Emery

Emerging from Seattle during the mid-2000s, Emery attained national prominence by anchoring alternative pop/rock with infusions of screamo, melodic hardcore, and explicit Christian motifs. After aligning with the influential indie imprint Tooth & Nail, the group issued multiple critically regarded albums that registered on Billboard's pop and Christian tallies, among them the 2009 standout ...In Shallow Seas We Sail, which reached the summit of the latter chart. Alternating between gentler pop textures and denser post-hardcore aggression, Emery eventually established independence via releases such as 2015's You Were Never Alone and 2018's Eve on the band's own BadChristian imprint.

Assembled in South Carolina in 2001, the lineup initially comprised recent college graduates Toby Morrell (vocals, guitar), Matt Carter (guitar), Joel Green (bass), Devin Shelton (guitar), Josh Head (keyboards), and Seth Studley (drums). After evaluating possible bases, the musicians concluded that Seattle offered a more fertile setting for an up-and-coming act and accordingly relocated westward in September 2001.

Once settled in the Emerald City, Emery inked a deal with the locally headquartered Tooth & Nail label, which paired the band with producer/engineer Ed Rose for its first full-length effort. The Weak's End surfaced in January 2004 and was succeeded by The Question in August 2005. Prior to the latter's issuance, drummer Seth Studley departed, leading the ensemble to recruit Dave Powell in his stead. A year afterward, bassist Joel Green exited as well, yet rather than bring aboard a replacement the remaining members assigned bass responsibilities to guitarists Morrell and Shelton. I'm Only a Man appeared in 2007 and marked a stylistic shift, as the band's fresh deployment of synthesizers alongside more melodic vocals diverged from the abrasive approach of prior recordings.

The following year, however, the musicians returned to their foundational sound on the While Broken Hearts Prevail EP, whereas 2009's ...In Shallow Seas We Sail integrated elements of both approaches. In 2011 guitarist Devin Shelton parted ways with the group, which nevertheless continued onward and delivered the heavier We Do What We Want later that year. During late summer 2013 Emery released a self-titled album on its independent BadChristian music label. You Were Never Alone, the band's sixth studio album and second for BadChristian, followed in 2015, succeeded by the crowd-funded Revival: Emery Classics Reimagined in 2017. Emery resurfaced in 2018 with its reflective, melody-driven seventh album, Eve.