40 Below Summer - Relapse

[pen]

October 30th.

Here's a little history lesson. Once upon a time there was a band called 40 Below Summer who signed to a label called London/Sire. They released an album in 2001 called Invitation To The Dance, featuring the single "Wither Away". Then the label folded and the band was left standing in the dust.

Flash forward to 2003. The band signed with Razor And Tie and released their follow-up album called The Morning After, featuring the singles "Self-Medicate" and "Taxi-Cab Confessions", with the video for the former showing up regularly on Headbanger's Ball. Unfortunately, the album didn't sell too well, and Razor dropped them.

Then splits start emerging. Band members leave. They get replaced by the flotsam from Flaw's breakup, but eventually the Flaw members and 40 Below members decide to retire the 40 Below name and start fresh with something new. They become Black Market Hero, and start writing new material toward an eventual album.

In the meantime, the label Crash Music gets the rights to release a final album for 40 Below consisting of nine unreleased tracks that would have gone toward their third album, in addition to a DVD containing an entire concert. The album is called The Last Dance, as a nod to the band's first album and to their departure. "Relapse" is the first single from that effort.

However, 40 Below is no longer dead. When the announcement of The Last Dance came around as well as a short tour to accompany the release, frontman Max Illidge expressed his desire that 40 Below get back together. That desire has become a full-fledged reality with the new announcement that not only is 40 Below Summer alive and kicking, but it will be with the original lineup and they have plans to make a brand-new full-length album for release next year through Crash.

A tragic tale with a happy ending. Unless you don't like 40 Below, and in that case you go to hell. You go to hell and you die.

[pen]

Man, not even JD or Wind-Up are interested in this. I'm disappointed.

[jdmasta289]

Nope. I heard one song from them that was programmed into my computer (weirdly enough) in, like, early '02. Haven't heard anything from them since then. They do remind me of obscurities like Sinch, Apex Theory, Ill Nino, Coal Chamber, and Pressure 4-5 who were beginning to make a name of themselves then but never really panned out.

[pen]

jdmasta289 said:

Nope.  I heard one song from them that was programmed into my computer (weirdly enough) in, like, early '02.  Haven't heard anything from them since then.  They do remind me of obscurities like Sinch, Apex Theory, Ill Nino, Coal Chamber, and Pressure 4-5 who were beginning to make a name of themselves then but never really panned out.

Out of all of those, three of them still exist, y'know.

Sinch has been on Rock Ridge and put out their sophomore album Clearing The Channel in early 2005, along with several smaller online EPs since then. I think they're working on their third album right now. They're also participating in the Bodog Battle Of The Bands contest, and they're doing a really good job too.

Apex Theory is still around. After their vocalist left, Art took over, and they put out an EP independently in 2004 called Inthatskyissomethingwatching. They've currently wrapped up their new full-length album called Faces, which is supposed to be released sometime in the next few months.

Ill Nino, of course, released three albums for Roadrunner. After the low sales of One Nation Underground in 2005, they decided to leave the label and join up with Cement Shoes Records instead. They're releasing a five track EP in November called The Undercover Sessions that features two new songs and three covers, and plan to release their fourth album early next year.

I find it's worth it to follow bands like these even after they crap out in the mainstream. You don't need major label backing and radio airplay to make great music.

[jdmasta289]

penance said:

I find it's worth it to follow bands like these even after they crap out in the mainstream. You don't need major label backing and radio airplay to make great music.

Good call. I had no idea the Apex Theory were still around. I thought they broke up shortly after "Apossibly" came out. What a quirky/weird alt-metal group. Almost like System of a Down, I remember.

I knew Ill Nino were still around, because I remember listening to "How Can I Live" and their second single pretty frequently on my Active Rock station.

Sinch are easily my favorite of the group. Man, do I miss 2002.