Society's Finest
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Society's Finest | |
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Origin | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
Genres | Christian metal,[1]metalcore[2] |
Years active | 1997–2003, 2004–2011, 2014–present |
Labels | Solid State, Pluto, Goodfellow, Hand of Hope, Alveran |
Members | Joshua Ashworth Eli Bowser Chad Wilburn |
Past members | Kris McCaddon Tim Lambesis Nick Nowell Daniel Clark Kevin Roddy Lucas Laskaris Guy Turner Daniel Barton Jaymz Alain Pete Rose Stephen Poole Joel Bailey Rob Pruett Randal Watts Jordan Brady Pete Rose Kane Kelly Tyler Berry David Cerezo Jason Roe Nick Sacy |
Website | Society's Finest on Facebook |
Society's Finest is a Christian metal band from Dallas, Texas. Their first full-length album, The Journey...So Far, was released on Solid State Records in May 2000.[3] Due to member changes and personal matters the band took a break from touring and recording to focus on their personal lives. During this hiatus, vocalist Josh Ashworth toured with the Christian metal band Zao.
When re-forming in 2004, the band joined Hand of Hope Records. With this label, they released Love, Murder, and a Three Letter Word in mid-2004. It contained new songs, along with old songs from their debut EP, Private Conflicts and Suicides (Pluto Records). Their third album, And I, the Drunkard, was released in June 2006.
Vocalist Josh Ashworth is the only remaining original member. Past members have gone on to join other bands including As I Lay Dying, Demon Hunter, and The Famine.[4] The band has shared stages with P.O.D., Zao, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Stretch Arm Strong, Hatebreed, and Stavesacre.[5]
History
Society's Finest started in 1997 with the original members of Josh Ashworth (vocals), Rob Pruett (guitars), Kris McCaddon (guitars), Joel Bailey (bass), and Chad Wilburn (drums). The band recorded their debut EP, a split with My Spacecoaster, and their debut album, The Journey...So Far (released via Solid State Records) between 1998 and 2003.
The band reunited in 2004 with Ashworth, Bailey and multiple new members including Nick Nowell (guitars), Daniel Clark (guitars) and Stephen Poole (drums). The band recorded their second album, Love, Murder, and a Three Letter Word, in 2004. Nowell and Poole left the band in 2006.
The band replaced Nowell and Poole with Guy Turner (guitars) and former drummer Chad Wilburn. However, in the process of writing, Wilburn quit. The band could not find a replacement, so they hired former Between the Buried and Me drummer Jason Roe. Roe recorded part of the album before they found a replacement, Jesse Smith, formerly of Zao.[6] Though Smith stated he never actually joined the band. And I, the Drunkard was released on Alveran Records in 2006. The band broke up for the second time in 2011.
With a whole new line-up, Ashworth reunited the band with Tyler Berry (guitars), David Cezero (bass), and Jason Roe in 2014, for a celebration of the life of former guitarist Randall Watts.[7] The band stated that they were currently writing for a new album,[7] but no further information has been released. In 2017, Ashworth did an interview claiming that the band now consisted only of himself and former guitarist Eli Bowser.[8]
Members
Current
- Josh Ashworth – lead vocals (1997–2003, 2004–2011, 2014–present)
- Eli Bowser – guitar (2004–2011, 2016–present)
- Chad Wilburn – drums (1997–2001, 2005–2011, 2017–present)
Former
- Kris McCaddon – guitar (1997–2001)
- Joel Bailey – bass guitar (1997–2003, 2004–2006)
- Rob Pruett – guitar (1997–2000)
- Tim Lambesis – guitar (2000–2001)
- Kane Kelly – guitar (2000)
- James Allain – drums (2001–2002)
- Daniel Clark – guitar (2001–2003)
- Pete Rose – bass guitar (2003)
- Guy Turner – guitar (2004–2011)
- Nick Nowell – guitar (2004–2006)
- Randall Watts – guitar (2004–2005; deceased)
- Stephen Poole – drums (2004–2005)
- Daniel Barton – bass guitar (2006–2011)
- Jordan Brady – bass guitar (2014)
- David Cerezo – bass guitar (2014–2016)
- Tyler Berry – guitar (2014–2016)
- Jason Roe – drums (2006, 2014–2016)
Discography
- Studio albums
Year | Title | Tracks |
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2000 | The Journey...So Far[9][10]
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2004 | Love, Murder, and a Three Letter Word[11]
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2006 | And I, the Drunkard[12][13]
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EPs
- Private Conflicts and Suicides (2000)
- The Difference Between Us (2001; split EP with Rise Over Run)
- My Spacecoaster & Society's Finest (1998; split EP with My Spacecoaster)
References
- ^ Gorto, Seth (November 11, 2006). "Society's Finest - And I, the Drunkards". Verbicide Magazine. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ^ Nick (July 26, 2006). "Society's Finest - And I, the Drunkard". Lambgoat. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
- ^ Gramlich, Chris (September 1, 2000). "Society's Finest – The Journey So Far". Exclaim!. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
- ^ "Society's Finest on Metal Music Archives". Metal Music Archives. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
- ^ "Society's Finest biography". Sing365.com. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
- ^ deathbringer. "Society's Finest recruits ex-Zao drummer". Death Metal Underground. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ a b Houston, Rob (July 3, 2014). "Society's Finest reunite for Friend's Celebration of Life". HM Magazine.
- ^ Beard, Mason (January 10, 2017). "Joshua Kabe Ashworth of Society's Finest". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ Rimmer, Mike (October 1, 2000). "The Journey...So Far review". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
- ^ Gramlich, Chris (September 1, 2000). "The Journey...So Far review (Exclaim!)". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
- ^ Stagg, David (2006) Society's Finest - Love, Murder, and a Three Letter Word at the Wayback Machine (archive index) HM Magazine. Retrieved on May 4, 2016.
- ^ "And I, the Drunkards review". About.com. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
- ^ "And I, the Drunkards review (AllMusic)". AllMusic. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
External links
- Vasey, Karen (May 2000). "Society's Finest --- From Texas of Course" (83). HM Magazine.
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(help) - McCready, Tim (September 2000). "Concert Review: Embodyment, Eso-Charis, Society's Finest" (45). HM Magazine.
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(help) - Allen, David (September 2004). "Society's Finest" (109). HM Magazine.
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(help) - Stagg, David (July 2006). "Society's Finest" (120). HM Magazine.
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