Death by Stereo

The Day of the Death is upon us as Death By Stereo prepares to unleash their Epitaph debut. With a harmonious genre blending combination of punk, hardcore and metal, Day Of The Death showcases an array of aggregated sounds, sarcastic tones and a the superior sense of melody that makes Death By Stereo one of the most talked about up and coming bands.

From they're inception, this Southern California based five-piece has captivated audiences with their audacious live shows and given the middle finger to everyone who huddles behind a musical label. Born out of the same local scene that germinated such diverse artists as Korn, Offspring and No Doubt; Death By Stereo distinguished themselves with they're intense performances while making sure that they never taking themselves so seriously as to exclude their natural sense of fun and wit. "It's all about the live shows," explains vocalist Efrem Schultz. "Meeting people, playing shows, loud music and getting people off, that's why we play music."

With the release of If Looks Could Kill, I'd Watch You Die on Indecision Records in 1998, Death By Stereo supplied their growing fan base with a manifesto for greater things to come. Self produced and engineered by the Death's own bassist, Paul Miner, `If Looks Could Kill' introduced the underground music scene to the band's instant classic hardcore anthems that dare to merge both anger and fun. Following up the success of If Looks Could Kill, Death By Stereo teamed up with Epitaph for the release Day Of The Death. Once again self produced and engineered by Paul Miner, Day Of The Death further places emphasis on the bands astounding musical ability.

Aided by the new addition of guitarist Dan Palmer, founding guitarist Jim Miner now bounces his nitrous fueled licks off the a sonic wall provided by Palmer. Tracks like `Lead A Man To Reason' and `Holding 60 Dollars' bristle with the duo double trouble guitar attack. "The Death needed a strong second guitarist and Dan more than fills that position," asserts Jim.

Dan is also quick to comment on their symbiotic relationship adding, "Jim is known for his strong writing abilities, but technically he's a freak. He challenges me as a guitar player and I'm totally into that."

Rounding out the bands line-up is drummer Bill Bender whose signature hard hitting beats fuel Death By Stereo's heavy sound. Benders' drumming is so precise and anarchic in form that it baffles listeners, begging the question "How in the hell did he do that?" Benders' beats are a definite highlight throughout Day Of The Death.

Day Of The Death is the rarest of albums, packing a musical punch with a sense of humor and purpose aimed at thrilling its audiences. Strapped with the best of what punk, metal and hardcore have to offer Death By Stereo defy the definitions and take their music to an honest place unhindered by the pit of having to fit someone else's mold.

Death by Stereo is an aggressive metal/hardcore hybrid from Southern California, who took its name from a line in the 1987 vampire flick The Lost Boys. The band's lineup underwent numerous changes throughout its careeer, but the guys always persevered with a "never give up, never give in" mantra held close. After getting together in 1996 and releasing a demo and 7", Efrem Shulz (vocals), Paul Miner (bass), Jim Miner (guitar), Keith Barney (guitar) (who'd replaced original guitarist Ian Fowles), and Jarrod Alexander (drums) debuted in spring 1999 on Indecision Records with If Looks Could Kill, I'd Watch You Die. That fall, after a summer spent touring behind the record, Barney left to concentrate more time with his other bands, Throwdown and Eighteen Visions, while Alexander departed to pursue music full-time at the Berklee School of Music. Drummer Tim Bender and former Eyelid guitarist Dan Palmer signed on in their places, as the band watched their fan base quickly grow. Epitaph was watching too and soon signed them up. Death by Stereo's sophomore effort, Day of the Death, appeared in the spring of 2001; Bender exited Death by Stereo following subsequent tour dates and was replaced by Todd Hennig (Heckle, Seven Years War). Into the Valley of Death followed two years later. By 2005's Death for Life, their third album for Epitaph, the Death by Stereo lineup had shifted to include Shulz, Palmer, Henning, guitarist Tito, and Pulley bassist Tyler Rebbe. The band didn't slow down, and in March 2007, the live album Death Alive was issued through Reignition Records, recorded in Anaheim during their previous Into the Valley of Death tour. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide