Depswa

Formed in the mid-1990s within Modesto, California, the alternative metal outfit Depswa originated when vocalist Jeremy Penick and bassist Ryan Burchfield first teamed up inside a prior project named Carcinogen. That earlier band had already earned attention through strong performances across the Bay Area plus a self-titled EP, yet by 1999 the pair had relocated to Los Angeles, recruited guitarist Dan Noonan, and rebranded the effort as Depswa. The refreshed lineup issued its first recording, the Faithless EP, in 2000 and began cultivating listeners for its intense nu-metal style via concerts throughout the Southwest and its new home city. October 2001 brought drummer Gordon Heckaman into the group, at which point the band’s demos started generating serious interest from major labels. Depswa ultimately inked a deal with Geffen and entered the studio with P.O.D. producer Howard Benson to shape its full-length debut, a process that also welcomed second guitarist James Mills. Released in May 2003, Two Angels and a Dream delivered an aggressive sound softened by spiritual themes and Penick’s soaring vocals. The band backed the album with multiple performances on that summer’s Ozzfest.