From Autumn to Ashes
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| From Autumn to Ashes | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Origin | Long Island, New York, USA  |
| Country | United States |
| Years active | 2000-present |
| Genres | Post-Hardcore Metalcore |
| Labels | Vagrant Records |
| Website(s) | http://www.fromautumntoashes.com |
From Autumn to Ashes or FATA is an American post-hardcore band from Long Island. The band mixes melody with hardcore styles, and two of their albums occasionally feature Melanie Wills, of the band One True Thing, on vocals, as well as their own vocalist, Fran (Francis) Mark (and Ben Perri on previous albums. See Ben's Departure). A majority of the band's original line-up attended Patchogue-Medford High School in Medford, NY on Long Island.
Their debut full-length album, Too Bad You're Beautiful, was released on Ferret Records in 2001 and quickly made the band an underground success. The band is currently signed to Vagrant Records, which released The Fiction We Live in 2003, followed by their latest album Abandon Your Friends in 2005.
"The After Dinner Payback", from the album The Fiction We Live, was featured on the Freddy vs. Jason soundtrack. Consequently, it is likely the band's most well-known song.
After a complete U.S. tour for Abandon Your Friends, the band went on hiatus for a couple of months. Although rumors and speculations arose that the band was breaking up, FATA returned to the fans and informed them that they had lost touch with who they were and what they were doing it for, that they were not breaking up, and in fact had started recording new music.
FATA is set to release "Holding A Wolf By The Ears" on April 10th, 2007.
Contents |
[edit] Current Members
- Francis Mark - Vocals
- Brian Deneeve - Guitar and vocals
- Josh Newton - Bass and vocals
- Rob Lauritson - Guitar
- Jeff Gretz - Drums
[edit] Former Members
- Ben Perri - Vocals
- Mike Pilato - Bass
- Scott Gross - Guitar
- Jon Cox - Guitar
[edit] Ben's Departure
On December 5th, 2006, the following blog was posted on the official From Autumn To Ashes Myspace account by drummer/vocalist Francis Mark, concerning vocalist Ben and the future of the band:
"There has obviously been a monumental change in From Autumn to Ashes and I am sorry for not explaining it sooner. I want to give you an accurate account of what happened but it is important that I do so without saying negative things about Ben or mentioning anything about his personal life. Even though he left this band in a most inconsiderate manner I will show him the courtesy that a "friend" of seven years deserves. It all started with an appropriately titled album, "Abandon Your Friends". As you know the members of FATA went up to a house in the Catskill mountains to write that record. We were up there for a total of three weeks and had been writing almost a song per day. By the end of the second week we had the music for ten songs finished but had not heard any vocals by Ben. It had appeared that he was writing a lot and he spent most of the nights alone in his bedroom. By the end of the third week we had the music done for fourteen songs and still no lyrics or vocals on any of them. When we asked Ben about this he assured us that there was nothing to worry about. He maintained that he was ready to go and he was just organizing the vocal parts in his head. On faith that lyrics were finished, we flew to Vancouver and entered the studio to begin tracking the music for the album. We finished the drum tracks, finished the bass tracks and were half way through the guitar tracks and still no lyrics had been presented to us. Ben kept telling us not to worry, that he was ready to go. Instead of admitting that he needed help he lied up until the moment that it was time to start tracking vocals and he had nothing useful written. At this point producer GGGarth Richardson handed me a pad and a pencil and said, "You had better start writing some lyrics or else we don't have an album here". It was one of the most stressful situations I have ever been in. Now you understand why there is not much vocal interplay between Ben and I on that record. We were barely speaking due to this incident. I sang half the songs myself and then gave him lyrics to sing on the other half of the songs and I went home frustrated. All things considered I think "Abandon Your Friends" turned out to be an interesting record but it was difficult to go on tour and support it. Even more difficult was trying to say something positive about it in interviews because the recording process was so tough and we didn't want Ben's failure to be public knowledge. This was a big contributing factor in the band taking a five month hiatus. Fast forward to the Vans Warped Tour. Vagrant records had their own stage this past summer and asked if we would come out and play. The offer sounded appealing and I think we all really missed playing together but the idea of taking on a two month, hot summer tour was kind of scary after having done nothing for five months. We played The Bamboozle fest in Jersey as a test run and it was amazing. It felt so good to be on stage together. So off we went on Warped Tour and every show was better than the day before it. At the