Biography
After the Burial, a pivotal American metalcore ensemble, arose in the mid-2000s by merging intricate technical precision with dark sonic intensity. The group first appeared on record in 2006 through Forging a Future Self, and despite repeated personnel shifts over the years, co-founder and lead guitarist Trent Hafdahl has remained the sole unchanging member. Subsequent releases such as In Dreams in 2010, Dig Deep in 2016, and Evergreen in 2019 achieved notable success, positioning the band as a foundational influence on both djent and progressive metalcore.
Formed in 2004 in Minnesota’s Twin Cities area, After the Burial originally featured guitarists Trent Hafdahl and Justin Lowe, bassist Lerichard Foral, drummer Dan Carle, and vocalist Nick Wellner. Their approach expanded heaviness through extended-scale guitar tunings paired with progressive math-metal complexity. The band self-released its debut EP, Forging a Future Self, in 2006 and supported it with extensive touring. Wellner exited the following year after deciding the demands of the road did not suit him; Grant Luoma replaced him. In 2008 the group signed with Sumerian Records and issued its first full-length album, Rareform. Later that year personality conflicts prompted Luoma’s departure, with Anthony Notarmaso joining as vocalist. A re-recorded edition of Rareform featuring Notarmaso’s vocals and live drums appeared in 2009 while the lineup stabilized. After navigating heavy tour schedules and further changes, After the Burial focused on new material and released In Dreams in 2010 as its first collection of original songs in two years. Two additional projects arrived in 2013: the EP This Life Is All We Have and the fourth studio album Wolves Within. Co-founder Justin Lowe departed via a troubled public statement in early 2015. He vanished on the evening of July 20 and was discovered deceased the next day beneath the Soo Line High Bridge, which links Stillwater, Minnesota, to Somerset, Wisconsin. Dig Deep, the fifth studio LP and the first without Lowe, came out in February 2016. The punishing sixth album Evergreen followed in April 2019 and preceded a tour alongside Parkway Drive, Killswitch Engage, and Vein.
Formed in 2004 in Minnesota’s Twin Cities area, After the Burial originally featured guitarists Trent Hafdahl and Justin Lowe, bassist Lerichard Foral, drummer Dan Carle, and vocalist Nick Wellner. Their approach expanded heaviness through extended-scale guitar tunings paired with progressive math-metal complexity. The band self-released its debut EP, Forging a Future Self, in 2006 and supported it with extensive touring. Wellner exited the following year after deciding the demands of the road did not suit him; Grant Luoma replaced him. In 2008 the group signed with Sumerian Records and issued its first full-length album, Rareform. Later that year personality conflicts prompted Luoma’s departure, with Anthony Notarmaso joining as vocalist. A re-recorded edition of Rareform featuring Notarmaso’s vocals and live drums appeared in 2009 while the lineup stabilized. After navigating heavy tour schedules and further changes, After the Burial focused on new material and released In Dreams in 2010 as its first collection of original songs in two years. Two additional projects arrived in 2013: the EP This Life Is All We Have and the fourth studio album Wolves Within. Co-founder Justin Lowe departed via a troubled public statement in early 2015. He vanished on the evening of July 20 and was discovered deceased the next day beneath the Soo Line High Bridge, which links Stillwater, Minnesota, to Somerset, Wisconsin. Dig Deep, the fifth studio LP and the first without Lowe, came out in February 2016. The punishing sixth album Evergreen followed in April 2019 and preceded a tour alongside Parkway Drive, Killswitch Engage, and Vein.
Albums
Singles
