From Autumn to Ashes
Encyclopedia
From Autumn to Ashes was a NY melodic hardcore
band that formed in Long Island
in 2000. While the band had gone through many line-up changes, the members include Francis Mark
(lead vocals, drums
), Scott Gross
(guitar
), Benjamin Perri (lead vocals), Brian Deneeve (guitars, backing vocals
), Mike Pilato (bass
, backing vocals
), Rob Lauritsen (guitars), and Jeff Gretz
(drums
, backing vocals
).
Described as "melody and lushness meets brutality," the band released their debut full-length album Too Bad You're Beautiful
in 2000, spawning the fashioncore craze. The album featured former band member Benjamin Perri on screaming vocals, with Mark providing the clean vocals and acted as drummer. 2003 saw the release of The Fiction We Live
and 2005, the release of Abandon Your Friends
, the last From Autumn to Ashes album with Perri and Mark in their respective roles. After Perri's departure shortly after Abandon Your Friends, Mark became lead vocalist and in 2007, the band released Holding a Wolf by the Ears
. On June 9, 2008 the band announced that they had gone on "indefinite hiatus." They insisted that the decision was amicable and the band had simply reached its natural conclusion.
in 2000 with Francis Mark (drums
, vocals
), Brian Deneeve (guitar
) and Benjamin Perri (vocals
) — Perri provided screaming vocals
, while Mark sung clean vocals. The group also employed a guitarist, Steve, when the project was "just to have a good time" and "wasn't serious." Commenting on the name of their band, Scott Gross (guitar
), who joined the band later on, said, "you are absolutely not going to get the right answer on this one because that would pretty much end the band" and that "no one is going to know the reason and we are going to keep it that way." The term "Autumn" refers to both the season and a fictional character the band created. Mark and Gross planned to use the character in a book. For the first few months as a touring band, From Autumn to Ashes claimed to have sold half of their equipment, a car, and spent between $3,000 and $4,000 making demos and hand distributing them.
Gross and Mike Pilato (bass
) joined the group as they attempted to find a record label, saying "we pretty much just sent packages to every record label, a shit load of phone calls harassing people." In 2001, From Autumn to Ashes performed in Long Island with Ferret Music
bands Skycamefalling and Martyr AD, where the founder of Ferret Music, Carl Severson, attended. The following day, Severson contacted the group and they were soon signed in 2001. The band's debut full length album, Too Bad You're Beautiful
, was released on August 14, 2001 with limited distribution. Too Bad You're Beautiful, which was written entirety about a relationship Perri had, sold 50,000 records in the United States, and thus, From Autumn to Ashes became the highest selling band on Ferret Records. It had also featured vocals on the song "Short Stories With Tragic Endings" from Melanie Wills of the band One True Thing
. A reviewer on Punk News stated the album had the ability to "put you to sleep like a baby's lullaby, then smash you awake with the most gut wrenching, floor pounding hardcore this side of the Mississippi freakin' river." In 2000 under the music label Tribunal, the band released the Sin, Sorrow and Sadness
EP on March 5, and later took part in the Warped Tour
during the summer months. In 2002 the band employed a live drummer for a number of songs so that Mark could focus on songs that he did more vocals in.
and enlisted Garth "GGGarth" Richardson as producer. After performing on the 2003 Warped Tour, they released their second full-length album, The Fiction We Live
on September 9, 2003, which again featured vocals from Melanie Wills on the song "Autumn's Monologue". The album was described as more melodic in sound than Too Bad You're Beautiful, which had a more "hardcore sound." Perri explained that The Fiction We Lives songs had more structure than their debut release, and was the result of the band's time together. Aubin Paul of Punk News viewed the release as a growth from Too Bad You're Beautiful, writing that "like their previous [album], [this one] contains its share of PSAT words, and overtly maudlin pseudo-poetry, but it's still a big improvement". The move to a larger label and slightly more commercialized sound allowed the band to find more mainstream success, producing three singles, "The After Dinner Payback", "Lilacs & Lolita" and "Milligram Smile". The song "The After Dinner Payback" also appeared on the soundtrack for the horror film Freddy vs. Jason
. For the following months, the group toured the country, also playing on the 2004 Warped Tour, during which time Josh Newton
(bass
) joined, as Pilato left along with Gross.
