Fear Before

Colorado's Fear Before were called Fear Before The March Of Flames on their first three albums, borrowed from a newspaper story about fires in the woods. Variously called "metalcore," "mathcore," "post-hardcore," "experimental" and "screamo," they put out their first album, Odd How People Shake, on the Oregon label Rise Records in 2003. From there, they graduated to the Albany imprint Equal Vision, which released their next three: 2004's Art Damage, 2006's Billboard-charting The Always Open Mouth and 2008's Fear Before, the album on which the band officially shortened its name. They've also put out a few EPs and a live album, and toured with such like-minded outfits as Norma Jean, Between The Buried And Me, Hot Cross and the Blood Brothers. Frontman David Marion, bassist Michael Madruga and guitarist/utility man Adam Fisher have been members since the beginning (the latter two sing backup); drummer Clayton Holyoak replaced Brandon Proff in 2006. Three other guitarists have passed through along the way, as the band's music -- according to their fans, anyway -- has grown more complex and progressive