Fuel

One of the standout acts to emerge from the post-grunge landscape of the early 2000s, Fuel first assembled around vocalist and guitarist Brett Scallions, guitarist Carl Bell, bassist Jeff Abercrombie, and drummer Kevin Miller. The group formed in Tennessee in 1989, where they developed a sound built on refined guitar textures and introspective melodies, then moved operations to Pennsylvania in 1993. After working the regional club circuit, the quartet issued its first recording, the independent EP Porcelain, in 1996; the release moved more than ten thousand units in its home market and scored local radio success with “Shimmer.” That momentum drew interest from Sony’s 550 label, which put out the follow-up EP Hazelton in 1997 and paved the way for the full-length Sunburn the next year.

“Shimmer” once again served as the group’s breakthrough, climbing the modern-rock format and approaching the pop Top 40. Tracks such as “Bittersweet,” “Jesus or a Gun,” and the album’s title song, the last of which appeared on the Scream 3 soundtrack, also received significant airplay, driving Sunburn to platinum certification. Fuel returned with Something Like Human two and a half years later; its lead single “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” became the band’s biggest hit to that point. The album peaked at number 17 on the Billboard chart and reached double-platinum status within twelve months, establishing Fuel among the year’s stronger rock sellers.

Natural Selection arrived in 2003 and moved 71,000 copies during its first week on the strength of the forceful single “Falls on Me.” The record soon dropped from view, however, and after the 2005 compilation Best of Fuel, frontman Scallions left the lineup on amicable terms. Months afterward, American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry delivered a strong live version of “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” during the program’s fifth season. The remaining members invited him to join as Scallions’ replacement, yet Daughtry declined in favor of pursuing a solo path. Fuel then recruited Toryn Green as the new vocalist and commenced work on a fourth studio album, Angels & Devils. Former Godsmack drummer Tommy Stewart stepped in for Kevin Miller on tour and later joined permanently, though prior commitments kept him from the recording sessions; Josh Freese, known for his work with Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle, handled drums instead. Angels & Devils reached stores in August 2007.