Roma

Emerging from Lewiston, Maine, toward the end of the 1990s, Roma absorbed the prevailing mid-1990s grunge aesthetic and channeled it into a distinctive approach built on emotionally charged lyrics and aggressive guitar textures. With Devon Irish fronting the group on vocals and guitar alongside drummer Aaron Gill and bassist Dustin Brown, the trio forged a forceful brand of rock and relocated to Boston, where they placed a track on the 2000 Twisted Rico various-artists compilation and landed supporting slots with Caged Heat’s Jill Kurtz. After the band eventually returned to Maine, Dustin Brown elected to remain in Boston, at which point Randy Silva stepped in on bass. The group then secured a contract with Planetary Records in 2001 and delivered its debut album, Surrender on Demand, the following year.