Papa Roach and Ice Nine Kills

Papa Roach’s music style has been largely debated and the band has been referred to under many different genres. These include hard rock, electronic rock, alternative metal, nu metal, rap rock and rap metal. Generally, however, they are simply referred to as a rock band.

Papa Roach formed in 1993, when two of its members discussed the potential of a band on their school football field. Jacoby Shaddix and drummer Dave Buckner started the band and were soon joined by bass guitarist Will James and lead guitarist Jerry Horton. During these early days the band played every gig they could get, balancing school with performing. A year later they released their first EP, bizarrely entitled ‘Potatoes for Christmas’. In 1996 James was replaced by Tobin Esperance. In 1997 the band released their first full length album, entitled the self-explanatory ‘Old Friends from Young Years’. Their last two independent releases were in 1998 and 1999. The latter EP, ‘Let ‘Em Know’, earned them a record deal by DreamWorks Records.

Since signing and entering the mainstream market, Papa Roach have continued to garner a steady stream of support and success, touring with esteemed bands such as Guns N’ Roses. However, one of their earliest tracks, ‘Last Resort’, still remains their most popular single to date. They have toured worldwide, indicating just how successful the band has become since their early days. The current line up now consists of original, Jacoby Shaddix, Jerry Horton, Tobin Esperance and Tony Palermo who replaced Buckner after he entered rehab.

Despite their mainstream success, Papa Roach remain indie at heart. Their name is an indication of the real bond between the members and the history between them: Papa Roach was the nickname of Shaddix’s step-grandfather, who committed suicide in 2006 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. The band paid homage to him with the song ‘Roses on my Grave’.

Referencing Kurt Vonnegut’s apocalyptic novel, “Cat’s Cradle,” Ice Nine Kills deliver a brutal, potent brand of metalcore that certainly lives up to the theme of Vonnegut’s classic. Formed in high school in 2006, after preliminary lineup changes, Ice Nine Kills settled on Spencer Charnas (vocals), Justin deBlieck (guitar/vocals), Justin Morrow (guitars/bass) and Conor Sullivan (drums). Their early music looked to pop punk, ska and post hardcore for influence, releasing an early album in 2006, “Last Chance to Make Amends.” After the album, the band reshuffled and forged a more heavier sound, after they settled on their new lineup in 2007.

In 2007, their first EP arrived, titled “The Burning,” on Red Blue Records. The success of this first release landed them several high profile support slots with the likes of As I Lay Dying, A Day to Remember, Thursday and Paramore, shows which took them across North America.

Ice Nine Kills caught the attention of Ferret Records with their experimental metalcore, who signed the band to their roster in 2009. The band soon got to work on their second full-length, “Safe Is Just a Shadow,” which gained positive critical acclaim from a number of media outlets. The band then joined Warped Tour on several dates that year, before embarking on a headline tour in 2011. In 2012, they also gained a place on the All Stars Tour, opening for big names including Suicide Silence, Dance Gavin Dance and Attila.

Ice Nine Kills returned with new music in 2013, after releasing the EP, “The Predator.” The release was a hit, debuting at number nine on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. After another round on the All Stars Tour with Every Time I Die, they start work on their third album. The result was 2014’s “The Predator Becomes The Prey,” which scored the band their first entry on the Billboard Top 200 album chart, reaching number 153.