Anberlin is an American
alternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s...
band from
Winter Haven, FloridaWinter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
, formed in 2002. Since the beginning of 2007, the band has consisted of lead vocalist
Stephen ChristianStephen Christian, born July 28, 1980, is the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Anberlin. He and his bandmates started the group in 2002, after the demise of their previous group, known as SaGoh 24/7...
, bassist
Deon RexroatDeon Rexroat is the bassist for the alternative rock band Anberlin. Originally playing for the short-lived punk band SaGoh 24/7, the band dissolved, and most of its members went on to form Anberlin. He is one of the band's founding members...
, lead guitarist Joseph Milligan, drummer
Nathan YoungNathan Young is the drummer for the alternative rock band Anberlin. When Anberlin's members were playing as a punk band called SaGoh 24/7, Young originally played for another touring band, and he was to temporarily fill in for the SaGoh 24/7's drummer until they could find another. Young...
and rhythm guitarist
Christian McAlhaneyChristian Edwin McAlhaney is an American musician, and currently one of the two guitarists for the alternative rock band Anberlin. He replaced Nathan Strayer who left the band in early 2007, right before the release of the band's third album, Cities. Christian was formerly a guitarist for the band...
.
Members of Anberlin originally formed a band under the name SaGoh 24/7 in the late 1990s, releasing two
studio albumA studio album is an original collection of new tracks by a recording artist.It usually does not contain live recordings and/or remixes, and if it does, those tracks do not make up majority of the album and are often "bonus tracks"...
s before disbanding, with the members having a change in musical direction and name. Anberlin was formed in 2002, within a year of forming they had signed with semi-independent record label
Tooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
and released their debut album,
Blueprints for the Black MarketBlueprints for the Black Market is the first album released by the band Anberlin. It was released barely a year after the band formed, and was the only album that was released with guitarist Joey Bruce in the band line-up. Blueprints had one single, "Readyfuels", for which a music video was filmed...
. In 2005, the band released their second album,
Never Take Friendship PersonalNever Take Friendship Personal is the second album released by the alternative rock band Anberlin. This album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005. Its singles were "A Day Late" and "Paperthin Hymn" and music videos have been made of each. " Blasé" is sometimes referred...
, selling in excess of 150,000 copies.
Anberlin continued its rise to prominence whilst enjoying a loyal
MySpaceMySpace is a social networking website. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills, California, USA, where it shares an office building with its immediate owner, Fox Interactive Media, which is owned by News Corporation. MySpace became the most popular social networking site in the United...
following and averaging well over 200 live shows per year. The band's third album –
CitiesCities is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Anberlin, released on 20 February 2007. The songs "Godspeed" and "The Unwinding Cable Car" were released as singles and had music videos created...
– was released in 2007, and became their first album to reach the top 20 of the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling 34,000 copies in its debut week.
After three studio albums and five years with Tooth & Nail Records, Anberlin announced their signing with major label Universal Republic Records in August 2007. The band's first album on the major label was released in 2008, titled
New SurrenderNew Surrender is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Anberlin, released on 30 September 2008. It is the band's first album on a major label, after signing with Universal Republic Records on 16 August 2007...
. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200, with the first single, "Feel Good Drag", claiming number one on the Alternative Songs chart, after 29 weeks in the chart. Prior to the release of their fourth studio album, Anberlin had sold over 400,000 albums.
SaGoh 24/7 & the inception of Anberlin
Lead singer
Stephen ChristianStephen Christian, born July 28, 1980, is the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Anberlin. He and his bandmates started the group in 2002, after the demise of their previous group, known as SaGoh 24/7...
met bassist
Deon RexroatDeon Rexroat is the bassist for the alternative rock band Anberlin. Originally playing for the short-lived punk band SaGoh 24/7, the band dissolved, and most of its members went on to form Anberlin. He is one of the band's founding members...
while they were both in high school, and they formed a punk band called SaGoh 24/7. Drummer Sean Hutson and guitarist Joseph Milligan joined the group as well. The band released two albums,
Servants After God's Own Heart (1999), and
Then I Corrupt Youth (2001), both under Rescue Records. After the albums sold only 1,300 units, Hutson left the band to start a family, and
Nathan YoungNathan Young is the drummer for the alternative rock band Anberlin. When Anberlin's members were playing as a punk band called SaGoh 24/7, Young originally played for another touring band, and he was to temporarily fill in for the SaGoh 24/7's drummer until they could find another. Young...
was brought in as a replacement.
