Deadlights

A Stephen King novel provided the inspiration for the name of Southern California quartet the Deadlights, which evokes the lights visible at the end of the tunnel during a near-death experience. Vocalist Duke and drummer Jim Falcone formed the group and completed the lineup by recruiting Jerry Montano on bass guitar alongside Billy Roan on lead guitar. In the late '90s the foursome launched an aggressive touring campaign alongside fellow California acts such as System of a Down and Coal Chamber. The resulting live reputation prompted Electra Records to offer the band a recording contract in 1999, signaling that the Deadlights operated on a different plane from most aggro outfits. Their self-titled debut, helmed by producer Sylvia Massey, appeared in 2000 and was quickly followed by a slot on the Ozzfest 2000 tour. Momentum proved fleeting: early the next year Electra dropped the act, internal disputes escalated until the band dissolved, and one member sustained a broken jaw during one of the clashes. Duke subsequently launched a fresh musical endeavor in California, while Jerry Montano enlisted with the heavy metal outfit Nothing Face.