Emarosa

Emarosa

Emarosa (pronounced "emma-RO-sah") is a six-member post-hardcore band from Lexington, Kentucky, formed in 2006. The band has released one EP titled This Is Your Way Out, and one album, Relativity, which features their newest vocalist Jonny Craig.

History

Beginnings and This Is Your Way Out

According to Alternative Press, keyboardist Jordan Stewart had the decision of either attending college on a scholarship, or staying in his hometown of Lexington, Kentucky to start a new band. Stewart stated that "There's too much of an itch to do this," regarding the band he helped start in February 2006. The band origins date back to early high school, which was said by keyboardist Jordan Stewart on Indiestar.tv. Stewart states some of the members had been playing in high school before "taking it serious," referring to four of the original members on the current lineup (ER White, Will Sowers, Lukas Koszweski, Jordan Stewart). Emarosa initially formed as a five piece post-hardcore band called Corsets Are Cages in 2006, and recorded three songs during this time (most notably Utah, But I’m Taller), however when the band lost two members and gained two new ones (including another vocalist, Chris Roetter) it was decided that it was time to start afresh with a new name: Emarosa. The band was signed to Standby Records to record their 7 track EP This Is Your Way Out. It was released on May 1, 2007, by Standby Records through Thriving Records because Standby Records had no distribution at the time.

On November 2007, lead singer Jonny Craig from Dance Gavin Dance, left his band due to extreme tension and personal conflicts with the other members. After leaving Dance Gavin Dance after the "Saints and Sinners Festival" in New Jersey, Jonny Craig immediately filled in for A Skylit Drive and toured with them while their then lead singer Jordan was ill during their tour. It had been only 2 weeks since he left Dance Gavin Dance in which he joined Emarosa who were left without a lead singer. Emarosa officially announced the permanent addition of Jonny Craig on November 19, 2007.

Jordan Stewart (keyboardist) and Lukas Koszewski (drummer) were interviewed in which they referred to the problems regarding Jonny Craig and the transitions: "In the beginning it was pretty intense. We would receive rather nasty comments and messages on Myspace asking what happened to Chris and why Jonny was no longer with Dance Gavin Dance. Sometimes when we play, kids will think it is funny to throw in remarks about the change and how they liked the old stuff better." The time between us realizing Chris wasn't working out to the time Jonny joined was extremely short. But even with Chris in the band, it was already decided that our full-length wouldn't have as much screaming. We just kept writing the way we had been before parting ways with Chris."

Relativity

On January 26, 2008, Emarosa posted their first official song with Jonny Craig titled, "New Demo" (now known to be Set It Off Like Napalm). Two weeks later, the demo of "PretendReleaseTheClose" was put on their player. On May 3, 2008, three new post-production songs were added to the MySpace player and the name of the album, Relativity, was revealed. The album was released on July 8, 2008, and received high praise from critics and fans alike.

In Emarosa's latest and first video interview with Indiestar.tv, Jonny Craig stated that "Set It Off Like Napalm" and "Pretend Release the Close" were quote "about the life I was having, Dance Gavin Dance, and how much better I was feeling about being in this band." They were written in one practice session and played live 2 days later. He also said that "Even Bad Men Love Their Mothers" was co-sang by his mother. Boyz II Men was also said to be one of Jonny Craig's main musical influences. Craig states that most of the instrumentals were already completed prior to joining Emarosa, in which Jordan Stewart (keyboardist) says five were completed, to be exact. Jerry Roush formerly of Sky Eats Airplane makes an appearance stating he's the new screamer for Emarosa but is joking the entire interview.

Emarosa has been touring for the past 2 years with such bands as ; Fiora, Akissforjersey, Before Their Eyes, and The Wedding. Emarosa toured with A Skylit Drive, Sky Eats Airplane, and Breathe Carolina the entire month of July. They began another tour in Canada with Canadian headliners Dead and Divine for the month of August and played with Chiodos on August 30, 2008 as a special event in their hometown of Lexington, Kentucky. Emarosa was the headline for the "Rise Records Tour" the entire month of September and first week of October, with support from In Fear and Faith and Attack Attack!. Their latest tour, "The Delicious Tour", was alongside Pierce the Veil and Breathe Carolina. Emarosa toured the UK alongside You Me at Six and The Spill Canvas from March 6 until March 13, 2009. A Day to Remember announced their latest US Tour (The Sweet Brag Tour) which included The Devil Wears Prada, Sky Eats Airplane, and Emarosa. The tour stretched from March 14 until May 1, 2009. June 19 - August 1, 2009, Emarosa headlined The Artery Foundation Across The Nation Tour supported by I See Stars, Our Last Night, In Fear and Faith, Burden of a Day, and Broadway.

In September 2009, Emarosa will co-headline a tour with Dance Gavin Dance on Rise Records' Squash The Beef tour, with supporting acts Of Mice & Men, Of Machines, and Tides of Man.

Emarosa is also confirmed to be playing the Soundwave and the entire Warped Tour in 2010.

Future Album

A new project named "Isles & Glaciers" has been started which include members Craig Owens formerly of Chiodos and Jonny Craig of Emarosa, both of whom are co-lead singing in the group. The supergroup features members from Chiodos, Cinematic Sunrise, Pierce The Veil, Underminded, and The Receiving End of Sirens. The debut record, The Hearts of Lonely People, was released March 9th, 2010.

Lead singer Jonny Craig recently said that producer Brian McTernan contacted Emarosa with plans of recording their second album. As of January 2, 2010 the band has enter the studio to work on their new album and updates from the studio can be seen on their Tumblr blog.

In an interview with Punktastic, the band spoke about the overall sound of their next album. "I remember during the recording process, ER and I talked a lot about wanting to do more folk/indie stuff for the next record. Really bare bones, mellow and raw." They predicted the next album would be released sometime in the spring of 2010.

While on tour, the band is known to occasionally play "Casablanca" with a guest vocalist. So far Cody Anderson (of In Fear and Faith), Chris Roetter (formerly of Emarosa, now in Agraceful), Austin Carlile (formerly of Attack Attack!,Of Mice & Men ), Jon Mess (formerly of Dance Gavin Dance), Kyle Tamosaitis (of Burden of a Day), Chris Moore (of I See Stars), and Jerry Roush (formerly of Sky Eats Airplane, now in Of Mice & Men) have performed this song alongside the band.

Via their YouTube channel, the band has informed fans that they have begun recording material for their new album.

Band members

Current

• Jonny Craig - Lead Vocals (2007–present)
• ER White - Lead & Rhythm Guitar (2006–present)
• Jonas Ladekjaer - Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Programming, Vocals (2007–present)
• Jordan Stewart - Keyboards, Synth, Programming, Piano (2006–present)
• Will Sowers - Bass (2006-present)
• Lukas Koszewski - drums, percussion (2006-present)

Former

• Chris Roberts - lead vocals (2006). Was in "The Revival Sound", now in "Take Me Home."
• Chris Roetter - lead vocals (2007). Now the singer of "Agraceful", and "Like Moths To Flames."
• Mike Bryant - guitars (2006).
• Madison Stolzer - guitars (2006–2007). Now the guitarist of "Rosaline."
• Tyler "Telle" Smith - guitars (2006). Was in "Greeley Estates", and "In Fear and Faith", now vocalist for "The Word Alive."

Touring

• Loniel Robinson- Drums (2010)

Discography

Studio albums

• Relativity (2008)
• Emarosa (June 29th, 2010)

EPs

• This Is Your Way Out (2007)

External links

• Emarosa at Myspace