Christian, Milligan and Rexroat began working on a side project, marking the beginning of the end of SaGoh. The side project transmutated into Anberlin's sound after Milligan suggested that they develop more of a rock sound. They used money left over from shows they had performed previously and teamed up with producer Matt Goldman to record five demos. These songs were then posted on
PureVolumePureVolume is a website that allows for the uploading and playing of music files, as well as social networking. It was created in 2003 by Brett Woitunski, Nate Hudson, and Mitchell Pavao, with the help of Jennifer Welch; all from the University of Massachusetts...
(which was mp3.com at the time), and sparked attention from record labels, both major and independent. However, with advice from friends including Chad Johnson, and Timmy McTague from
UnderoathUnderoath is an American Grammy Award-nominated metalcore band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1997. Founded by Dallas Taylor on November 30, 1997 in Ocala, Florida, but since then, the new members that joined were from Tampa, Florida. Tampa is now where they say they are from...
, the band signed with
Tooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
.
Out of the five demos recorded with Matt Goldman, three were eventually chosen to be reworked for the band's debut album, the lead single "
Readyfuels"Readyfuels" is the first single from alternative rock band Anberlin from their debut album Blueprints for the Black Market. The song is the opening track of the album as well as one of their better known singles. Readyfuels helped to prove that Anberlin can create a catchy riff as well as good...
", "Driving" (later renamed "Autobahn") and "Foreign Language". Another song, "Embrace the Dead", was also recorded as a demo track and is often mistaken as an Anberlin song, however, the song didn't make it onto the band's debut album as it didn't constitute the stylistic direction the band wanted to head in.
Debut album: Blueprints for the Black Market
After hearing demos from the band
AcceptanceAcceptance was an alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1998, but only industrially active from 2000 onwards. They released their first album, Lost for Words, in 2000, followed by Black Lines to Battlefields in 2003...
, Anberlin chose to record their debut album with the same producer, Aaron Sprinkle, a relationship that would last the entire duration of their time with Tooth & Nail Records. Barely a year after their formation, their first album as a new band was entitled
Blueprints for the Black MarketBlueprints for the Black Market is the first album released by the band Anberlin. It was released barely a year after the band formed, and was the only album that was released with guitarist Joey Bruce in the band line-up. Blueprints had one single, "Readyfuels", for which a music video was filmed...
(2003). It failed to chart, but spurred on by their debut single, "
Readyfuels"Readyfuels" is the first single from alternative rock band Anberlin from their debut album Blueprints for the Black Market. The song is the opening track of the album as well as one of their better known singles. Readyfuels helped to prove that Anberlin can create a catchy riff as well as good...
", the album sold over 60,000 units. Through steady touring with other bands in their label and heavy internet promotion, Anberlin was amassing a dedicated fan base early on.
Rhythm guitarist Joey Bruce was eventually ejected from the band. According to Christian, he was "all about sex and drugs", and was going in a different direction than the rest of the band. After several failed replacements, Nathan Strayer from The Mosaic took over rhythm guitar duties.
Never Take Friendship Personal
Anberlin released their follow up to
Blueprints,
Never Take Friendship PersonalNever Take Friendship Personal is the second album released by the alternative rock band Anberlin. This album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005. Its singles were "A Day Late" and "Paperthin Hymn" and music videos have been made of each. " Blasé" is sometimes referred...
, in early 2005, again produced by Aaron Sprinkle. Charting at #144 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, the album brought the band a step closer into the mainstream.
NTFP was generally more well received by critics than
Blueprints for the Black Market, and garnered favorable reviews. Before its release, the band promoted the album by releasing a track per week on their
PureVolumePureVolume is a website that allows for the uploading and playing of music files, as well as social networking. It was created in 2003 by Brett Woitunski, Nate Hudson, and Mitchell Pavao, with the help of Jennifer Welch; all from the University of Massachusetts...
and
MySpaceMySpace is a social networking website. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills, California, USA, where it shares an office building with its immediate owner, Fox Interactive Media, which is owned by News Corporation. MySpace became the most popular social networking site in the United...
website accounts, as well as on their own website. Two singles were released from the album: "A Day Late" and "Paperthin Hymn". Both were reasonably successful on alternative rock radio, with the latter peaking at the #38 position on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Anberlin participated in a number of compilations during this time, recording covers of
Bob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet and painter who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was, at first, an informal chronicler and then an apparently reluctant figurehead of social unrest...
