Emphatic

Formed in 2004, the hard-charging post-grunge outfit Emphatic took shape in Omaha, Nebraska, under the direction of guitarist Justin McCain. In its earliest incarnation the group consisted solely of McCain and vocalist Patrick Wilson, and it issued a self-titled debut on its own imprint in 2005 even after inking a deal with Universal. The 2008 EP Goodbye Girl climbed the Billboard Heatseekers chart, prompting Atlantic Records to offer the band a contract. With major-label support secured, Emphatic added drummer Dylan Wood, bassist Alan Larson, and guitarist Lance Dowdle, completing the lineup that recorded the 2011 album Damage and again registered on Billboard’s charts. An injury to Wilson interrupted touring plans, yet the group still hit the road, enlisting a substitute singer to open dates on the Carnival of Madness Tour. Although Emphatic gained further exposure when its songs appeared in WWE programming and on the CBS series Criminal Minds, the label dropped the act and the band subsequently disbanded. McCain refused to let the project end, reassembling it with Fuel’s Toryn Green on vocals, Cellador’s Bill Hudson, Jesse Saint from the Autumn Offering, and drummer Patrick Mussack. The revitalized ensemble landed a deal with Capitol Records and delivered the 2013 album Another Life. In 2015 McCain formally concluded Emphatic’s run and relaunched the group under the name Through Fire.