end of the tour we came home inspired. It was the best we had ever played together. Our friendship was tighter than ever and we all knew that with this new found energy we could write a record that would destroy "Abandon Your Friends". It was the first week of September, 2006, when we started writing at a new rehearsal space in Brooklyn, New York. I would meet with Josh and Brian every afternoon and songs were pretty much writing themselves. It was really exciting, it felt like old times. Everything was perfect, except for one very important thing. Ben did not show up to a single practice. It was happening all over again. We had sketches for ten songs and Ben hadn't even heard them, let alone written any lyrics for them. I did receive an email from him in this time period saying that he was really excited about some of the new stuff he had written. I figured if he actually did write some decent lyrics that would be great, and I'd love to see them get put to use, but as a precaution I started writing lyrics for all of the songs so that I was prepared if we had a repeat of last time. September 18th, 2006, we head down to Baltimore for a week of pre-production (demo tracks) with producer/friend Brian McTernan. Ben did not come so I used the lyrics I had written and recorded some demo vocals for him. Believe me when i say that I really tried to hook him up. The demo vocals I put down were probably 80% screaming. We sent him the demo tracks and he seemed excited. We were set to begin recording on October 2nd. Everything was so relaxed. The music was more technical than our previous album but it was coming together effortlessly. At this point Ben was still in New York. We expected to start tracking vocals on Monday, the 23rd of October. Ben said he was ready and excited but on that Monday there was an excuse why he couldn't come down. "I can come on Tuesday", but that didn't happen either. We spoke on the phone tuesday night. Everything was good to go. He sounded happy. I booked him a bus ticket for Wednesday morning. Wednesday, the 25th, around 11 am we were getting ready to pick Ben up from the bus station when we received an email stating that he would not be coming. He turned his phone off so that we could not call him. In the middle of recording the best album of our career, and just two weeks before our tour of Australia with The Bled, Ben quite literally abandoned his friends. With the support of my friends/band, and the support of an amazing record label, I have stepped up to front this band. I tracked the vocals on the new record and we brought a touring drummer to Australia for my first shows as the singer for From Autumn to Ashes. I know a lot of you are skeptical about this and I don't want you to accept this change with blind faith. Most of you are probably wondering if I can scream. On December 13th our new album will be mastered and we will post some new songs, then you can decide for yourself if this change is for the better. I feel confident that you wont be disappointed. I truly hope Ben finds happiness with whatever he plans on doing. He will be missed very much."
On December 7th, 2006, Ben replied on his Myspace page:
"Dear FATA Fans,
As I am sure you have read on the band Myspace, I have left the band. Everything you read was essentially true, just without the malice. I want to take this time to first off, thank you all for the amazing support you have shown me for the last seven years and to apologize for leaving so abruptly.
As you all know, we as human beings go through tough times. I had been going through a rough time ever since last summer. A few times I thought the band was done, when I was still all in, and somehow we kept on truckin'. I did it because I still loved what I was doing and loved playing for all of you.
Somewhere in between the end of this summer and a month ago, I lost the passion......the fire that kept me going for all these years. I did not want to continue doing this without it. I know that was part of the reason you have all stayed with FATA is that fire and that passion that I had. I loved helping you with my words and talking to you all at shows and just performing with these guys day in and day out. But, i am sure you know what it is like when the passion dies. It takes it's toll on you physically and mentally, and I did not want drag you down with me.
The way I left and the timing was all deplorable on my part. I take full responsibility for my actions and I am sorry, but if I didn't do what I felt was right for ME, I would be lost. For the first time in my life I acted selfishly....maybe to a fault, but I did it for ME.
I hope you all understand and continue to support the band through all of this. They have always risen above adversity and they will continue to do so.
You all mean the world to me and I would not trade the last seven years for all the money, sex and power in all the world.
Thank you to FATA and all the fans.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Perri"
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 2001: Too Bad You're Beautiful
- 2003: The Fiction We Live
- 2005: Abandon Your Friends
- 2007: Holding A Wolf By The Ears
[edit] EPs
[edit] Split albums
The Bled and From Autumn to Ashes Vagrant Sampler