's "
Like a Rolling Stone"Like a Rolling Stone" is a song by American songwriter Bob Dylan. One of his best-known and most influential works, the song had its origin in an extended piece of verse which Dylan had written, before he recorded and released it in 1965....
",
Depeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic band who formed in 1980, in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andrew Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
's "
Enjoy the Silence"Enjoy the Silence" is Depeche Mode's twenty-fourth UK single, released on January 16 1990, and the second single from the then upcoming album Violator. "Enjoy the Silence" was re-released as a single in 2004 for the Depeche Mode remix project Remixes 81 - 04, and was titled "Enjoy the Silence "...
," and the song "
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"Christmas " is a song by Darlene Love from the 1963 Christmas compilation album, A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector. The song was written by Phil Spector, along with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, with the intentions of being sung by Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes...
".
Cities and Lost Songs
Anberlin's third album produced by Aaron Sprinkle was released in early 2007 under the title
CitiesCities is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Anberlin, released on 20 February 2007. The songs "Godspeed" and "The Unwinding Cable Car" were released as singles and had music videos created...
. It sold 34,000 copies in its first week of release, debuted at #19 on the Billboard 200 chart, and, like their previous album, received fairly positive reviews from critics. Before the release of
Cities, the band released
Godspeed EPGodspeed EP is the first EP by the band Anberlin. It was December 26, 2006, though it was originally proposed to be released two days later. Included in the EP are two tracks...
exclusively on
iTunesiTunes is a proprietary digital media player application, used for playing and organizing digital music and video files. The program is also an interface to manage the contents on Apple's popular iPod digital media players as well as the iPhone...
in late 2006 to give a preview to the new album. In support of the album, Anberlin held their first headlining tour, supported by
BaysideBayside is an American rock band from Long Island, New York which formed in the Winter of 2000. The band has released six full length albums since they signed on to Victory Records...
,
Meg & DiaMeg & Dia is an American band formed in 2004. It was founded by sisters Meg and Dia Frampton, and is now a five-piece act with additional members Nicholas Price, Jonathan Snyder and Carlo Gimenez....
and
JonezettaJonezetta is an indie band from Clinton, Mississippi, which has released an EP and two full-length albums since their formation in 2002.- History :Jonezetta formed when its four members were still in high school...
.
In an interview about the album, Christian commented that the lyrics throughout the band's discography are progressively becoming more mature. "The first CD (
Blueprints for the Black Market) was childish in the manner that it was Man vs. World in the lyrics. The second (
Never Take Friendship Personal) was Man Vs. Man.
Cities is more adult in the manner that it's Man Vs. Self.
Cities was the #1 most anticipated album on
Jesus Freak HideoutJesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates, and ministry through devotionals and prayer. The site is named for and...
's Most Anticipated Albums of 2007.
Three to four weeks before the release of
Cities, it was announced that guitarist Nathan Strayer amicably left the band to go back to The Mosaic and that
Christian McAlhaneyChristian Edwin McAlhaney is an American musician, and currently one of the two guitarists for the alternative rock band Anberlin. He replaced Nathan Strayer who left the band in early 2007, right before the release of the band's third album, Cities. Christian was formerly a guitarist for the band...
, formerly of the band
AcceptanceAcceptance was an alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1998, but only industrially active from 2000 onwards. They released their first album, Lost for Words, in 2000, followed by Black Lines to Battlefields in 2003...
, would take over as the new guitarist.
A
compilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, source or subject matter...
of unreleased material, called
Lost SongsLost Songs is a compilation album from the alternative rock band Anberlin, released on November 20, 2007. It is a collection of covers, unreleased songs from previous album sessions and acoustic versions...
, was released on 20 November 2007. It features
B-sidesB-Sides is an iTunes-exclusive album from the Coventry Trio The Enemy, consisting of ten songs that were B-sides to the single releases from their debut album We'll Live and Die in These Towns.-Track list:#Fear Killed the Youth of Our Nation...
,
demosA demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for musicians to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
,
coversIn popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition of a previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
, and
acousticAcoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
versions of their previous songs as well as other tracks recorded at AOL Sessions.
Major label debut: New Surrender
The band signed to Universal Republic Records on 16 August 2007, and soon after began to write material for their major-label debut, entitled
New SurrenderNew Surrender is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Anberlin, released on 30 September 2008. It is the band's first album on a major label, after signing with Universal Republic Records on 16 August 2007...
