Senses Fail

Senses Fail

Senses Fail performing at Warped Tour in 2009
Background information
Origin Ridgewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres Emo, post-hardcore, hardcore punk
Years active 2002–present
Labels
Associated acts
Website sensesfail.com
Members Buddy Nielsen
Gavin Caswell
Chris Hornbrook
Past members James Gill
Dave Miller
Mike Glita
Heath Saraceno
Garrett Zablocki
Jason Black
Dan Trapp
Matt Smith
Zack Roach

Senses Fail is an American post-hardcore band that formed in Ridgewood, New Jersey in 2002. The band have seen many lineup changes; the only founding member still in the band being lead singer James "Buddy" Nielsen. The lineup currently consists of Nielsen, bassist Gavin Caswell and drummer Chris Hornbrook. The band's releases include the EP From the Depths of Dreams (2002, reissued 2003)[1] and the full-length albums Let It Enfold You (2004), Still Searching (2006), Life Is Not a Waiting Room (2008), The Fire (2010)[2][3] Renacer (2013) and Pull the Thorns from Your Heart (2015).

History

Formation and From the Depths of Dreams EP (2002–2003)

Senses Fail began on October 17, 2001 after Garrett Zablocki posted an advertisement on the Internet to recruit members for the band. The advertisement attracted attention from Buddy Nielsen, who then began writing with Zablocki. Later Zablocki contacted Dave Miller to join the band who also brought along his friend, James Gill. After a short time with another drummer the band came across Dan Trapp, who was only 14-years-old at the time. Before the band signed to Drive-Thru Records, James Gill was kicked out of the band due to irreconcilable differences; he was replaced by Tokyo Rose ex-drummer Mike Glita.[4]

The name Senses Fail, lead singer James "Buddy" Nielsen explains, "In Hinduism, they believe that being alive is hell, and the only way to reach Nirvana is to ultimately have no attachments to anything. So, people go out and live in the middle of the woods and they don't eat and don't drink. They just meditate because they've reached such a high level where they're not attached to love, relationships or anything. And if you want to reach the highest level of being and see God, you have to have all your senses fail." [5]

Building a local fan base by playing any gig they could find from skate parks and clubs to churches,[6] they soon entered the studio and started to record. Their first release, From the Depths of Dreams, was a six-track EP that was originally released on ECA Records on August 16, 2002. It originally started as two three-song demo CDs, but was later joined together to make one release by producer John Naclerio. The independent release did very well and caught the attention of some record labels. They signed to Drive-Thru Records, and reissued their EP on April 29, 2003 with two extra tracks, improved mixing and new cover art. The release saw much success, and sold enough copies to peak at No. 144 on the Billboard chart.[1] In support of the EP, Senses Fail toured with such bands as Finch, The Used, Millencolin, and The Starting Line.

Let It Enfold You (2004–2005)

Senses Fail started working on their debut album, Let It Enfold You in early 2004. During this time, lead singer and songwriter Buddy Nielsen was 20 years old.[6] They worked with producer Steve Evetts (Saves the Day, A Static Lullaby, Every Time I Die) on their new label Vagrant Records. The lyrics were derived from a wide variety of sources. The title of the album was taken from a poem written by Charles Bukowski, the song "Irony of Dying on Your Birthday" is about the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell, and parts of the song "Slow Dance" include lines of the Dao De Jing.[7] Nielsen stated that, "We just love making music and writing good songs. I feel like I've got a lot more to say and we've got a lot more to contribute. But even if things ended tomorrow, we've gotten 10 times further than we ever expected to get and that makes us feel like we've succeeded regardless of what happens from here on." Let It Enfold You was released on September 7, 2004 on Vagrant and Drive Thru Records.[8] The album has sold over 400,000 copies in the United States.[9]

Let It Enfold You saw the release of two singles: "Buried a Lie" and "Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning." The music video for "Buried a Lie" was filmed on the set of the soap opera Guiding Light. Nielsen's mother, who shot the video, used to act in the show.[6] The release of the video started attracting mainstream success for the band. During this period, Senses Fail were featured in magazines such as Kerrang!, Rolling Stone, Spin and appeared on the cover of Alternative Press.[6]

The band toured extensively in support of the release. They were added to Warped Tour in 2004, 2005, and 2006, and 2009,[6] and played on the main stage for the 2005 and 2006 editions of the tour. They were also included on the first Taste of Chaos tour in 2005 with such notable acts as The Used, My Chemical Romance, and Killswitch Engage. They also headlined a few tours of their own during this time with The Early November from Drive Thru and Emanuel from Vagrant.

