Although Far never achieved the same level of commercial success as the acts they inspired, the group etched an enduring presence into the post-hardcore scene. Formed in 1991 by Sacramento natives Jonah Sonz Matranga on vocals, Shaun Lopez on guitar, John Gutenberger on bass, and Chris Robyn on drums, the band spent the following five years steadily building an audience through frequent touring alongside a string of 7" singles, self-released cassettes, and two independent full-lengths issued on Rusty Nail and Our Own Records.
In 1996 they inked a deal with Immortal/Epic and delivered Tin Cans with Strings to You, an album that drew scant attention. Undeterred, the quartet maintained a rigorous touring schedule that earned them an opening slot on the Deftones’ 1997 run, which in turn paved the way for the 1998 release of their second major-label effort, Water & Solutions.
Departing from the hardcore emphasis of earlier material, Water & Solutions leaned into melody and would later be cited as an influence on Thursday and Jimmy Eat World. Nevertheless, Far disbanded in 1999, prompting each member to explore separate ventures. Matranga concentrated on his Onelinedrawing solo project and briefly fronted Gratitude under an Atlantic Records contract, while Lopez launched the alternative-metal band the Revolution Smile, which produced four albums—including one Geffen release—before dissolving in 2006. Gutenberger and Robyn, meanwhile, lent their services to several metal groups based in Sacramento.
Nearly a decade after the breakup, Far reconvened in 2008 for a limited tour and issued a cover of Ginuwine’s “Pony,” which received airplay on multiple California stations. Vagrant signed the reunited lineup in March 2009, funding sessions that yielded At Night We Live, released the following year.