, which was released on 30 September 2008. This is the band's first album to not be distributed through
Tooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
or produced by Aaron Sprinkle. The first song to be heard from the new album was tentatively titled "Bittersweet Memory" during its initial live performances; it was later renamed to "Breaking" with an acoustic remix of the song included on USB wristbands sold exclusively during the 2008 Warped Tour. On 11 July 2008, the band showcased a second new song called "Disappear" on their
MySpaceMySpace is a social networking website. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills, California, USA, where it shares an office building with its immediate owner, Fox Interactive Media, which is owned by News Corporation. MySpace became the most popular social networking site in the United...
profile. The first actual single from the album was the re-recorded "Feel Good Drag" which was set to go to radio on 18 August - eventually being released on 26 August.
The band booked eight weeks of recording sessions with famed producer Neal Avron (
New Found GloryNew Found Glory is an American rock band from South Florida, that predominantly plays pop punk music. The quintet formed during 1997 and consists of Jordan Pundik , Chad Gilbert , Steve Klein , Ian Grushka and Cyrus Bolooki...
,
YellowcardYellowcard is a band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997, and based in Los Angeles, California since 2000. Their music features the use of a violin, unusual for the genre...
,
Fall Out BoyFall Out Boy is an American Grammy-nominated rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist-rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, bassist Pete Wentz and drummer Andy Hurley....
) in early February 2008. Stephen Christian stated in an interview, "We're very excited about working with Neal; I think our fans are going to be pleased when they hear the final result." Christian also discussed the difficulties in writing this record. "When you try to write 29 songs lyrically you find yourself topically working in circles; I only go through so much in one year, but needlessly I have dedicated myself to begin searching books, art, and friends for new directions." During the recording process, the band set up a live webcam in the studio so fans could watch them record the album via the band's MySpace profile.
New Surrender was placed at the number two spot on
Jesus Freak HideoutJesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates, and ministry through devotionals and prayer. The site is named for and...
's 25 Most Anticipated Albums of 2008.
In the week of its release, the album sold 36,000 units, entering the Billboard 200 chart at number 13. It also placed at Number Five on the Top Current Rock chart, according to a Universal Republic press release.
In support of the album, the band embarked on a fall headlining U.S. tour alongside
Scary Kids Scaring KidsScary Kids Scaring Kids is an American post-hardcore band formed in Gilbert, Arizona in 2002. The band's name comes from a song on Cap'n Jazz's album Analphabetapolothology....
,
Straylight RunStraylight Run is an indie rock band based in Baldwin, Nassau County, Long Island, New York. They are currently unsigned after being dropped from Universal Republic Records East...
and
There For TomorrowThere for Tomorrow is an alternative rock band formed in Orlando, Florida in 2003. They were signed to Hopeless Records in 2008.-Biography:...
. Kyle Flynn, formerly of the band Acceptance, joined the band while on tour doing keys, loops, acoustic guitar, and background vocals. The band then traveled to the United Kingdom where they supported
Elliot MinorElliot Minor are a classically influenced pop rock band from York, England. The group consists of Alex Davies , Ed Minton , Dan Hetherton , Ed Hetherton , and Ali Paul ....
and played a handful of headlining shows with
Furthest Drive Home- Bio :Furthest Drive Home were a 3-piece Pop/Rock band from Farnham, UK. They formed in 2003, and played their first gig not long after, at Guildford University, Surrey. The final line up was completed in 2004 after the band met bassist Jim McCarthey through various friends...
and Data.Select.Party.
In mid-2009 the band went into the studio to record several tracks, including a cover of the
New OrderNew Order were an English musical group formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris . New Order were formed in the wake of the demise of their previous group Joy Division, following the suicide of vocalist Ian Curtis...
song "
True Faith"True Faith" is a 1987 track from New Order, produced by Stephen Hague. It was the first New Order single since their debut "Ceremony" to be issued in the UK as two separate 12" singles. The second 12" single features two remixes of "True Faith" by Shep Pettibone...
", which was made available online. The band also recorded a cover of the Danzig song "
Mother"Mother" is a song by Danzig that first appeared on their 1988 debut album, Danzig. Thematically, the song is a rhetorical challenge to parents who wish to shield their children from what is believed by Danzig to be the reality represented by heavy metal music.The original 1988 music video was...
", which they performed during an interview with
Billboard.
