Dayseeker

Dayseeker emerged from Orange County, California, as a wide-ranging progressive metalcore outfit whose thunderous anthems blend soaring melody with an arena-rock sensibility. The group formed in 2012 and drew its initial lineup from former Arms Like Yours members vocalist Rory Rodriguez and guitarist Alex Polk, joined by guitarist Gino Sgambelluri, bassist Andrew Sharp, and drummer Mike Karle. That same year they issued an untitled EP and secured a deal with InVogue Records, which led directly to their official debut full-length, What It Means to Be Defeated, in 2013. Their second album, Origin, arrived in 2015; Nick Ingram, whose credits include Huntington, For Today, and Hotel Books, handled production, and the record gave the band its first entry on the U.S. Heatseekers chart.

A period of upheaval followed in 2016 when Polk and Sharp exited and the band moved from InVogue to Spinefarm Records. Shawn Yates, previously of At the Skylines, stepped in on guitar, and the refreshed lineup finished Dreaming Is Sinking/Waking Is Rising, which appeared in July 2017. Two years later came the fourth album, Sleeptalk, whose expansive sonic palette and emphasis on melody propelled it to number three on the Heatseekers tally and prompted a 2021 deluxe edition containing reimagined versions of its tracks.

The fifth release, Dark Sun, reached listeners in late 2022. Shaped by major personal shifts Rodriguez experienced the year before, the album channels grief and catharsis while featuring the hit single “Neon Grave.”