The album was reissued in November 2005 with bonus tracks and new album art. In addition to the original track listing, it featured acoustic versions of songs from the album, an unreleased track, and a cover of the Suicidal Tendencies song "Institutionalized."

In 2005, the band's web site announced the departure, by mutual agreement, of guitarist Dave Miller. He was replaced by Heath Saraceno, previously the guitarist and vocalist of the band Midtown. Miller started his own record label called DMI (Dave Miller Industries) in September 2006.[10]

The song "Lady in a Blue Dress," from this album, was released as a downloadable track on the Rock Band Network on March 4, 2010.[11]

Still Searching (2006–2007)

After taking a break from touring, and acquiring a new lineup, Senses Fail began to write their second studio album. The new album, titled Still Searching was produced by Brian McTernan (Thrice, Cave In) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge. This album eased up on the aggression on previous albums and showed more emotion. On the subject of the new songs, Nielson explained, "I like my lyrics to be open to interpretation, but I didn’t want to paint pictures of things no one was going to understand; I want our fans to be able to relate. At some point, we all start examining our lives. If you don’t, there’s something wrong with you."[6]

In support of the new album, the band toured on the Taste of Chaos again. In 2006 they toured with the Taste of Chaos International, and in 2007 Senses Fail returned to North America for the 2007 Taste of Chaos tour. In the summer of 2007 they also participated in a few dates of the Zumiez Couch Tour alongside From Autumn to Ashes. They headlined in late 2006 with Saosin and Bleeding Through as supporters.[8] On October 5, 2007, Senses Fail began a 33-city co-headlining tour with New Found Glory which started in Las Vegas, Nevada. Also on the tour was Set Your Goals. The tour ended on November 24, 2007 in San Diego, California.

On November 13, 2007, Senses Fail released a deluxe version of Still Searching, which featured new art, behind-the-scenes DVD featuring footage from the band's headlining tour last fall, two additional previously digital-only songs, three new songs, and a cover of The Cranberries' song "Salvation."[12]

On December 8, 2007, bassist Mike Glita left the band to pursue his side project Knights In Paris.[13] Jason Black joined as a temporary replacement, though he later became a permanent member.

The song "Can't Be Saved," from this album, is featured in the game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. One of their other singles, "Calling All Cars," is featured in the game Burnout Paradise.

Life Is Not a Waiting Room (2008–2009)

Their album Life Is Not a Waiting Room was released on October 7, 2008 through Vagrant,[14] and began a nationwide tour the day after.[15] On November 21, Senses Fail did an online interview with Ultimate Guitar, talking about the evolution of the band, their new bassist and the album.[16]

On June 30, 2009, it was announced that guitarist Heath Saraceno would be leaving the band after the 2009 Warped Tour, stating: "I've shared many great times with these guys over the past four years or so. We've made two records I'm very proud of, toured the world and the States countless times, and I've made friends with people I would not have met otherwise. These guys from Jersey (and Atlanta by way of Florida) have turned into some of my closest friends, and I will miss seeing them as often as I've been able to."[17] He was replaced by Zack Roach.

The Fire (2010)

Buddy Nielsen performing at the Social in April 2013

The band began recording their new album, titled The Fire, at Salad Days Studio with Brian McTernan in June 2010 hoping to release later that year.[18] The Fire was released in the UK on October 25, 2010 through Hassle Records[2] and elsewhere on October 26 through Vagrant Records[19] to generally positive reviews. The album does not feature Zack Roach on guitar, replacing Heath Saraceno after leaving in 2009, but instead has Garrett Zablocki playing both guitar roles.[20] In February 2011, Garrett Zablocki left the band to attend college; however, he will be composing music for various films and videos.

Follow Your Bliss: The Best of Senses Fail (2012)

On July 13, 2011, Senses Fail posted "We are hanging writing new songs and practicing for the shows this weekend." on their Facebook page, and posted pictures via Twitter and Instagram of them in the studio.

Senses Fail announced that they would be going on tour with Stick to Your Guns, Make Do and Mend, and The Story So Far in November 2011.[21]

The band then released The Fire on vinyl through Mightier Than Sword Records.[22]

Senses Fail played again on the 2012 Vans Warped Tour. They released a greatest hits album entitled Follow Your Bliss: The Best of Senses Fail which featured music from all of their previous albums and came with an added four-track EP of new songs. The album was released on June 19, 2012 in a double-CD package and it is limited to 10,000 copies.[23]

On June 15, they released "War Paint" from their Greatest Hits album.