After supporting
Taking Back SundayTaking Back Sunday is an American rock band from Amityville, Long Island, New York, formed in 1999. The current members are vocalist Adam Lazzara, guitarist/back-up vocalist Matthew Fazzi, guitarist Eddie Reyes, drummer Mark O'Connell, and bassist/back-up vocalist Matt Rubano.They have released...
throughout May and June 2009, the band revealed that they plan to start writing the follow up to
New Surrender in the summer, but the release date is undetermined, as the band plans to give the new material the time and effort that it needs. They also undertook an Australian tour in August, alongside
The Academy Is...The Academy Is... is an American alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2003. They are currently signed by the Decaydance imprint of the Fueled by Ramen label. They were originally known as "The Academy", but added the "Is..." in 2004 to avoid legal complications with other...
.
In September 2009, the band announced they are touring the US with Taking Back Sunday and
The All-American RejectsThe All-American Rejects is a four-piece American rock band from Stillwater, Oklahoma, formed in 1999. The band consists of lead vocalist and bass guitarist Tyson Ritter, guitarists Nick Wheeler and Mike Kennerty, and drummer Chris Gaylor....
in the fall. Anberlin's former label Tooth & Nail Records also announced the release of a 33 song
compilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from multiple recording artists, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, source or subject matter...
titled
Anberlin: The Anthology. The album is scheduled for release on November 17, 2009 and will include all of the songs from their first three studio albums, and is also expected to contain bonus material. The band has since released a statement saying that they had not endorsed the release of the album, with it being "100% a Tooth & Nail driven release."
On October 1, 2009 the band announced via Myspace that they will have one of their B-sides (A Perfect Tourniquet) on the official 90210 Soundtrack. On the same day they announced that they will release New Surrender - Deluxe Edition due December 8, 2009.
Origin of name
Anberlin lead vocalist Stephen Christian has stated different origins of the band's name in various interviews, for example that he had long planned to name his first daughter Anberlin. Struggling to find a name for the band, Stephen suggested it; "We were all sitting around trying to come up with a name. None of us were married or had kids, but one day I was going to name my daughter Anberlin, so I figured we could name the band that until we thought of something better. So we chose Anberlin and no one has thought of anything better.". He stated he was no longer going to use Anberlin to name his first daughter, however he said, "If I ever have a daughter and name her Anberlin, she'll think she was named after the band instead of the other way around.". Christian had also stated in another interview that the band's name was created when he was thinking about cities in Europe he wanted to visit. In his mind he listed "London, Paris, Rome, and
BerlinBerlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union...
." Christian thought that "And Berlin" would be an appropriate name for a band and so when the band was looking for a name Christian suggested "And Berlin," which was then modified to "Anberlin."
Christian has since retracted those comments admitting that when the band first started, in interviews they "would take turn making stories about how it came to be" as a joke, as he believed the actual origin of the band name wasn't interesting enough. Christian said there was a story about how his grandfather had "saved a little girl from a
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
bombing... her name was Anberlin" and that they had hit a dog, which had the name Anberlin, with the stories getting more diverse, it was decided they reveal the true origin. He has said the "real" name came from the
RadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their first single, "Creep", in 1992...
song "
Everything in Its Right Place- Lyrics :The lyrics give a sense of confusion and disorder. In part they are: "There are two colours in my headWhat, what is that you try to say?What, what was that you tried to say?Tried to say.. tried to say.."...
", stating that "There are several stories that have circulated on the internet, but the actual story is when I was in college my favorite band was Radiohead; on one of their songs off the record
Kid AKid A is the fourth album by the English alternative rock band Radiohead, released in October 2000. A commercial success worldwide, Kid A went platinum in its first week of release in the UK. Despite the lack of an official single or music video as publicity, Kid A became the first Radiohead...
there is a background noise on the song "Everything in Its Right Place" (about 2 minutes 31 seconds into the song). While
Thom (Yorke)Thomas Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead singer and principal songwriter of the alternative rock group Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
is singing
try to say I always thought the background noise sounded like
Anberlin, I always thought that Anberlin would have been a great band name and well ... it was/is."
Further adding to the mystery, in a podcast with Alternative Press Magazine (#29), it was revealed that there is actually no story behind the name Anberlin, when the band sat down to think of names, 'Anberlin' just came to lead singer Stephen, and it was decided that would be the band name until they could think of something better.
