Align

Align emerged from Minneapolis, MN, in 1996, channeling the intensity of emo, hardcore, and alternative metal while drawing clear influence from acts like Quicksand and Helmet. The project began with drummer Matt Roesch and guitarist Matt Payne, who soon brought in vocalist Nate Roise and bassist Erik Kofoed to lay down the group’s earliest demo tape. Following a busy slate of regional shows the next year, Kofoed and Roise stepped away; John McEwen and Jeremy Jessen stepped in to fill the respective roles. With the revised lineup, Align launched an extensive touring schedule that preceded the release of its first recordings. The EPs Down River and Sing.Rock.Rhythm.Beats appeared in 1998 and 1999, respectively, each pressing selling out and steadily raising the band’s profile. Late in 2000 the quartet enlisted producers Roger Stein and Jeff Tomei—the latter having previously worked with the Smashing Pumpkins and C.O.C.—to capture its debut full-length, Some Breaking News. Additional drum performances came from Helmet’s John Stanier, and the finished album reached stores in late 2001 via Iguana Records.