Renacer (2013–2014)

On November 13, 2012, Senses Fail posted on their Facebook page that "We begin recording our fifth full-length album this week in Los Angeles, California. We will be working with producer Shaun Lopez (Far, Deftones) at The Airport Studio and Red Bull Studio. The recording is expected to wrap up in mid-December with a Spring 2013 release planned." The resulting album, Renacer, was released on March 26, 2013. On February 4, 2013 the first single, "Mi Amor" was released,along with pre-orders for the album.[24] On March 1, 2013 a second single was released, "The Path."

The band played at the UK Slam Dunk Festival in May 2013.

The music video for "Between the Mountains and the Sea" was released on August 2, 2013[25]

It was announced on June 2, 2014 via the band's Facebook page that Senses Fail would be doing a 10th Anniversary tour playing their record "Let It Enfold You" from start to finish and that ex-Poison the Well, current Big Black Delta live drummer, Chris Hornbrook would be replacing long time drummer, Dan Trapp.[26]

Pull the Thorns from Your Heart, touring replacements, side projects (2014–2016)

In 2014, on their tumblr blog[27] the band announced they signed to Pure Noise Records. Senses Fail would enter the studio in November to start recording their next full-length album which was scheduled to be released in summer 2015. It was later announced that the album would be titled Pull the Thorns from Your Heart.[28]

On February 2, 2015, the band released a tease of their split EP on their Facebook. The EP was released on March 3, 2015. Pull the Thorns from Your Heart was released on June 30, 2015. The touring cycle for the record kicked off by playing the entirety of the 2015 Vans Warped Tour. The band then embarked on a winter co-headlining tour with Silverstein. On this tour, guitarist Matt Smith was absent due to the birth of his first child. Greg Styliades, who had previously toured with the band after Zack Roach returned home for the birth of his child, performed with the band on this tour. At this time, the band was classified by AbsolutePunk as screamo and "alternative".[7]

On May 17th, 2016, frontman Buddy Nielsen announced that he had formed a new band called Speak The Truth... Even If Your Voice shakes. The band also includes drummer Alex Pappas and guitarists Alex "Grizz" Linares and Daniel Wonacott, all formerly of the band Finch. They released their debut, self-titled 7" on November 4th, 2016 via Bad Timing Records. The release features the songs Crash My Car and Go For The Throat. Senses Fail bassist Gavin Caswell was later recruited to play bass at the outfits first ever live performance.

In 2016, the band performed at the recently revived Taste of Chaos festival in San Bernardino, California. After returning as a single day festival in 2015, Taste of Chaos returned as a full United States tour in 2016, culminating in the festival date. The festival took place on July 16th, and also featured performances from The Starting Line, The Get Up Kids, and Quicksand, as well as 2016 Taste of Chaos full tour acts Saosin, Taking Back Sunday, and Dashboard Confessional.

The future of the band was left uncertain after it was revealed that guitarists Zack Roach and Matt Smith would no longer be touring with the band, with both choosing to focus on their families after the recent births of their children. Despite almost breaking up, the band took the rest of the summer of 2016 off to regroup. In late 2016, the band supported Sum 41 on their "Don't Call it a Sum Back" full United States tour. Bassist Gavin Caswell took over rhythm guitar duties live, with Styliades returning on bass guitar, and Jason Millbank filling the role of lead guitarist.

In Your Absence, Quince Años Tour, If There Is Light It Will Find You (2016–present)

On November 15th, 2016, the band announced that in celebration of its upcoming fifteenth year anniversary, they would be embarking on the Quince Años Tour in March and April of 2017, with support from Counterparts, Movements, and Like Pacific. To commemorate the event, the band will be performing its seminal 2006 album Still Searching in full, alongside a collection of career spanning songs.

On the same day, the band announced the release of their long teased acoustic EP, entitled In Your Absence. It features 3 brand new songs, alongside acoustic renditions of Lost and Found from Still Searching, and Family Tradition from Life Is Not A Waiting Room. A music video was released for the lead single, Jets to Peru, on January 26th, 2017. The EP released on March 3rd, 2017 alongside the beginning of the Quince Años Tour.

The band entered the studio with Saosin guitarist Beau Burchell, who also handled recording duties on In Your Absence, to begin recording their 7th full length album on June 27th, 2017. After the bands previous two albums featured a darker, heavier metalcore style, Nielsen commented that the album would feature a style more akin to earlier Senses Fail releases. He also announced the album would be titled If There Is Light It Will Find You.

On August 2nd, it was revealed that former drummer Dan Trapp would be performing drums on the album, although current drummer Chris Hornbrook would still be performing and touring with the band.