Status as a Christian musical group
Over the years, many fans, critics, and other members of the media have consistently characterized Anberlin as a
ChristianChristian rock is a form of rock music played by bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands. Much Christian rock has ties to the contemporary...
band. However, Stephen Christian stated in an interview that their faith is more complicated than a simple label: "I think we're categorized like that a lot because we're on
Tooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
, which, years ago, was known as a Christian label and never lost that reputation. I don't care who listens to our records. If it helps people in whatever circumstances they're in, that's amazing, but I definitely don't classify us as a Christian band." Elsewhere, Christian has remarked, "[My faith] affects every single aspect of my life, but I'm not a preacher, I'm an entertainer."
Despite these statements and others of the like, multiple sources list the band as part of the Christian rock genre, and some Anberlin song lyrics do contain religious references. Furthermore, the band appears at Christian music festivals such as
Parachute Music FestivalParachute Music Festival is a Christian music festival held annually at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand. It lasts for three nights and four days, featuring music and a wide variety of other activities....
and their songs have been included on Christian rock compilation CDs and DVDs. They are also played on the
Gospel Music ChannelGospel Music Channel is a satellite television channel that features many styles of Christian music. It follows the general style of previous Christian music video channels such as the Gospel Music Network and Z Music Television ....
.
Anberlin has also been repeatedly featured in Christian rock magazine
HM (
Hard Music, which was originally the fanzine
Heaven's Metal). Christian submitted a letter to the magazine, criticizing the avowedly
Christian punkChristian punk is a form of Christian music and a subgenre of punk rock with some degree of Christian lyrical content. Much disagreement persists about the boundaries of the subgenre, and the extent that their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies among bands...
band the Knights of the New Crusade for a promotional image that represented a "black mark on the face of Christianity".
Christian has also said in an interview with Lightforce radio how the band tries to "step out of the bubble" and referred to themselves as being part of Christian music. He discussed in detail what Christians should do in their lives: love and embrace others as
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
would as well as show God's grace to others. He mentioned as well how the band
Fall Out BoyFall Out Boy is an American Grammy-nominated rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist-rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, bassist Pete Wentz and drummer Andy Hurley....
said in an interview that they did not really know much about Jesus until Anberlin toured with them.
In an interview with Smartpunk, drummer
Nathan YoungNathan Young is the drummer for the alternative rock band Anberlin. When Anberlin's members were playing as a punk band called SaGoh 24/7, Young originally played for another touring band, and he was to temporarily fill in for the SaGoh 24/7's drummer until they could find another. Young...
commented, "The thing is, some bands that are trying to get out of the Christian market, they get bummed out by questions about it. I don’t really mind it, because I’m a Christian, and I’m okay talking about it. With the whole term 'Christian Band,' I don’t understand how a band can be Christian. We get the question, 'Is Anberlin a Christian band?' and it’s like, yeah, Anberlin is — as humans".
Anchor & Braille
Stephen Christian formed an
acousticAcoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
side project,
Anchor & BrailleAnchor & Braille is the acoustic side project of Anberlin's lead singer Stephen Christian with collaboration from Aaron Marsh of Copeland. While originally a joint venture between Christian and Marsh, Marsh has since removed his name from the project to focus on Copeland.-History:Anchor & Braille...
. The project was originally a joint venture with
Aaron MarshAaron Marsh is an American singer-songwriter, musician and producer from Florida. He first gained prominence as the lead singer, guitarist, and pianist for the Florida-based indie rock band Copeland, who formed in 2000...
of the band
CopelandCopeland is an American Pop/alternative band, originally formed in 2000 by singer Aaron Marsh with his friend, bassist and backup singer James Likeness, in the city of Lakeland, Florida...
; however, Marsh will reportedly not feature on the project's debut album, entitled
FeltFelt is the debut studio album by Anchor & Braille, the acoustic side-project of Anberlin lead vocalist, Stephen Christian. The album was released through Christian's own label Wood Water Records and Federal Distribution on August 4, 2009 and was produced, engineered and mixed by Aaron Marsh from...
, although he did produce it. The project first yielded a 7" vinyl, and
Felt was released on August 4, 2009.
Members
Current
- Stephen Christian
Stephen Christian, born July 28, 1980, is the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Anberlin. He and his bandmates started the group in 2002, after the demise of their previous group, known as SaGoh 24/7...
– lead vocals (2002-present)
- Joseph Milligan – lead guitar
A lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, and guitar solos within a song structure.In rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz and fusion bands and some pop contexts as well as others, the lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays...
