Downswing

Emerging from Albany, New York, the punk outfit Downswing swiftly established itself among the top performers in the city's hardcore community. In early 2017 guitarist Anthony Salvaggio joined forces with bassist Brandon Jared and drummer Nick Manzella, all three of whom had previously played together in the metalcore band Animal. Looking to shift their musical approach, they added vocalist Brett Colvin, who had spent nine years fronting pop-punk groups with little traction, along with guitarist Chris Arnold, thereby locking in the final lineup. That March the group issued its three-song demo Swingstyle. After the recording appeared online, Vincent Bennett of the Acacia Strain encountered the tracks and publicly endorsed Downswing on social media. The resulting exposure translated into higher-profile shows, one of which placed the band on an East Coast date of the 2017 Vans Warped Tour. Soon afterward Downswing signed with Rise Records, the established punk imprint that also housed the Acacia Strain, and delivered its label debut, the five-song EP Dark Side of the Mind, in November 2017.