Formed in Temecula, CA in 1999, the quintet of Nate Barcalow, Alex Linares, Randy Strohmeyer, Alex Pappas and Derrek Doherty known as Finch, are labeled as the fore-fathers of the screamo and post hardcore genre. Influenced by the hard leanings of bands like Deftones and Hum, and the pop sensibilities of Jimmy Eat World and Blink-182, Finch began a sonic revolution in popular music that still echoes today.
The band signed to Drive-Thru Records in 2001 after guitarist Strohmeyer sent out a demo to owners Richard and Stephanie Reines while he was working on the labels street team. Drive-Thru saw something in the Southern California band and decided to take a risk on a sound that was more aggressive than their current range of artists. Their first EP, Falling into Place sold more than 6,000 copies within the first few months and gave them the momentum they needed to create their groundbreaking first album What It Is To Burn. Recorded in the winter of 2001, What It Is To Burn was released the following spring. The album produced three radio hits, charted Number 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and 188 on the Billboard 200.
They spent years touring in support of What It Is To Burn, sharing the stage with the likes of Glassjaw, The Starting Line, Yellowcard, and Blink-182, among others. In 2005, they decided it was time for a follow up, and went in a more artsy direction with Say Hello To Sunshine. Drummer Alex Pappas left the band and was replaced by Marc Allen. After years of heavy touring, the band went on a short hiatus, rejoining one another in 2007 with new bassist Daniel Wonacott to record their self-titled EP. Critics hailed the EP as a return to glory while still adding to their old sound. Finch would tour off the release for a few years until deciding on another break in 2009.
In 2013, Finch reunited to its nearly original lineup and announced that they would embark on the What It Is To Burn Ten Year Anniversary tour. The group performed the full-length in its entirety with a few extra bonuses for fans along the way. One concert in particular in Pomona, CA was filmed and recorded and will be released via Tragic Hero Records on 01/07/14. With no bad blood and everything firing on all fronts, its hard to tell what will come next for Finch, but one thing remains certain: all eyes are watching to find out.