, was released on August 30, 2005. The album stemmed from the idea that "[abandoning your friends is] kind of...what we do. I mean, in the sense of how life goes on when we go away [on tours]." Abandon Your Friends met with speculation about the band's internal conflicts surrounding a potential break up. Perri had not been much involved in the process of creating the album and did not attend practice sessions, despite stating in interviews that the album was "a full on collaborative effort" and "We just all had a say in what we were writing." It was revealed in 2007, in interviews, and when Mark posted in the band's Myspace
blog that he had ghostwritten
Perri's lyrics in a matter of days. The band had made a further move away from the melodic sound of their past albums, and had been a point where the band shifted more focus to Mark's vocals. CMJ reviewer Tracey John explained that the album "continues to unabashedly straddle both ends of the hardcore/emo spectrum", however, the band "doesn't show much of a progression from 2003's The Fiction We Live." The album generally garnered reviews in which it was noted that, as a reviewer at Punk News explained that if you're a "fan of From Autumn to Ashes, you'll be disappointed." Abandon Your Friends produced one single, "Where Do You Draw The Line?" with an accompanying music video. Unhappy with inter-band politics, guitarist Jonathan Cox quit the band.
. Brian McTernan
was chosen as producer because he had previously worked with Mark and Newton on their side project Biology
's album, and the members opted for this release to have a less refined feel than the last albums. As From Autumn to Ashes prepared to begin studio recording for the album, Mark noted that Perri "never came out to any of the practices and he had no involvement. But that was also the way it was when we wrote Abandon Your Friends." Perri had then declared that he would no longer be a part of the band. As Mark explains, "I thought there was a more considerate way he could have gone about leaving the band", but it was ultimately "cool of him to recognize that he just didn't have the passion for the band anymore." Deciding to move on without Perri as a member, Mark then became lead vocalist, providing both clean and screaming vocals in addition to his already recorded drums. Mark, as the band's lyricist explained that he "work[ed] very hard and writing and revising very personal lyrics" and found that a part of him did not want to hand over the lyrics to another to sing, however, with Perri's departure and when Mark began recording vocal tracks, "It immediately seemed like that’s the way things had been all along". Mark stated the bulk of the album's lyrics had been "just about living" and "the idea that extremes are dangerous." Recorded in about a month's time, Holding a Wolf by the Ears was named for the quotation by Thomas Jefferson
, "But as it is, we have the wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other." Reviewer Drew Beringer of Absolute Punk had praised the change in the band's line up, stating that "Mark is three times the front man Perri was", and gave "passion that had been severely lacking while Perri was in the band."
In early 2007, the band began auditioning drummers to take Mark's place in the upcoming tours. Initially looking for a temporary member, From Autumn to Ashes would remain a quartet if they did not get along with the drummer. However, Jeff Gretz
was officially added to the line-up and in March 2007, two weeks before From Autumn to Ashes began touring. The These Speakers Don't Always Tell the Truth
EP was released on March 13, 2007 featuring songs from the forthcoming album and a previously unreleased track. Holding a Wolf By the Ears was released on April 9, 2007 as the last album for the band's contract to Vagrant Records, and according to Mark, is "heavier than anything we've ever done" and the "closest we've come to capturing how I think this band should sound." Reviewer Corey Apar of Allmusic noted that the band "sounds stronger than it has in awhile". Music videos for "Pioneers" and "Deth Kult Social Club" were filmed, the former based on The Lottery
, a short story by Shirley Jackson
, and the latter, a live video shot on Long Island as the end of February 2007. "Pioneers" was released as the first single from the album. In September 2007, Newton left the band and From Autumn to Ashes was joined by former bassist Pilato to take on Newton's place.
Mark and Lauritsen started the band Warship
, which released one album and announced its break-up on their Myspace page December 30, 2009. After that Francis Mark formed the band Tidal Arms with old time friends Tom Tierney and Patrick Southern. Deneeve and Emanuel
singer Matthew Breen came together to create the band Summer Law, which was disbanded after several months so that Deneeve could focus on attending culinary academy in hopes of becoming a Master Pastry Chef. Gretz announced his return to drumming for the band Zao and is a member of Emanuel and the Fear.
of The Police
who he "always thought ... had a really good style", Neil Peart
of Rush
, John Bonham
of Led Zeppelin
, and Keith Moon
of The Who
. Following the release of The Fiction We Live, then screaming vocalist Perri explained that the lyrics he was writing for the forthcoming album (Abandon Your Friends) would feature lyrics that were inspired by Billy Joel
, stating that they were "billyjoelesque" because "they’re more straightforward, not what I’m thinking, what I’m feeling, instead of poetry and shit". However, it is unclear whether the lyrics were used on the album, as was revealed by Mark in 2007, that Perri had not contributed to Abandon Your Friends and it was Mark who had ghostwritten the lyrics.