Musical style and influences

Senses Fail has been described as post-hardcore,[29][30][31] emo,[32][30][33][31]and screamo.[34][35] Senses Fail have cited Jimmy Eat World, The Get Up Kids, The Promise Ring, Appleseed Cast, Saves the Day, Thursday, The Casket Lottery, and Deftones as their influences.[36][37][38][39]

Band members

Current members

Former members

Touring members

Timeline

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Year Title Label Chart peaks
US[40] US Indie[40] UK[41]
2004 Let It Enfold You Vagrant 34 2 —
2006 Still Searching 15 2 150
2008 Life Is Not a Waiting Room 18 1 —
2010 The Fire 32 2 —
2013 Renacer Staple 84 15 —
2015 Pull the Thorns from Your Heart Pure Noise 109 — —
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Extended plays

Year Title Label Chart peaks
US[40] US Indie[40] UK[41]
2002 From the Depths of Dreams Drive-Thru 144 — —
2015 Senses Fail / Man Overboard Pure Noise — — —
2017 In Your Absence Pure Noise 171 10 —

Compilation albums

Year Title Label Chart peaks
US US Indie UK
2012 Follow Your Bliss: The Best of Senses Fail Vagrant — — —
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Singles

Year Title Album
2005 "Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning"[42] Let It Enfold You
2006 "Calling All Cars"[43] Still Searching
2007 "Can't Be Saved"[44]
2008 "Family Tradition"[45] Life Is Not A Waiting Room
2013 "Mi Amor"[46] Renacer
2015 "The Importance of the Moment of Death" Pull the Thorns from Your Heart

Non-album tracks

Year Song Featured on
2005 "Bad Reputation" (Joan Jett cover) Bad News Bears soundtrack
2005 "Institutionalized" (Suicidal Tendencies cover) Tony Hawk's American Wasteland soundtrack
2006 "Bite to Break Skin" (Legion of Doom remix) Underworld: Evolution Soundtrack
2008 "The Past Is Proof" Punisher: War Zone Soundtrack
2009 "The Martyr" Guitar Hero Vagrant Records Pack

Music videos

Year Song Director Album
2003 "Bloody Romance"[47] Co-Director Lisa Brown From the Depths of Dreams
2003 "One Eight Seven" (live)[48] Lisa Brown
2004 "Buried a Lie"[49] Lisa Brown Let It Enfold You
2005 "Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning" Christopher Mills[50]
2006 "Calling All Cars" Jay Martin[51] Still Searching
2007 "Can't Be Saved" Matt Bass[52]
2007 "The Priest and the Matador"[53] Daryl Goldberg
2008 "Family Tradition" Zach Merck[54] Life Is Not A Waiting Room
2010 "Life Boats" (live)[55] Lisa Brown The Fire
2011 "New Year's Eve" [56] Lisa Brown
2011 "The Fire" [57] Richard Borge
2013 "Mi Amor" [58] Behn Fannin Renacer
2013 "Between The Mountains and the Sea" [59] Markus Lundqvist
2015 "The Importance of the Moment of Death"[60] Max Moore Pull The Thorns From Your Heart
2017 "Jets to Peru" Michael Higgs & Marlon Brandope In Your Absence

