Earth Crisis.[92] Vocalist Brandan Schieppati has mentioned American thrash metal bands as an influence on Bleeding Through, such as Testament or Exodus.[93] In an interview, guitarist Brian Leppke added Cro-Mags, Entombed, Crowbar and Pantera to the list of influences.[94] Keyboardist Marta Peterson is the one who brings industrial and goth inspirations to the band's sound.[95]
Although the band was often labeled as simply metalcore, when Brandan Schieppati was asked if he considered Bleeding Through a hardcore band, he said: "I think we're a hardcore band and I'll never say we are a metal band, we're all hardcore kids and we came from the hardcore scene. Ours is just a different version of hardcore, we're trying to do something which adds a different variety to the hardcore scene, which has been sounding the same way for so long."[96]
Lyrical themes focuses such themes as pain, hate, loss, love and personal struggles.