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Papa Roach Biography
Papa Roach's fifth studio album, Metamorphosis, is a call-to-arms. The multi-platinum, Grammy nominated Northern California quartet has created their album of the decade, and it's a bold, belligerent and bloody statement. Papa Roach made a gritty, raw, relevant album that pulls no punches.
Since they burst onto the scene with Infest in 2000, Papa Roach has sold over 8 million albums worldwide, becoming an internationally successful hard rock presence. Over the course of their career including 2002’s Lovehatetragedy, Getting Away with Murder in 2004 and The Paramour Sessions in 2006, the band has had seven Top Ten hits including “Last Resort,” “Forever,” “Getting Away With Murder,” “Scars” and “To Be Loved”. As rock music has evolved, so too has Papa Roach, and the band remains as popular as ever - 3 of those Top Ten multi-format singles came from the band's last album.
Released on March 24, 2009 on DGC/Interscope Records, Metamorphosis marks the band’s 10 year anniversary since their major label debut. Co-produced by Jay Baumgardner and Papa Roach (with 6 songs also co-produced by James Michael), the album was written at the Paramour Mansion and recorded at NRG Studios in Los Angeles.
Metamorphosis debuted at Number 8 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, with first week sales exceeding that of their 2006 The Paramour Sessions which sold 36,742 units – that’s an 18% increase despite a tough economic climate. A clear sign that demand for the band’s signature brand of rock is only increasing!
The album’s first official single “Lifeline,” with its snaky riff that snaps into a bombastic chorus, is a smash hit at Alternative and Rock radio. The video for the song was directed by Chris Sims (Queens of the Stone Age, Jimmy Eat World) and it underscores the dire state of the global economy:
“While we were writing Metamorphosis in early 2008, the band was very aware of the grave issue of our economy’s downward spiral. It was literally right in front of us in my hometown of Sacramento. Houses left and right were foreclosing with families left on their asses out in the cold, which inspired me to write the lyrics to “Lifeline,” singer Shaddix offers. “Other tracks on the album such as ‘Change or Die,’ ‘Had Enough’ and ‘March Out Of The Darkness’ also tap into the struggles so many people are facing in these difficult economic times.”
Of the album’s sound, Shaddix explains, "This record has a huge rock edge with tinges of punk and metal. It has that groove and aggression we've always had, but there's also a new flare." Bassist Tobin Esperance adds that, "the sound of the new record is electric. It's balls-to-the-wall, organic rock n' roll with raw, in-your-face emotion. On the flip side, there's melody, vulnerability and honesty. It adds another dimension to what we bring to the rock n' roll game. We get bigger and badder every time." Guitarist Jerry Horton expounds, "We're going for a more timeless sound. We aren't focusing on one particular style. We're opening ourselves up to everything. We wanted to explore different avenues and modes. There's bluesy stuff. There's more progressive stuff. It's our most diverse and cohesive record, so far."
Leading Papa Roach’s charge is Shaddix - his voice oscillates from a violent wail to an infectious croon and his lyrics tackle everything from the tattered and torn remnants of the Sunset Strip to a country in political tumult. On cuts like "Change or Die," Horton's riffs thrash and burn in tandem with Esperance's impenetrable bass lines, while new drummer Tony Palermo (ex-Unwritten Law) pounds out punk rock beats that give the music a raw urgency. On "State of Emergency," the guitar scorches through the din, leaving the listener battered, bruised and begging for more. "I Almost Told You That I Loved You" and "Into the Light" have a classic rock feel, and "March Out of the Darkness" begins with an epic acoustic guitar and explodes into a massive melody.
Throughout their decade together, Papa Roach has remained true to themselves and to their fans. Shaddix observes, "It's a whole different ball game from when we started. However, our passion, conviction and drive remain the same. It still gets me off when we write a killer riff. That's my drug of choice. Our fans really connect with the honesty and passion in what we do."
Fans got their first taste of the new songs from the album during the band’s live performances on Motley Crüe’s Crüe Fest 2008 and with a free download of the viral video release for the song “Hollywood Whore," which has had more than a million views since its release in November 2008. The band uploaded the video directly to their fans as a gift for having to wait an additional five months before the release of Metamorphosis.
The hard working career band is one of the best live acts on the touring circuit. From the main stages on OZZfest and Crüe Fest, to stints with everyone from Slipknot to Eminem, Papa Roach dominate stage after stage. "We bring it live," Shaddix says. "Listening to a record is one thing, but when you come to one of our shows, it's like the last tribal experience. Playing shows every night is what we're built for. We make a club feel like an arena, and we make an arena feel like a club. We're going to tour our guts out this year and bring our music to fans all over the world in the next 18 months.” Since last summer’s Crüe Fest, the top rock festival of the season, Papa Roach has toured with Buckcherry, Avenged Sevenfold, Staind and Seether and has played before over 700,000 fans in the past few months.
