This Day Forward
Encyclopedia
This Day Forward was a Philadelphia-area band active from 1996 to 2003 whose style varied from metalcore
to post-hardcore
with indie rock
influences.
, but arguably with more melodic riffs. Soon after, they were signed to Eulogy Recordings and released The Transient Effects of Light on Water in 2000. Being on Eulogy allowed them to play larger shows, such as Hellfest 2000 in Syracuse
, and they quickly developed a devoted fan base outside of their home area.
Shortly after the release of Transient Effects, Vadim Taver, a friend of the band and former guitarist of the metal band A Life Once Lost
(also from the Philadelphia area) joined This Day Forward, and in 2002, this new lineup went on to release the Kairos EP. While Transient Effects had been a progression from the first release but had stayed more or less true to the same style, Kairos was a definite shift. The riffs were often more subtle and not strictly metal-influenced, and the songs, while still generally heavy, were interspersed with many softer parts. In addition, Shaw varied the vocals greatly, incorporating clean singing and an almost spoken-word-like yelling in addition to his original throaty scream. The album was well-received by critics and featured Thursday
's Geoff Rickly
doing guest vocals at the end of the song "Sunfalls and Watershine," which received a fair amount of play on college radio stations.
This Day Forward signed to Equal Vision Records in late 2002 with new guitarist Brendan Ekstrom (formerly of 200 North) by which time they had already completed several US tours, and in the following year released In Response. This album strayed even farther from their initial sound, largely abandoning the screams and incorporating more traditional song structures as well as softer backup vocals by Taver. As a result, the band was predictably accused of selling out by some fans, though others still consider it their best and most original work. In the months following the album, the band toured extensively, playing with bands such as Thursday
, Murder by Death
, Sincebyman
, and Christiansen
before announcing their breakup in November. The reasons for this are not well known. Among the rumors circulating were that some members were dissatisfied with In Response or disillusioned with the hardcore scene, but none of these appeared substantiated, although at one of their final shows with Poison the Well
, Mike walked offstage in the middle of a song after a fight broke out, saying "and then you wonder why bands break up." The band played the final leg of their last tour in December with Alexisonfire
, ending with their last show at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
, a cherished local music venue where they had played early in their career.
vocalist Anthony Green
to form the well-known Circa Survive
. Vadim Taver had teamed up in an acoustic emo side project called Superstitions of the Sky with former Hot Cross
guitarist Josh Jakubowski even before This Day Forward had split up. He also appeared on Hot Cross's 2004 EP Fair Trades and Farewells, Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer's first full length "Jalopy Go Far" and played guitar and performed lead vocals in Marigold before leaving and moving to California in summer 2006. In 2010, Taver released his debut solo album Expand, Escape on Falling Leaves Records.
Past members:
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
to post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
with indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
influences.
History
The band was formed in 1997 in the Philadelphia suburbs by brothers Mike and Gary Shaw on vocals and bass, respectively, along with Randy Wehrs and Mike Golen on guitars and Colin Frangicetto on drums. They initially played local venues, recording their first demo in 1998 and releasing their first full-length, Fragments Of An Untold Story Born By Shunning The Opportunity in 1999 on Break Even Records. This was a raw combination of metalcore and screamed vocals, often compared to ConvergeConverge (band)
Converge is an American band from Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and metal since 1990, Converge has helped to define many of the elements of the metalcore genre.-Description:...
, but arguably with more melodic riffs. Soon after, they were signed to Eulogy Recordings and released The Transient Effects of Light on Water in 2000. Being on Eulogy allowed them to play larger shows, such as Hellfest 2000 in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, and they quickly developed a devoted fan base outside of their home area.
Shortly after the release of Transient Effects, Vadim Taver, a friend of the band and former guitarist of the metal band A Life Once Lost
A Life Once Lost
A Life Once Lost is an American metalcore band formed in 1999 in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After releases on Robotic Empire and Deathwish Inc., A Life Once Lost released their successful album, Hunter on Ferret Music in 2005...
(also from the Philadelphia area) joined This Day Forward, and in 2002, this new lineup went on to release the Kairos EP. While Transient Effects had been a progression from the first release but had stayed more or less true to the same style, Kairos was a definite shift. The riffs were often more subtle and not strictly metal-influenced, and the songs, while still generally heavy, were interspersed with many softer parts. In addition, Shaw varied the vocals greatly, incorporating clean singing and an almost spoken-word-like yelling in addition to his original throaty scream. The album was well-received by critics and featured Thursday
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...
's Geoff Rickly
Geoff Rickly
Geoffrey William Rickly Geoffrey William Rickly Geoffrey William Rickly (born March 8, 1979 is the lead singer and songwriter of Thursday, an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. They have released six studio albums. Rickly grew up in Dumont, New Jersey...
doing guest vocals at the end of the song "Sunfalls and Watershine," which received a fair amount of play on college radio stations.
This Day Forward signed to Equal Vision Records in late 2002 with new guitarist Brendan Ekstrom (formerly of 200 North) by which time they had already completed several US tours, and in the following year released In Response. This album strayed even farther from their initial sound, largely abandoning the screams and incorporating more traditional song structures as well as softer backup vocals by Taver. As a result, the band was predictably accused of selling out by some fans, though others still consider it their best and most original work. In the months following the album, the band toured extensively, playing with bands such as Thursday
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...
, Murder by Death
Murder by Death (band)
Murder by Death is an American five-piece indie rock band from Bloomington, Indiana. Their name is derived from the 1976 Robert Moore film of the same name.- Early years :...
, Sincebyman
Sincebyman
Sincebyman was a five-piece band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin founded in 1999. Their debut full length album, "We Sing The Body Electric", was released on November 30, 2002. This was followed by "A Love Hate Relationship" , a 4 song EP, and "Pictures From the Hotel Apocalypse" their final full...
, and Christiansen
Christiansen
Christiansen is a Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname, literally meaning son of Christian. The spelling variant Kristiansen has identical prononciation...
before announcing their breakup in November. The reasons for this are not well known. Among the rumors circulating were that some members were dissatisfied with In Response or disillusioned with the hardcore scene, but none of these appeared substantiated, although at one of their final shows with Poison the Well
Poison the Well (band)
Poison the Well was an experimental hardcore band from Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida who were last signed to Ferret Music. Guitarist Ryan Primack and drummer Chris Hornbrook were the only remaining members of the band who were involved since their inception, although vocalist Jeffrey Moreira was...
, Mike walked offstage in the middle of a song after a fight broke out, saying "and then you wonder why bands break up." The band played the final leg of their last tour in December with Alexisonfire
Alexisonfire
Alexisonfire was a five-piece, Juno-nominated post-hardcore band that formed in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada in 2001. The band consisted of George Pettit , Dallas Green , Wade MacNeil , Chris Steele , and Jordan Hastings .They describe their music as "the sound of two Catholic high-school girls...
, ending with their last show at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
The First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia is a Unitarian Universalist congregation located at 2125 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, a cherished local music venue where they had played early in their career.
Current projects
Although This Day Forward seems to be permanently defunct, nearly all of its members have been involved in various musical endeavors since 2003. Mike Shaw and Mike Golen are working on a musical tentatively titled Chateau, which is expected to be released in late 2010. Shaw has also has done guest vocals for local band A Trunk Full of Dead Bodies on an unreleased track called "The First to Dance" which also featured Rachel Minton of Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer. Gary has re-entered the working world, while Frangicetto and Ekstrom have teamed up with former SaosinSaosin
Saosin is an American rock band originally hailing from Newport Beach, California. The band was formed in 2003 and recorded its first EP, Translating the Name, that same year with original singer Anthony Green. Green left Saosin following the band's decision to sign with a commercial label,...
vocalist Anthony Green
Anthony Green (musician)
Anthony Green is a musician from Holland, PA. He is currently the lead singer of Circa Survive, previously in the bands Saosin, The Sound of Animals Fighting, Audience of One, Jeer at Rome, High and Driving, and Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer.-Circa Survive:Anthony Green joined California rock...
to form the well-known Circa Survive
Circa Survive
Circa Survive is an American alternative rock band from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburb of Doylestown, formed in 2004. The band consists of vocalist Anthony Green, former singer of Saosin and members of the now-defunct This Day Forward....