From Autumn to Ashes also combines genres as Mark has said, The combinations of genres allows them to tour with a variety of bands with different styles. They are able to "go on tour with Taking Back Sunday
one month and go on tour with Shadows Fall
the next month." Andrew Lawless of threemonkeysonline.com had written that the band was "eerily reminiscent of Iron Maiden
."
Former
Melodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on vocal melody. The genre is commonly defined with fast hardcore drum beats, complex guitar riffs and melodic singing with occasional screaming and shouting.-History:...
band that formed in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
in 2000. While the band had gone through many line-up changes, the members include Francis Mark
Francis Mark
Francis Mark is an American drummer, singer, guitarist, songwriter and artist known as a member of the bands From Autumn To Ashes, Warship, Biology, and Tidal Arms...
(lead vocals, drums
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
), Scott Gross
Scott Gross
Scott Gross is an American musician, guitarist, composer, producer, audio engineer and writer known as a member of the band From Autumn To Ashes, and owner and founder of Hit And Run Studios in Long Island, New York...
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), Benjamin Perri (lead vocals), Brian Deneeve (guitars, backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
), Mike Pilato (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
), Rob Lauritsen (guitars), and Jeff Gretz
Jeff Gretz
Jeff Gretz is an American drummer known as a member of the bands Zao, Emanuel And The Fear and Conelrad. He also has toured with From Autumn To Ashes. Gretz was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and received a BA in Music Performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania...
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
).
Described as "melody and lushness meets brutality," the band released their debut full-length album Too Bad You're Beautiful
Too Bad You're Beautiful
Too Bad You're Beautiful is the first full-length release from Long Island-based screamo band From Autumn to Ashes. The album is unique in that it features the dual vocals of Benjamin Perri and drummer Francis Mark. Perri provides the hardcore-esque shouts while Mark sings and occasionally...
in 2000, spawning the fashioncore craze. The album featured former band member Benjamin Perri on screaming vocals, with Mark providing the clean vocals and acted as drummer. 2003 saw the release of The Fiction We Live
The Fiction We Live
The Fiction We Live is the second full length release from Long Island-based post hardcore band From Autumn to Ashes. Melanie Wills of One True Thing makes a guest appearance once again, contributing to the vocals on "Autumns Monologue." This is the last album to feature Scott Gross and Mike...
and 2005, the release of Abandon Your Friends
Abandon Your Friends
Abandon Your Friends is the third full-length audio CD by American screamo band, From Autumn to Ashes.Released on August 30, 2005, it is the band's second album on Vagrant Records. The album shows a slight departure from their traditional sound...
, the last From Autumn to Ashes album with Perri and Mark in their respective roles. After Perri's departure shortly after Abandon Your Friends, Mark became lead vocalist and in 2007, the band released Holding a Wolf by the Ears
Holding a Wolf by the Ears
Holding a Wolf by the Ears is the fourth and final studio album by From Autumn to Ashes. It is also the only album without the band's original singer, Ben Perri, as well as the band's first album recorded with Rob Lauritson on 2nd guitar, and their last with Josh Newton on bass.One track from...
. On June 9, 2008 the band announced that they had gone on "indefinite hiatus." They insisted that the decision was amicable and the band had simply reached its natural conclusion.
Formation and Too Bad You're Beautiful (2000 - 2002)
From Autumn to Ashes formed on Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
in 2000 with Francis Mark (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), Brian Deneeve (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) and Benjamin Perri (vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) — Perri provided screaming vocals
Screaming (music)
Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
, while Mark sung clean vocals. The group also employed a guitarist, Steve, when the project was "just to have a good time" and "wasn't serious." Commenting on the name of their band, Scott Gross (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), who joined the band later on, said, "you are absolutely not going to get the right answer on this one because that would pretty much end the band" and that "no one is going to know the reason and we are going to keep it that way." The term "Autumn" refers to both the season and a fictional character the band created. Mark and Gross planned to use the character in a book. For the first few months as a touring band, From Autumn to Ashes claimed to have sold half of their equipment, a car, and spent between $3,000 and $4,000 making demos and hand distributing them.