, backing vocalsA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(2002-present)
- Deon Rexroat
Deon Rexroat is the bassist for the alternative rock band Anberlin. Originally playing for the short-lived punk band SaGoh 24/7, the band dissolved, and most of its members went on to form Anberlin. He is one of the band's founding members...
– bassThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
(2002-present)
- Nathan Young
Nathan Young is the drummer for the alternative rock band Anberlin. When Anberlin's members were playing as a punk band called SaGoh 24/7, Young originally played for another touring band, and he was to temporarily fill in for the SaGoh 24/7's drummer until they could find another. Young...
– drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
(2002-present)
- Christian McAlhaney
Christian Edwin McAlhaney is an American musician, and currently one of the two guitarists for the alternative rock band Anberlin. He replaced Nathan Strayer who left the band in early 2007, right before the release of the band's third album, Cities. Christian was formerly a guitarist for the band...
– guitar, backing vocals (2007-present)
- Kyle Flynn (touring member) – guitar, keyboard, backing vocals (2008-present)
Former
- Nathan Strayer – guitar, backing vocals (2004-2007)
- Joey Bruce – guitar (2002-2003)
Album personnel appearances
| Member |
Studio album |
Instrument |
| Blueprints for the Black Market Blueprints for the Black Market is the first album released by the band Anberlin. It was released barely a year after the band formed, and was the only album that was released with guitarist Joey Bruce in the band line-up. Blueprints had one single, "Readyfuels", for which a music video was filmed...
|
Never Take Friendship Personal Never Take Friendship Personal is the second album released by the alternative rock band Anberlin. This album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005. Its singles were "A Day Late" and "Paperthin Hymn" and music videos have been made of each. " Blasé" is sometimes referred...
|
Cities Cities is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Anberlin, released on 20 February 2007. The songs "Godspeed" and "The Unwinding Cable Car" were released as singles and had music videos created...
|
New Surrender New Surrender is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Anberlin, released on 30 September 2008. It is the band's first album on a major label, after signing with Universal Republic Records on 16 August 2007...
|
| Stephen Christian Stephen Christian, born July 28, 1980, is the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Anberlin. He and his bandmates started the group in 2002, after the demise of their previous group, known as SaGoh 24/7...
|
|
|
|
|
Lead vocals |
| Joseph Milligan |
|
|
|
|
Lead guitar |
}
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| Rhythm guitar
|-
| Nathan Strayer
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| Rhythm guitar
|-
|
Christian McAlhaneyChristian Edwin McAlhaney is an American musician, and currently one of the two guitarists for the alternative rock band Anberlin. He replaced Nathan Strayer who left the band in early 2007, right before the release of the band's third album, Cities. Christian was formerly a guitarist for the band...
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| Rhythm guitar
|-
|
Deon RexroatDeon Rexroat is the bassist for the alternative rock band Anberlin. Originally playing for the short-lived punk band SaGoh 24/7, the band dissolved, and most of its members went on to form Anberlin. He is one of the band's founding members...
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| Bass guitar
|-
|
Nathan YoungNathan Young is the drummer for the alternative rock band Anberlin. When Anberlin's members were playing as a punk band called SaGoh 24/7, Young originally played for another touring band, and he was to temporarily fill in for the SaGoh 24/7's drummer until they could find another. Young...
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| align="center"|
| Drums / percussion
|}
Notes
- A Joseph Milligan stated in an interview with Ultimate Guitar: "We had never had a rhythm guitar player play on one of our records before (New Surrender). I (Milligan) had always done it all."
Studio albums
- 2003: Blueprints for the Black Market
Blueprints for the Black Market is the first album released by the band Anberlin. It was released barely a year after the band formed, and was the only album that was released with guitarist Joey Bruce in the band line-up. Blueprints had one single, "Readyfuels", for which a music video was filmed...
- 2005: Never Take Friendship Personal
Never Take Friendship Personal is the second album released by the alternative rock band Anberlin. This album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005. Its singles were "A Day Late" and "Paperthin Hymn" and music videos have been made of each. " Blasé" is sometimes referred...
- 2007: Cities
Cities is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Anberlin, released on 20 February 2007. The songs "Godspeed" and "The Unwinding Cable Car" were released as singles and had music videos created...
- 2008: New Surrender
New Surrender is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Anberlin, released on 30 September 2008. It is the band's first album on a major label, after signing with Universal Republic Records on 16 August 2007...