. Vadim Taver had teamed up in an acoustic emo side project called Superstitions of the Sky with former Hot Cross
Hot Cross
Hot Cross was a hardcore band from Philadelphia. They were signed to Hope Division Records / Equal Vision Records. The band was composed of former members of such bands as Saetia , Off Minor , You and I , Neil...
guitarist Josh Jakubowski even before This Day Forward had split up. He also appeared on Hot Cross's 2004 EP Fair Trades and Farewells, Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer's first full length "Jalopy Go Far" and played guitar and performed lead vocals in Marigold before leaving and moving to California in summer 2006. In 2010, Taver released his debut solo album Expand, Escape on Falling Leaves Records.
Lineup
- Mike Shaw - Vocals
- Gary Shaw - Bass
- Vadim Taver - Guitar
- Brendan Ekstrom - Guitar (currently in Circa SurviveCirca SurviveCirca Survive is an American alternative rock band from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburb of Doylestown, formed in 2004. The band consists of vocalist Anthony Green, former singer of Saosin and members of the now-defunct This Day Forward....
) - Colin Frangicetto - Drums (currently in Circa SurviveCirca SurviveCirca Survive is an American alternative rock band from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburb of Doylestown, formed in 2004. The band consists of vocalist Anthony Green, former singer of Saosin and members of the now-defunct This Day Forward....
)
Past members:
- Mike Golen - Guitar (First 3 albums)
- Randy Wehrs - Guitar (First 2 albums)
- Sean McGuigan - Bass
Discography
- Fragments of an Untold Story Born by Shunning the OpportunityFragments of an Untold Story Born by Shunning the OpportunityFragments of an Untold Story Born by Shunning the Opportunity is the debut from Philadelphia hardcore band This Day Forward. It was recorded before Vadim Taver joined the band.-Track listing:# Kissing Perfections Cheek # Dead Acres...
(Break Even Records, 1999, Re-Release on Eulogy, 2001) - The Transient Effects of Light on WaterThe Transient Effects of Light on WaterThe Transient Effects of Light on Water is a 2000 metalcore album by This Day Forward.-Track listing:# My Unbroken Reflection # Cupid's Diary # Kissing Perfections Cheek # If I Wore a Mask # Writing in Cursive...
(Eulogy RecordingsEulogy RecordingsEulogy Recordings is a record label based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.The label specializes in heavy metal or hardcore punk bands, some of which are straight edge. The label was founded by ex-hardcore guitarist John Wylie...
, 2000) - Kairos EPKairos EPKairos is an EP released by Philadelphia post-hardcore band This Day Forward.-Track listing:# Kairos # Geocentric # Isomorphism # Allegory of the Cave # Sunfalls and Watershine -Notes:...
(Eulogy Recordings, 2002) - In ResponseIn ResponseIn Response is the final studio album by Philadelphia post-hardcore band This Day Forward.-Track listing:# White Picket Defense System #*Composed by: Frangicetto, This Day Forward# One and One #*Composed by: Frangicetto, This Day Forward...
(Equal Vision RecordsEqual Vision RecordsEqual Vision Records is a record label based in Albany, New York, which has a focus in metal or punk-based rock genres. Equal Vision Records was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo ....
, 2003)
External links
- Equal Vision Page http://www.equalvision.com/artists/show/68
- Eulogy Recordings Page http://www.eulogyrecordings.com/artists.php?band=1049
- Break Even Page http://www.breakeven.org/tdf/be_tdf.html