Amber Pacific

While still juniors at high school, the Seattle musicians who later became Amber Pacific launched their project under the name Follow Through in 2002. Early recordings caught the attention of Hopeless Records, which promptly offered the group a deal. The band surfaced publicly as Amber Pacific in May 2004 via the Fading Days EP, whose urgent, slick punk-pop approach echoed Story of the Year, the Audition, and the All-American Rejects. Throughout the summer that followed, the musicians sharpened their live presentation by appearing on the Warped Tour. They soon returned to the studio, issuing the full-length The Possibility and the Promise roughly a year after the EP. The lineup at the time comprised vocalist Matt Young, guitarists Will Nutter and Justin Westcott, drummer Dango, and bassist Greg Strong. Live activity persisted, including another Warped Tour run, although Westcott exited during this stretch. In summer 2006, Takeover Records owner and ex-Yellowcard member Ben Harper joined as touring second guitarist. An October announcement positioned him as a permanent member, yet he departed before the year ended. The remaining foursome continued onward and released their sophomore album, Truth in Sincerity, in May 2007.