Stavesacre

Stavesacre came together in 1995 as a hardcore CCM supergroup whose original lineup featured vocalist Mark Solomon (the Crucified, Native Son), guitarist Jeff Bellew (Crucified, Chatterbox), drummer Jeremy Moffat (the Blamed), and bassist Dirk Lemmenes. Their early style, rooted in heavy hardcore metal and thrash, aligned more closely with the approach of Die Happy or Tourniquet. Friction appeared as the band’s first album in early 1996, with Absolutes arriving the following year; by then Scaterd Few drummer Sam West had already stepped in for Moffat. The 1999 release Speakeasy marked their return and introduced second guitarist Ryan Dennee. Bellew departed shortly afterward in order to marry, at which point Stairwell guitarist Neil Samoy filled the vacancy. Their Tooth & Nail years were later summarized by the aptly titled collection Collective, which traced the gradual shift from heavy metal toward emo rock. Full conversion to an emo band was complete by the arrival of their Nitro Records debut, (stavz'a'ker). Two additional full-lengths followed in quick succession: 2001’s Collective and 2002’s (stavz'a'ker).