Gross and Mike Pilato (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) joined the group as they attempted to find a record label, saying "we pretty much just sent packages to every record label, a shit load of phone calls harassing people." In 2001, From Autumn to Ashes performed in Long Island with Ferret Music
Ferret Music
Ferret Music is an independent record label, founded in 1996. The label is owned in part by NORA's vocalist, Carl Severson, and in part by Philadelphian artist manager Paul Conroy, and based in West Windsor Township, New Jersey...
bands Skycamefalling and Martyr AD, where the founder of Ferret Music, Carl Severson, attended. The following day, Severson contacted the group and they were soon signed in 2001. The band's debut full length album, Too Bad You're Beautiful
Too Bad You're Beautiful
Too Bad You're Beautiful is the first full-length release from Long Island-based screamo band From Autumn to Ashes. The album is unique in that it features the dual vocals of Benjamin Perri and drummer Francis Mark. Perri provides the hardcore-esque shouts while Mark sings and occasionally...
, was released on August 14, 2001 with limited distribution. Too Bad You're Beautiful, which was written entirety about a relationship Perri had, sold 50,000 records in the United States, and thus, From Autumn to Ashes became the highest selling band on Ferret Records. It had also featured vocals on the song "Short Stories With Tragic Endings" from Melanie Wills of the band One True Thing
One True Thing (band)
One True Thing, originally known as Scarab, was an American Pop rock band from Long Island, New York. The band gained notable attention when Melanie Wills, their lead vocalist, sang on two of From Autumn to Ashes' songs, "Short Stories With Tragic Endings" and "Autumn’s Monologue".-Band...
. A reviewer on Punk News stated the album had the ability to "put you to sleep like a baby's lullaby, then smash you awake with the most gut wrenching, floor pounding hardcore this side of the Mississippi freakin' river." In 2000 under the music label Tribunal, the band released the Sin, Sorrow and Sadness
Sin, Sorrow And Sadness
Sin, Sorrow and Sadness is the debut EP by From Autumn to Ashes. It was released under independent label Tribunal Records. The track "Reflections of Anguish on a Face So Innocent" was later released on their debut album Too Bad You're Beautiful, shortened to simply "Reflections".-Track...
EP on March 5, and later took part in the Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
during the summer months. In 2002 the band employed a live drummer for a number of songs so that Mark could focus on songs that he did more vocals in.
The Fiction We Live (2003 - 2004)
In 2003, following speculation as to which label From Autumn to Ashes would release their next record, the band signed to Vagrant RecordsVagrant Records
Vagrant Records is an indie rock label based in Los Angeles, California and is home to such artists as The Hold Steady, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Active Child, PJ Harvey, Reptar, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Thrice, James Vincent McMorrow, Placebo, and many...
and enlisted Garth "GGGarth" Richardson as producer. After performing on the 2003 Warped Tour, they released their second full-length album, The Fiction We Live
The Fiction We Live
The Fiction We Live is the second full length release from Long Island-based post hardcore band From Autumn to Ashes. Melanie Wills of One True Thing makes a guest appearance once again, contributing to the vocals on "Autumns Monologue." This is the last album to feature Scott Gross and Mike...
on September 9, 2003, which again featured vocals from Melanie Wills on the song "Autumn's Monologue". The album was described as more melodic in sound than Too Bad You're Beautiful, which had a more "hardcore sound." Perri explained that The Fiction We Lives songs had more structure than their debut release, and was the result of the band's time together. Aubin Paul of Punk News viewed the release as a growth from Too Bad You're Beautiful, writing that "like their previous [album], [this one] contains its share of PSAT words, and overtly maudlin pseudo-poetry, but it's still a big improvement". The move to a larger label and slightly more commercialized sound allowed the band to find more mainstream success, producing three singles, "The After Dinner Payback", "Lilacs & Lolita" and "Milligram Smile". The song "The After Dinner Payback" also appeared on the soundtrack for the horror film Freddy vs. Jason
Freddy vs. Jason
Freddy vs. Jason is a 2003 American slasher film directed by Ronny Yu. The film is a crossover between the A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th franchises...
