Somos

Hailing from Massachusetts, Somos took shape as a four-piece in 2012, merging pop-punk, emo, post-hardcore, and indie rock into a single evolving style. Guitarist Phil Haggerty first floated the concept in 2009 during a conversation with a high-school friend about their expanding listening habits, which had broadened well beyond hardcore. After an initial jam with vocalist and bassist Mike Fiorentino, the musicians parted ways following graduation yet stayed in touch. Two years later the pair relocated the project to San Francisco, recruiting drummer Evan Degas, before entering Panda Studios in May 2012 to cut a four-track demo EP with guitarist Justin Hahn. Soon afterward the group returned to Massachusetts and settled in Boston.

Tiny Engines reached out after hearing the demo and, during summer 2013, Somos tracked their debut full-length at Cannon Found Soundation Studios in Union City, New Jersey, under producer Jesse Cannon (Saves the Day, the Cure, the Menzingers). The resulting Temple of Plenty appeared in 2014 and sharpened the band’s blend of indie rock, pop-punk, and post-hardcore. Following extensive U.S. touring that stretched into 2015, the quartet signed with Hopeless Records and began work on a second album that incorporated fresh production methods and a broader range of influences. First Day Back surfaced in early 2016 and earned favorable notices.

A short hiatus followed as members focused on day jobs and social activism, yet Somos resurfaced in late 2017 with two new singles. They completed tracking for the follow-up to First Day Back in early 2019, originally slated for September. Issued early on Tiny Engines in a one-week limited run, Prison on a Hill helped offset funeral expenses for guitarist Phil Haggerty, who had died suddenly on August 12; the album received its full release the next month.