Esperance concludes, "We're very raw. There's no fuckin' bullshit, tapes or tricks. We aim to make people feel every emotion. We want to make dynamic and adventurous records. Metamorphosis solidifies our identity as a hard rock contender. We're not going anywhere. You can't deny Papa Roach."
Since they burst onto the scene with Infest in 2000, Papa Roach has sold over 8 million albums worldwide, becoming an internationally successful hard rock presence. Over the course of their career including 2002’s Lovehatetragedy, Getting Away with Murder in 2004 and The Paramour Sessions in 2006, the band has had seven Top Ten hits including “Last Resort,” “Forever,” “Getting Away With Murder,” “Scars” and “To Be Loved”. As rock music has evolved, so too has Papa Roach, and the band remains as popular as ever - 3 of those Top Ten multi-format singles came from the band's last album.
Released on March 24, 2009 on DGC/Interscope Records, Metamorphosis marks the band’s 10 year anniversary since their major label debut. Co-produced by Jay Baumgardner and Papa Roach (with 6 songs also co-produced by James Michael), the album was written at the Paramour Mansion and recorded at NRG Studios in Los Angeles.
Metamorphosis debuted at Number 8 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, with first week sales exceeding that of their 2006 The Paramour Sessions which sold 36,742 units – that’s an 18% increase despite a tough economic climate. A clear sign that demand for the band’s signature brand of rock is only increasing!
The album’s first official single “Lifeline,” with its snaky riff that snaps into a bombastic chorus, is a smash hit at Alternative and Rock radio. The video for the song was directed by Chris Sims (Queens of the Stone Age, Jimmy Eat World) and it underscores the dire state of the global economy:
“While we were writing Metamorphosis in early 2008, the band was very aware of the grave issue of our economy’s downward spiral. It was literally right in front of us in my hometown of Sacramento. Houses left and right were foreclosing with families left on their asses out in the cold, which inspired me to write the lyrics to “Lifeline,” singer Shaddix offers. “Other tracks on the album such as ‘Change or Die,’ ‘Had Enough’ and ‘March Out Of The Darkness’ also tap into the struggles so many people are facing in these difficult economic times.”
Of the album’s sound, Shaddix explains, "This record has a huge rock edge with tinges of punk and metal. It has that groove and aggression we've always had, but there's also a new flare." Bassist Tobin Esperance adds that, "the sound of the new record is electric. It's balls-to-the-wall, organic rock n' roll with raw, in-your-face emotion. On the flip side, there's melody, vulnerability and honesty. It adds another dimension to what we bring to the rock n' roll game. We get bigger and badder every time." Guitarist Jerry Horton expounds, "We're going for a more timeless sound. We aren't focusing on one particular style. We're opening ourselves up to everything. We wanted to explore different avenues and modes. There's bluesy stuff. There's more progressive stuff. It's our most diverse and cohesive record, so far."
Leading Papa Roach’s charge is Shaddix - his voice oscillates from a violent wail to an infectious croon and his lyrics tackle everything from the tattered and torn remnants of the Sunset Strip to a country in political tumult. On cuts like "Change or Die," Horton's riffs thrash and burn in tandem with Esperance's impenetrable bass lines, while new drummer Tony Palermo (ex-Unwritten Law) pounds out punk rock beats that give the music a raw urgency. On "State of Emergency," the guitar scorches through the din, leaving the listener battered, bruised and begging for more. "I Almost Told You That I Loved You" and "Into the Light" have a classic rock feel, and "March Out of the Darkness" begins with an epic acoustic guitar and explodes into a massive melody.
Throughout their decade together, Papa Roach has remained true to themselves and to their fans. Shaddix observes, "It's a whole different ball game from when we started. However, our passion, conviction and drive remain the same. It still gets me off when we write a killer riff. That's my drug of choice. Our fans really connect with the honesty and passion in what we do."
Fans got their first taste of the new songs from the album during the band’s live performances on Motley Crüe’s Crüe Fest 2008 and with a free download of the viral video release for the song “Hollywood Whore," which has had more than a million views since its release in November 2008. The band uploaded the video directly to their fans as a gift for having to wait an additional five months before the release of Metamorphosis.