. For the following months, the group toured the country, also playing on the 2004 Warped Tour, during which time Josh Newton
Josh Newton
Josh Newton was the bass player for Every Time I Die until the 12th October 2011. He is also the singer and guitarist of The Great Fire of Sixteen Sixty Six...
(bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) joined, as Pilato left along with Gross.
Abandon Your Friends (2005 - 2006) On March 8, 2005, a re-release of Too Bad You're Beautiful was issued, featuring the songs from the Sin, Sorrow, and Sadness EP. Under direction of producer Richardson, From Autumn to Ashes' third full length album, Abandon Your Friends
Abandon Your Friends
Abandon Your Friends is the third full-length audio CD by American screamo band, From Autumn to Ashes.Released on August 30, 2005, it is the band's second album on Vagrant Records. The album shows a slight departure from their traditional sound...
, was released on August 30, 2005. The album stemmed from the idea that "[abandoning your friends is] kind of...what we do. I mean, in the sense of how life goes on when we go away [on tours]." Abandon Your Friends met with speculation about the band's internal conflicts surrounding a potential break up. Perri had not been much involved in the process of creating the album and did not attend practice sessions, despite stating in interviews that the album was "a full on collaborative effort" and "We just all had a say in what we were writing." It was revealed in 2007, in interviews, and when Mark posted in the band's Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
blog that he had ghostwritten
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
Perri's lyrics in a matter of days. The band had made a further move away from the melodic sound of their past albums, and had been a point where the band shifted more focus to Mark's vocals. CMJ reviewer Tracey John explained that the album "continues to unabashedly straddle both ends of the hardcore/emo spectrum", however, the band "doesn't show much of a progression from 2003's The Fiction We Live." The album generally garnered reviews in which it was noted that, as a reviewer at Punk News explained that if you're a "fan of From Autumn to Ashes, you'll be disappointed." Abandon Your Friends produced one single, "Where Do You Draw The Line?" with an accompanying music video. Unhappy with inter-band politics, guitarist Jonathan Cox quit the band.
Holding a Wolf by the Ears (2007) After taking a five-month hiatus at the beginning of 2006, From Autumn to Ashes returned and played the length of the 2006 Vans Warped Tour, adding Rob Lauritsen in place of Cox. In September 2006, the band rented practice space and began writing material for what would become Holding a Wolf by the Ears
Holding a Wolf by the Ears
Holding a Wolf by the Ears is the fourth and final studio album by From Autumn to Ashes. It is also the only album without the band's original singer, Ben Perri, as well as the band's first album recorded with Rob Lauritson on 2nd guitar, and their last with Josh Newton on bass.One track from...
. Brian McTernan
Brian McTernan
Brian McTernan is a record producer who has worked with bands from all over the world. He works out of the Baltimore, MD area at Salad Days Studio. Brian was voted to be one of the 50 most influential people in Maryland by the Maryland Daily Record...
was chosen as producer because he had previously worked with Mark and Newton on their side project Biology
Biology (band)
Biology was a rock/indie band that was signed up to Vagrant Records.Biology was a creation of From Autumn To Ashes drummer Francis Mark, Josh Newton, Cornbread Compton, & Brian McTernan in response to dissatisfaction with the current state of music...
's album, and the members opted for this release to have a less refined feel than the last albums. As From Autumn to Ashes prepared to begin studio recording for the album, Mark noted that Perri "never came out to any of the practices and he had no involvement. But that was also the way it was when we wrote Abandon Your Friends." Perri had then declared that he would no longer be a part of the band. As Mark explains, "I thought there was a more considerate way he could have gone about leaving the band", but it was ultimately "cool of him to recognize that he just didn't have the passion for the band anymore." Deciding to move on without Perri as a member, Mark then became lead vocalist, providing both clean and screaming vocals in addition to his already recorded drums. Mark, as the band's lyricist explained that he "work[ed] very hard and writing and revising very personal lyrics" and found that a part of him did not want to hand over the lyrics to another to sing, however, with Perri's departure and when Mark began recording vocal tracks, "It immediately seemed like that’s the way things had been all along". Mark stated the bulk of the album's lyrics had been "just about living" and "the idea that extremes are dangerous." Recorded in about a month's time, Holding a Wolf by the Ears was named for the quotation by Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, "But as it is, we have the wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other." Reviewer Drew Beringer of Absolute Punk had praised the change in the band's line up, stating that "Mark is three times the front man Perri was", and gave "passion that had been severely lacking while Perri was in the band."
