The Showdown (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Showdown | |
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 The Showdown at Ozzfest 2007
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Elizabethton, Tennessee |
| Years active | 2004 - Present |
| Label(s) | Solid State Mono Vs Stereo Records (2004-2008) |
| Members | |
| David Bunton Josh Childers AJ Barrette Eric Koruschak |
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| Former members | |
| Travis Bailey Jeremy Swain Daniel Swain Andrew Hall |
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The Showdown is a Christian metalcore and southern metal, band based in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Lyrically, their writing tells of heroism, sojourns and battles of life, most of which draws influence from Biblical aspects. As of 2008, they are signed to Solid State Records.
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[edit] History
At one time they were a punk rock band named 2540. The starting line up was brothers Daniel and Jeremy Swain on bass and guitar with Brandon Forbes on drums. Daniel soon took over the drums and Brandon left the band. This was the first of many changes. The first year or two Jeremy and Daniel remained while many members came and went including guitarists Joe Measner and Josh Arney, and bassist Jon Muraski. At one point Josh Childers joined the band as a bass player but quit after a few shows. Travis Bailey and best pal David Bunton left their band "Upsideout" to join up as Bass player and Lead Vocalist respectively. Dave sang in a pop/punk voice, very different from his style of singing today. Josh Childers rejoined as a second guitarist making the band a quintet but shortly thereafter, Jeremy, who had started the band and had up to that point been the primary songwriter, left the band for personal reasons. Josh Childers assumed the role of primary songwriter and the band continued on. For the next couple years this group played locally and recorded from time to time but never released a full-length album. Eventually Travis moved to guitar/occasional songwiter and Eric Koruchak joined the band as Bass player.
Over time longtime metalhead Josh's metal influences saw 2540 morph from punk to metal. This change in style prompted a change of the band's name to "Showdown" (or "The Showdown" depending on who you ask). In 2003, Daniel left the band to get married at which time Andrew Hall took the drumming position. With Andrew on board the fivesome headed to the studio and recorded their first Full length album A Chorus of Obliteration. This album, produced by Bruce Fitzhugh, lead singer of Living Sacrifice, was mainly a mix of Hardcore and Metal. After a great deal of touring in both the US and Europe, Showdown went back to the studio to record their second full length album. This album took a different direction trading in the screaming double-bassing death metal for a more southern approach mixed with elements of their older style Such as heavy guitar riffs, some screams (although not as dominated by them), and amazing bass and drum lines, drawing also from 1980s to early 1990s-era metal like Pantera, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Metallica.
In late 2006, after completing the album, Andrew announced he was leaving the band to get married (and possibly to pursue a career in professional wrestling - or so the rumor goes). Andrew was soon replaced by another Andrew - A.J. Barrette of Still Remains. Although the album was already completed. The Showdown along with A.J. hit the studio once more to record the track "Head Down" which would be added to the album before its release. The Completed Album, Temptation Come My Way was released on February 20, 2007. Unknown to the public until release, two different versions were released, one with the song "Fanatics and Whores", and one without; probably to avoid controversy in the Christian market. This upset many fans who had pre-ordered the CD and received the incomplete album, even though most distributors list the song in their track listing. Temptation Come my Way received high popularity in the underground culture, and The Showdown was soon signed in March 21st of 2007 to play at Ozzfest 07.
After extensive touring and popular reception, the band announced on their myspace they had begun recording their next album on January 2008. On April 19, 2008, the Showdown completed their new album entitled Back Breaker and will soon be going on the Shadows Fall tour to promote Back Breaker. The Showdown is releasing Back Breaker through Solid State Records. The band now consists of only four members. Back Breaker was released on August 19. Its style is mainly a mix of their first two albums.
[edit] Tours
In late 2006, The Showdown joined the Christian rock/alternative band Pillar (band) in support of their "Days of the Reckoning Tour". The tour lasted from mid-October through November of 2006 and also featured Christian rock bands Day of Fire, and Decyfer Down.
The Showdown is currently on tour with Norma Jean (band) on "The Anti-Mother Tour" to promote their latest album "Back Breaker". The tour will last throughout October and November of 2008 and will also feature Haste The Day, Mychildren Mybride, Children 18:3, and Oh, Sleeper.
[edit] Members
- David Bunton - vocals
- Josh Childers - Guitar, vocals
- AJ Barrette - drums (formerly from the band Still Remains)
- Eric Koruschak - Bass
[edit] Former Members
[edit] Discography
| Title | Release Date | Label |
| A Chorus of Obliteration | November 16, 2004 November 14, 2006 (Re-release) |
Mono Vs Stereo |
| Temptation Come My Way | February 20, 2007 | Mono Vs Stereo |
| Feel Like Hell EP | September 18, 2007 | Mono Vs Stereo |
| Back Breaker | August 19, 2008[1] | Solid State Records |
- The Showdown has also recorded a cover of "So Help Me God," by Christian rock/pop group dc Talk, which appears on the compilation album Freaked! A Gotee Tribute to dc Talk's "Jesus Freak."
[edit] References and footnotes
- Schwab, Andrew (January/February 2007). "Wide-Eyed Southern Boys". HM Magazine (123): 44–47. ISSN 1066-6923.
