| And Then There Were None | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Salem, New Hampshire |
| Genres | Vocal Trance, Post-Hardcore, electronica, metalcore (early) |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | Tooth & Nail (2008-present) 13 Star (2006-2008) |
| Associated acts | Young London |
| Members | |
| Matt Rhoades Sarah Graziani Nick Massahos Ryan Manning |
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| Past members | |
| Matt McComish Sean Sweeney Garret Henderson Jeff Cheever Chris Gagne Derrick Flanagan Matt Moderski Dave Jewers J. Sjostrom Nick Kane Miskell |
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And Then There Were None is an American band from New Hampshire, currently signed to Tooth & Nail Records.
Contents |
And Then There Were None (aka ATTWN) formed in 2003 as a metalcore band, and toured across the United States in support of their highly acclaimed self-released EP "6,000 tries".[1] The band supposedly chose the name because as they were searching sparknotes.com, the title for the Agatha Christie novel from which the band got their name was situated between Aerosmith and As I Lay Dying. The members of And Then There Were None loved the idea of being situated between those two bands they admired and decided to adopt the name.[2]
In 2006, they went through a transition, from metal to incorporating more electronica elements. New members also joined in that year creating a new working dynamic. According to lead singer Matt Rhoades, the group transitioned because they ran out of ideas for metal music. Dance music came easily and allowed for more freedom. It also gave them the opportunity to play more light-hearted, uplifting music.[3]
They signed to Tooth & Nail Records in 2008 and released the single "Reinventing Robert Cohn" in January 2009.[4] Their full-length album Who Speaks for Planet Earth? was released February 24 of that year. This album reached #16 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart and #14 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.[5] Then in December 2009, the band released an online copy of a remix of "Thank the Watchmaker" in an acoustic version.[4]
They released a cover of the Christmas single "Where Are You Christmas?" on October 29, 2010 and their upcoming single, "Stuttering" (which has already made its way into their concert set list) will be released shortly after.
They are currently in the studio recording their second album with producer Mark Maxwell (Blake Lewis, Boys Like Girls, Cobra Starship) set to be released April 5, 2011.
On July 1, 2011 Tooth & Nail records announced the band has formed a new project called Young London.[6] Young London has released two singles so far, "Let Me Go"[7] and "Celebrity"[8], and are set to release a full-length album in January 10, 2012 [9]
And Then There Were None incorporate techno-pop influences such as Basshunter as well as their Christian beliefs. Like many other Tooth & Nail artists, And Then There Were None is essentially a Christian band. However, according to an interview with the band shortly after the release of Who Speaks for Planet Earth?, the members of the band do not all share the Christian faith. This would explain that although they are not explicitly Christian in their songs, their music does allude to many of their beliefs.[2]
In “John Orr the Arsonist”, the lyrics “I don’t think you understand that I was lost, I was lost” may refer to the difficulty some people face in communicating beliefs to others with different values. The allusion to being lost is also similar to the Christian hymn, “Amazing Grace”, which is incorporated into many songs of the same genre. “Amazing Grace” contains the famous line “I once was lost but now I’m found.” Sin and similar themes are discussed in the song “Action and the Anecdote.” “We Are the Atmosphere,” echoes the Christian belief of eternal life in which those who practice the faith “cannot die.” “Reinventing Robert Cohn”, another song on the album ‘’Who Speaks for Planet Earth?’’ could be interpreted as a song about a man who tries to resist sexual temptation. It most likely is a reference, however, to the character of the same name in Ernest Hemingway’s novel, The Sun Also Rises. He is a character whose own sexual actions lead to the climax of the novel.[10]
Not only does the band allow their religious beliefs to influence their music, but religion also affects their social activism. All members are vegetarians and are heavily involved with PETA. They set up tables at their concerts, which inform fans of the organization and their beliefs on animal rights. Matt Rhodes, in speaking about their activism, says that endorsing a cause was an essential part of the punk movement. Although that sentiment has faded over the years, And Then There Were None will continue to speak up about their beliefs. In referring to animals in particular, Rhodes is also quoted as saying, “Furthermore, the unnecessary killing of animals for food is not only disgusting, but wrong. We all strongly believe in speaking out for animals, and refuse to be silenced to please the general public." [11]
| Year | Title | Label | Chart peaks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Heatseekers | US Christian | |||
| 2005 | The Green - EP | Self-Released | — | — | — |
| 2006 | The Hope We Forgot Exists | 13 Star Records | — | — | — |
| 2009 | Who Speaks for Planet Earth? | Tooth & Nail Records | — | 14 | 16 |