In early 2007, the band began auditioning drummers to take Mark's place in the upcoming tours. Initially looking for a temporary member, From Autumn to Ashes would remain a quartet if they did not get along with the drummer. However, Jeff Gretz
Jeff Gretz
Jeff Gretz is an American drummer known as a member of the bands Zao, Emanuel And The Fear and Conelrad. He also has toured with From Autumn To Ashes. Gretz was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and received a BA in Music Performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania...
was officially added to the line-up and in March 2007, two weeks before From Autumn to Ashes began touring. The These Speakers Don't Always Tell the Truth
These Speakers Don't Always Tell the Truth
These Speakers Don't Always Tell the Truth is a limited edition EP released by American screamo band From Autumn to Ashes. It was on sale for a limited time at Hot Topic stores.-Track Origins:*Songs 1 and 2 are from Holding a Wolf by the Ears...
EP was released on March 13, 2007 featuring songs from the forthcoming album and a previously unreleased track. Holding a Wolf By the Ears was released on April 9, 2007 as the last album for the band's contract to Vagrant Records, and according to Mark, is "heavier than anything we've ever done" and the "closest we've come to capturing how I think this band should sound." Reviewer Corey Apar of Allmusic noted that the band "sounds stronger than it has in awhile". Music videos for "Pioneers" and "Deth Kult Social Club" were filmed, the former based on The Lottery
The Lottery
"The Lottery" is a short story by Shirley Jackson, first published in the June 26, 1948, issue of The New Yorker. Written the same month it was published, it is ranked today as "one of the most famous short stories in the history of American literature"....
, a short story by Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson was an American author. A popular writer in her time, her work has received increasing attention from literary critics in recent years...
, and the latter, a live video shot on Long Island as the end of February 2007. "Pioneers" was released as the first single from the album. In September 2007, Newton left the band and From Autumn to Ashes was joined by former bassist Pilato to take on Newton's place.
Live at Looney Tunes and indefinite hiatus (2008 - Present) In January 2008 the band performed at the Looney Tunes store in New York. A recording of this show was released on Vagrant records on June 17, 2008. This album was From Autumn to Ashes' final release. A week before the live album came out, the band announced they were going to take an "indefinite hiatus." Lead singer Francis Mark commented on the break:
Mark and Lauritsen started the band Warship
Warship (band)
Warship was a post-hardcore band formed in Long Island in 2008. Former From Autumn to Ashes members Francis Mark and Rob Lauritsen formed the band following the From Autumn to Ashes' announced indefinite hiatus on June 9, 2008...
, which released one album and announced its break-up on their Myspace page December 30, 2009. After that Francis Mark formed the band Tidal Arms with old time friends Tom Tierney and Patrick Southern. Deneeve and Emanuel
Emanuel (band)
Emanuel is a five-piece rock band from Louisville Kentucky, United States. They formed in 1998 under their lesser-known name Emanuel Nice and appeared on four self-released efforts, before getting signed to Vagrant Records and changing their name in 2004...
singer Matthew Breen came together to create the band Summer Law, which was disbanded after several months so that Deneeve could focus on attending culinary academy in hopes of becoming a Master Pastry Chef. Gretz announced his return to drumming for the band Zao and is a member of Emanuel and the Fear.
Musical style and influences
For his stylistic influences for playing drums, Mark references Stewart CopelandStewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
of The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
who he "always thought ... had a really good style", Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
of Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, and Keith Moon
Keith Moon
Keith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...
of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
. Following the release of The Fiction We Live, then screaming vocalist Perri explained that the lyrics he was writing for the forthcoming album (Abandon Your Friends) would feature lyrics that were inspired by Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, stating that they were "billyjoelesque" because "they’re more straightforward, not what I’m thinking, what I’m feeling, instead of poetry and shit". However, it is unclear whether the lyrics were used on the album, as was revealed by Mark in 2007, that Perri had not contributed to Abandon Your Friends and it was Mark who had ghostwritten the lyrics.