The hard working career band is one of the best live acts on the touring circuit. From the main stages on OZZfest and Crüe Fest, to stints with everyone from Slipknot to Eminem, Papa Roach dominate stage after stage. "We bring it live," Shaddix says. "Listening to a record is one thing, but when you come to one of our shows, it's like the last tribal experience. Playing shows every night is what we're built for. We make a club feel like an arena, and we make an arena feel like a club. We're going to tour our guts out this year and bring our music to fans all over the world in the next 18 months.” Since last summer’s Crüe Fest, the top rock festival of the season, Papa Roach has toured with Buckcherry, Avenged Sevenfold, Staind and Seether and has played before over 700,000 fans in the past few months.
Esperance concludes, "We're very raw. There's no fuckin' bullshit, tapes or tricks. We aim to make people feel every emotion. We want to make dynamic and adventurous records. Metamorphosis solidifies our identity as a hard rock contender. We're not going anywhere. You can't deny Papa Roach."
Papa Roach All Music Guide Biography
Starting out as a punk- and rap-influenced band, the northern Californian alt-metal group Papa Roach grew into a straight-ahead hard rock ensemble with strong heavy metal leanings. Consisting of Coby Dick, Jerry Horton, Dave Buckner, and Tobin Esperance, Papa Roach formed in 1993 and began releasing EPs soon after, including 1994's Potatoes for Christmas and 1995's Caca Bonita. By 1996, the group replaced original bassist Will James with Esperance and hired a new manager; the following year, Papa Roach released their first full-length album, Old Friends from Young Years, which became a surprise hit on local radio.
The band's regional success led to more prominent gigs, including dates with Suicidal Tendencies, Sevendust, and Powerman 5000, and a deal with Dreamworks Records, which released Papa Roach's second album, Infest, in early 2000. The album went triple platinum thanks to the success of the single "Last Resort." Two years later, frontman Coby Dick opted to go by his given name of Jacoby Shaddix. A second album, lovehatetragedy, appeared in June 2002. Stylistically, the band had begun to grow beyond its rap-rock roots and the new tracks showcased a slightly more mature, melodic, and straightforward hard rock sound. That same summer, the band joined a number of rap acts including Ludacris and Xzibit on Eminem's Anger Management Tour.
In 2004, Papa Roach released their third studio effort, Getting Away with Murder. Buoyed by the success of the single "Scars," Getting Away with Murder sold well and eventually went platinum. Two years later, Papa Roach began work on their fourth studio album at the infamous and historical Paramour mansion in Hollywood -- once the home of silent movie star Antonio Moreno. Released in fall 2006, The Paramour Sessions featured a heavy L.A. rock aesthetic and generated two Top 10 rock singles, although its sales stalled around 400,000 copies. Drummer Dave Buckner exited the lineup one year later; after filling the empty seat with Unwritten Law's Tony Palermo, Papa Roach hit the road to support The Paramour Sessions with tour dates alongside Seether and Staind. They remained on the road after joining Mötley Crüe's Crüe Fest in 2008, but the band also found time to return to the Paramour mansion, where they launched songwriting sessions for another album. Released in early 2009, Metamorphosis found Papa Roach reprising their interpretation of metallic hard rock and reuniting wiht Infest producer Jay Baumgardner. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
The band's regional success led to more prominent gigs, including dates with Suicidal Tendencies, Sevendust, and Powerman 5000, and a deal with Dreamworks Records, which released Papa Roach's second album, Infest, in early 2000. The album went triple platinum thanks to the success of the single "Last Resort." Two years later, frontman Coby Dick opted to go by his given name of Jacoby Shaddix. A second album, lovehatetragedy, appeared in June 2002. Stylistically, the band had begun to grow beyond its rap-rock roots and the new tracks showcased a slightly more mature, melodic, and straightforward hard rock sound. That same summer, the band joined a number of rap acts including Ludacris and Xzibit on Eminem's Anger Management Tour.
In 2004, Papa Roach released their third studio effort, Getting Away with Murder. Buoyed by the success of the single "Scars," Getting Away with Murder sold well and eventually went platinum. Two years later, Papa Roach began work on their fourth studio album at the infamous and historical Paramour mansion in Hollywood -- once the home of silent movie star Antonio Moreno. Released in fall 2006, The Paramour Sessions featured a heavy L.A. rock aesthetic and generated two Top 10 rock singles, although its sales stalled around 400,000 copies. Drummer Dave Buckner exited the lineup one year later; after filling the empty seat with Unwritten Law's Tony Palermo, Papa Roach hit the road to support The Paramour Sessions with tour dates alongside Seether and Staind. They remained on the road after joining Mötley Crüe's Crüe Fest in 2008, but the band also found time to return to the Paramour mansion, where they launched songwriting sessions for another album. Released in early 2009, Metamorphosis found Papa Roach reprising their interpretation of metallic hard rock and reuniting wiht Infest producer Jay Baumgardner. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
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