References

  1. 1 2 Senses Fail Charting on Allmusic Retrieved on May 22, 2008
  2. 1 2 "Glasswerk.co.uk - Senses Fail Announce New Album". Glasswerk.co.uk. September 24, 2010. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Senses Fail - The Fire allmusic entry". Allmusic.com. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ Archived May 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Archived October 19, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. 1 2 {{cite web|last=Herbel |first=Brandon |url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/artists/showlink.php?do=showdetails&l=2050 |title=Senses Fail - Profile |publisher=AbsolutePunk.net |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711233013/http://www.absolutepunk.net/artists/showlink.php?do=showdetails&l=2050 |archivedate=2015-07-11 |accessdate=2017-07-24}
  8. 1 2 Senses Fail Biotesla was hegraphy on Allmusic Retrieved on May 22, 2008
  9. ↑ "Hopeless Records". Downloadpunk.com. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  10. ↑ Melissa Johnson (2006-10-10). "Dave Miller Starts New Label - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  11. ↑ "The Rock Band Network Goes Live With 100 Plus New Tracks". Kotaku.com. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  12. ↑ Archived October 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ↑ "Senses Fail". Senses Fail. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  14. ↑ Anton Djamoos (2008-06-25). "Senses Fail Announces Life Is Not A Waiting Room - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  15. ↑ "Tours: Senses Fail / Dance Gavin Dance / #12 Looks Like You / Foxy Shazam". Punknews.org. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  16. ↑ "Senses Fail: 'You Should Stop Messing Around, And Achieve Something' | Interviews @". Ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  17. ↑ Reid, Sean (2009-06-30). "Senses Fail Guitarist to Leave". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  18. ↑ "Senses Fail Return To Studio For Fourth Album, The Fire". PlugInMusic. June 13, 2010. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  19. ↑ Shotwell, James (July 26, 2010). "Senses Fail plan October release for The Fire". Alternative Press. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  20. ↑ Djamoos, Anton (January 27, 2010). "Heath's Permanent Replacement in Senses Fail?". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  21. ↑ Christian Wagner. "Senses Fail Fall Tour - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  22. ↑ "Senses Fail - Pre-orders for "The Fire" on vinyl start...". Facebook. 2011-09-22. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  23. ↑ Archived April 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  24. ↑ Archived February 16, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  25. ↑ "Senses Fail "Between The Mountains and the Sea" Official Video". YouTube. 2013-08-02. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  26. ↑ "Senses Fail - Timeline Photos". Facebook. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  27. ↑ "Senses Fail". Sensesfailofficial.tumblr.com. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  28. ↑ "Senses Fail". Sensesfailofficial.tumblr.com. 2014-09-21. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  29. ↑ Linder, Courtney (March 22, 2017). "After 15 years, Senses Fail is still a post-hardcore staple at Mr. Smalls". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  30. 1 2 Newman, Melinda (July 21, 2004). "Vagrant Signs Senses Fail". Billboard.
  31. 1 2 "Senses Fail | Music Biography, Streaming Radio and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  32. ↑ Porter, Vanna (March 21, 2017). "Senses Fail". Ink 19.
  33. ↑ Pareles, Jon (August 15, 2005). "Punk's New Wave: Twerps and What Ails Them". The New York Times.
  34. ↑ {{cite web |url=http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/music/senses-fail-singer-buddy-nielsen-blames-apathy-for-breeding-garbage-like-donald-trump-7430154 |title=Senses Fail Singer Buddy Nielsen Blames Apathy for Breeding "Garbage Like Donald Trump" |work=New Times Brownard-Palm Beach |last=Lake |first=Dave |date=December 2, 2015
  35. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "Let It Enfold You". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  36. ↑ Gasperak, Brian (April 7, 2009). "Senses Fail discusses its many influences". The Gazette.
  37. ↑ Roxburgh, Craig (July 9, 2015). "Interview: Senses Fail". SA Music Scene.
  38. ↑ Childers, Chad (September 25, 2013). "Senses Fail’s Buddy Nielsen Talks Musical Transition, Fall Tour + More". Noisecreep.
  39. ↑ Squire, Azia. "It's a 'FACT' — 'Senses' won't 'Fail' at Mr. Small's concert". The Pitt News.
  40. 1 2 3 4 "Senses Fail - Charts & Awards - Billboard Albums" allmusic. Retrieved on November 6, 2008.
  41. 1 2 "Chart Log UK – Chart Coverage and Record Sales 2006". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
  42. ↑ "Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning – Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  43. ↑ "Calling All Cars – Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  44. ↑ "Can't Be Saved – Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  45. ↑ "Family Tradition – Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  46. ↑ "Mi Amor – Senses Fail". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Music video: 'Bloody Romance'". Yahoo! Music. 2003. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  48. ↑ "Music video: 'One Eight Seven' Live". AOL Music. February 11, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  49. ↑ "Music video: 'Buried a Lie'". Yahoo! Music. 2004. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  50. ↑ "Music video: 'Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning'". MTV. June 6, 2005. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  51. ↑ "Music video: 'Calling All Cars'". MTV. October 24, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  52. ↑ "Music video: 'Can't Be Saved'". MTV. May 15, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  53. ↑ Mitts, Eric (June 2007). "Senses Fail Interview". Recoil. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  54. ↑ "Music video: 'Family Tradition'". MTV. October 16, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  55. ↑ "Music video: 'Life Boats (live)'". YouTube. 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  56. ↑ "Music video: 'New Year's Eve'". YouTube. 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
  57. ↑ "Music video: 'The Fire'". YouTube. 2011. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  58. ↑ "Music video: 'Mi Amor'". YouTube. 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  59. ↑ "Music video: 'Between The Mountains and the Sea'". YouTube. 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  60. ↑ Adams, Gregory (April 29, 2015). "Senses Fail 'Pull the Thorns from Your Heart' on New LP". Exclaim!. Retrieved April 30, 2015.

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