From Autumn to Ashes also combines genres as Mark has said, The combinations of genres allows them to tour with a variety of bands with different styles. They are able to "go on tour with Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday is a rock band from Long Island, NY, formed in 1999 by guitarist Eddie Reyes. Current members of the band are Adam Lazzara , John Nolan , Eddie Reyes , Shaun Cooper and Mark O'Connell ....
one month and go on tour with Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...
the next month." Andrew Lawless of threemonkeysonline.com had written that the band was "eerily reminiscent of Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
."
Band members
Current- Francis MarkFrancis MarkFrancis Mark is an American drummer, singer, guitarist, songwriter and artist known as a member of the bands From Autumn To Ashes, Warship, Biology, and Tidal Arms...
- lead vocals, (2000–2008) drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2000–2007) (now in "Tidal Arms") - Brian Deneeve - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(2001–2008) (became a pastry chef and formed the band "Summer Law", now in "Get Involved" with Tucker Rule from Thursday (band)Thursday (band)Thursday were an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Formed in 1997, the group has released six full-length albums, their most recent being No Devolución, which was released in April 2011 on Epitaph Records...
, Lars Weiss from Judge (band)Judge (band)Judge was a New York-based straight edge band; formed in 1987 by Youth of Today guitarist, John "Porcell" Porcelly, and former Youth of Today drummer, Mike "Judge" Ferraro.-History:...
, Todd Weinstock from GlassjawGlassjawGlassjaw is a four-piece rock band from Long Island, New York. The band is fronted by vocalist Daryl Palumbo and guitarist Justin Beck, and have undergone numerous line-up changes since their inception...
and "Men Women and Children". He is also a producer and song writer) - Mike Pilato - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (2000–2004; 2007–2008) (went back to college) - Rob Lauritsen - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s (2006–2008), ("Summer Law") - Jeff GretzJeff GretzJeff Gretz is an American drummer known as a member of the bands Zao, Emanuel And The Fear and Conelrad. He also has toured with From Autumn To Ashes. Gretz was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and received a BA in Music Performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(2007–2008) (now in "Zao")
Former
- Stephen Salvio - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2000–2001) (now in "Burn The Sky") - Scott GrossScott GrossScott Gross is an American musician, guitarist, composer, producer, audio engineer and writer known as a member of the band From Autumn To Ashes, and owner and founder of Hit And Run Studios in Long Island, New York...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2000–2004) (formed Lullaby The Storm and released the debut album on November 20, 2009 - also a producer and owner of hit and run studios; he is currently working on a new project) - Jonathan Cox - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2005) (now in "The Jett Blackk Heart Attack") - Benjamin Perri - lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(2000–2006) (lives in Seattle, Washington and works as barman) - Josh NewtonJosh NewtonJosh Newton was the bass player for Every Time I Die until the 12th October 2011. He is also the singer and guitarist of The Great Fire of Sixteen Sixty Six...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2004–2007) (now in "The Damned Things", previously of the band Every Time I Die)
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label | Chart peaks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Indie Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
|||
| 2001 | Too Bad You're Beautiful Too Bad You're Beautiful Too Bad You're Beautiful is the first full-length release from Long Island-based screamo band From Autumn to Ashes. The album is unique in that it features the dual vocals of Benjamin Perri and drummer Francis Mark. Perri provides the hardcore-esque shouts while Mark sings and occasionally... |
Ferret Music Ferret Music Ferret Music is an independent record label, founded in 1996. The label is owned in part by NORA's vocalist, Carl Severson, and in part by Philadelphian artist manager Paul Conroy, and based in West Windsor Township, New Jersey... |
— | — |
| 2003 | The Fiction We Live The Fiction We Live The Fiction We Live is the second full length release from Long Island-based post hardcore band From Autumn to Ashes. Melanie Wills of One True Thing makes a guest appearance once again, contributing to the vocals on "Autumns Monologue." This is the last album to feature Scott Gross and Mike... |
