It would be almost too easy and obvious to describe A Day To Remember
as the creators of one of the unforgettable rock albums of 2007, but
that wouldn't make it any less true. Hailing from Ocala, Florida, the
five members of A Day To Remember have crafted a unique blend of what
can best be called "pop-mosh"—a potent combination of ultra-high energy
and tart-sweet melodies. You can hear the melodic chaos in its full
glory on For Those Who Have Heart, their debut album on Victory
Records.
A Day To Remember aren't exactly the new kids in the pit. All of
the band members had played in the Ocala music scene for years until
2003, when the band in its current incarnation came together. Singer
Jeremy McKinnon, guitarists Neil Westfall and Tom Denney, bassist
Joshua Woodard and drummer Alex Shellnutt knew they had something
special during one specific performance on a special day. "Two years
ago we played a Fourth of July show in our home town," Joshua recalls.
"The kids never responded like they did that night; they sang along to
every word in our songs, and everything just clicked."
The band soon embarked on lengthy DIY tours well beyond their local
area, doing over 200 shows, and in 2005 they put out on album on
Indianola Records. Even thought it sold over 8,000 copies on word of
mouth alone, the group wanted bigger and better things. "A friend of
mine said he had the AIM screenname of someone at Victory Records,"
Woodard says. "I didn't believe him, but I still started communicating
with the guy. We IM'ed back and forth for about six months, and it
happened that we were playing with the band On The Last Day in a town
outside of Chicago—and this guy was going to be there filming it. It
was our first time we ever played in Illinois, yet the 50-60 kids there
were singing along to our tunes like they'd been fans all their lives.
The guy asked if we'd do a showcase for Victory, we said sure, and the
rest is a new beginning for A Day To Remember.
So the band went into Zing Studios in Westfield, MA, and created
their best crop of pop-mosh yet. "We've definitely grown as musicians,"
Woodard says. "We've always been into hardcore music as well as
pop-punk. It's been our goal to mix the two as best as we can, and only
recently have we felt comfortable created the transitions in our songs.
The music flows better than it ever has, so while it hits harder than
ever, it still sounds more mature and professional."
No sooner did A Day To Remember step out of the studio, totally
satisfied with the just-completed For Those Who Have Heart, did they
return to the road, eager to try their brand new songs on to their
growing legion of fans. "We see our record as a long-term project,"
Woodard concludes. "We understand all the work we need to do; that's
why we want to get out on the road as soon as possible and promote the
hell out of it. This is our best effort so far, and we couldn't be more
excited to show that to everyone. Hide Bio
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