The Holy Fire

Detroit's Holy Fire originated in 2003 through an informal, primarily acoustic partnership involving drummer Nick Marko and vocalist/guitarist Sean Hoen. The group's direction shifted decisively once Hoen switched to electric guitar, with bassist Nathan Miller and guitarist Dan Skiver joining to lock in the overall approach. Both Miller and Hoen had previously played in the Detroit-area deathcore outfit Thoughts of Ionesco. Early 2004 saw the band tracking its debut EP in Toronto while refining a sound built on bright melodic lines and brooding, literary post-punk atmospheres. Once those sessions ended, Skiver departed; guitarist Ryan Wilson came aboard just in time for the quartet's first live shows that spring. Strong local reaction prompted a reissue of the self-titled Toronto EP. Late that year the group returned to the studio, this time with Michael Ivins of the Flaming Lips serving as producer. Additional work with Ivins took place in 2005 at Tarbox studio in upstate New York. The band maintained a consistent touring pace throughout the summer. In January 2006 Holy Fire signed to the Southern California indie label The Militia Group and issued its second EP, In the Name of the World.