Vagrant Records Vagrant Records Vagrant Records is an indie rock label based in Los Angeles, California and is home to such artists as The Hold Steady, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Active Child, PJ Harvey, Reptar, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Thrice, James Vincent McMorrow, Placebo, and many... |
73 | 5 |
| 2005 | Abandon Your Friends Abandon Your Friends Abandon Your Friends is the third full-length audio CD by American screamo band, From Autumn to Ashes.Released on August 30, 2005, it is the band's second album on Vagrant Records. The album shows a slight departure from their traditional sound... |
58 | 4 | |
| 2007 | Holding a Wolf by the Ears Holding a Wolf by the Ears Holding a Wolf by the Ears is the fourth and final studio album by From Autumn to Ashes. It is also the only album without the band's original singer, Ben Perri, as well as the band's first album recorded with Rob Lauritson on 2nd guitar, and their last with Josh Newton on bass.One track from... |
74 | 8 | |
EP
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Sin, Sorrow and Sadness Sin, Sorrow And Sadness Sin, Sorrow and Sadness is the debut EP by From Autumn to Ashes. It was released under independent label Tribunal Records. The track "Reflections of Anguish on a Face So Innocent" was later released on their debut album Too Bad You're Beautiful, shortened to simply "Reflections".-Track... |
Tribunal |
| 2005 | The Bled/From Autumn to Ashes | Vagrant Records |
| 2007 | These Speakers Don't Always Tell the Truth These Speakers Don't Always Tell the Truth These Speakers Don't Always Tell the Truth is a limited edition EP released by American screamo band From Autumn to Ashes. It was on sale for a limited time at Hot Topic stores.-Track Origins:*Songs 1 and 2 are from Holding a Wolf by the Ears... |
|
Live
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Live at Looney Tunes Live at Looney Tunes Live at Looney Tunes is a live album by the American metalcore band From Autumn to Ashes. It was released on June 17, 2008. It was recorded at Looney Tunes record store in Long Island, NY in January 2008 and mixed by Brian McTernan.-Track listing:... |
Vagrant Records |
Additional songs
- "Territorial Pissings (live)" - Another Year On the Streets, Vol. 3
- "Betwixt Her Getaway Sticks" - Masters of Horror Soundtrack
- "Chloroform Perfume (Acoustic)" - Punk Goes AcousticPunk Goes AcousticPunk Goes Acoustic is a compilation album released by Fearless Records as part of the Punk Goes... series. It contains a collection of both previously released and unreleased songs by various artists performing acoustically. It was packaged with a bonus CD showcasing acts on the Fearless and...
- "Let's Have A War" - Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (soundtrack)Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (soundtrack)The Tony Hawk's American Wasteland soundtrack features a lineup of punk-based bands, each covering a song from a classic punk rock or hardcore punk group. The cover art is a parody of the 1979 album London Calling by The Clash. Similarly, the back cover art is also a parody of the back cover art of...
- "Inapprope" - Cry Wolf (soundtrack)
- "On The Offensive" - Saw IV (soundtrack)Saw IV (soundtrack)Saw IV: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack for the film Saw IV. It was released on October 23, 2007 by Artists' Addition Records. The song "I.V." by X Japan, which plays over the closing credits, was not included on the soundtrack album.-Track listing:# Nitzer Ebb - "Payroll "#...
- "Love It Or Left It" - ATV Offroad Fury 4 (soundtrack)ATV Offroad Fury 4ATV Offroad Fury 4 is a racing video game, developed by Climax Racing. The game was released in North America on October 31, 2006 exclusively for the PlayStation 2...
- "The After Dinner Payback" - Freddy Vs. JasonFreddy vs. JasonFreddy vs. Jason is a 2003 American slasher film directed by Ronny Yu. The film is a crossover between the A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th franchises...
- "Lilacs And Lolita" - American Chopper (Video Game)
- "Daylight Slaving" - Madden NFL 08Madden NFL 08Madden NFL 08 is the 2008 edition of the American football video game series published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 19th installment in the Madden NFL video game franchise. It features Titans star quarterback Vince Young on the cover. San Diego Chargers defensive end Luis...
External links
- Official Website
- From Autumn to Ashes at Vagrant RecordsVagrant RecordsVagrant Records is an indie rock label based in Los Angeles, California and is home to such artists as The Hold Steady, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Active Child, PJ Harvey, Reptar, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Thrice, James Vincent McMorrow, Placebo, and many...
- From Autumn to Ashes at PureVolumePureVolumePureVolume was the first independently run website of its type, allowing for the upload and stream of music files. It was created in 2003 by Jennifer Welch , in conjunction with the Unborn Media team; Brett Woitunski, Nate Hudson, and Mitchell Pavao; all from the University of...