Since The Flood: “Flooding The Metal Mainstream”

For quite some time now, one of the most consistent and awesome metal band producing scenes in the United States has been the state of Massachusetts. While the state’s heritage in rock and roll goes back to the blues (and then Aerosmith in the mid-1970s), a booming metal and hardcore scene has developed over the period of the late 1990s and carried over into the present time. For example, both Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall are too very successful bands that originated from western Massachusetts now over ten years ago. These bands have paved the way for several new Massachusetts based metal bands including All That Remains, the ever popular Unearth and now, the state’s latest offering to the world of metal and hardcore Since The Flood. Since The Flood is relatively new to the whole metal scene, having formed as recently as 2002, but they have recently began to make outstanding strides toward mainstream stardom.

The members of Since The Flood all hail from the similar surrounding areas in the North Eastern, New England area of the United States. With band members originating from Nashua, New Hampshire and Lynnfield, Massachusetts, the guys in Since The Flood also happen to be from the same surrounding area as the bands Shadows Fall, Unearth and All That Remains (amongst many others). The group formed a strong work ethic quickly; playing any and all gigs offered their way in the New England area.

In the early going, the band would play to only twenty people at a gig sometimes in assorted and obscure small towns. Fortunately enough for Since The Flood, this tireless work ethic and will to persevere resulted in a word of mouth effect where the next time the band came through town, the crowds would double and sometimes triple. Because of the mounting positive responses to their music, the group decided to record a three song demo to peddle around to interested record labels. This avenue turned out to be unsuccessful but opportunity would come knocking in an unusual way for the group.

Since Unearth, All That Remains and Since The Flood were all from the same area, the members of each band got to know one another and for the most part became friends. One of these friendships resulted in Since The Flood’s guitar player Dave Stauble being asked to fill in on guitar temporarily for Unearth on a national tour in 2002. Eventually, Stauble got Since The Flood’s demo tape into the hands of Unearth frontman Trevor Phipps who was wholly impressed and soon after signed the group to his Ironclad Recordings label. With label backing set, the band got to work on their debut full length album which resulted in 2003’s Valor & Vengeance. The disc sold well for an indie release which prompted the ever growing Metal Blade Records to sign Since The Flood to a record deal. Metal Blade re-released Valor & Vengeance in 2005 and Since The Flood was soon solidifying its position in today’s metal scene.

Enter 2007. Since The Flood is back with a new album called No Compromise and a sound all the more intense. The album title was inspired by the band’s unwillingness to adjust their approach to music just for mainstream success which they feel happens so often these days in the music industry. No Compromise also shows the great musical strides that Since The Flood has experienced since the release of Valor & Vengeance. The new album is even more brutal and fast paced, illustrating the members’ maturation in both songwriting skill and instrumental ability.

Coinciding with the release of No Compromise will be a full scale, no holds barred national tour of the United States that will commence in February and with this band’s intense work ethic, it’s a near guarantee that the tour will be a monstrous success. It has been a long road of hard work for the members of Since The Flood, but a road that is now shaping up to have lots of promise along the way and at the end.  [ END ]