Biography
Reach 454 formed as a pummeling post-hardcore combo in New York City after originating on Long Island in 1996. Richie Cipriano, the former Sick of It All bassist, founded the project and moved to guitar for the occasion, with vocalist Rene Mata, bassist Dan Martinez, and ex-Day in the Life drummer John Kamoosi completing the lineup. The group stayed busy on the New York circuit, sharing bills with rising heavy rock acts such as Papa Roach and System of a Down while also appearing at festivals including the Warped Tour. Their break arrived when Lava/Atlantic president Jason Flom signed them following a strong showing at a label showcase. In 2002 the band tracked its material with producer Jay Baumgardner, whose credits already included Papa Roach and Drowning Pool, and released the self-titled debut the following summer. That album emphasized Reach 454’s dynamic melodic shifts alongside hard-hitting guitars and carried the stylized, radio-ready sheen then popular across the early-21st-century nü metal scene.
Albums
