The Juliana Theory

Western Pennsylvania quintet the Juliana Theory evolved across their initial ten-year existence from an emo-rock ensemble into a complete arena rock act. Their compositions stood apart from those of peers through emphasis on dynamic range, technical proficiency, and melodic precision while incorporating electronic textures.

Formed in Greensburg, Pennsylvania in 1997 by vocalist Brett Detar, bassist Chad Alan, guitarist Josh Fiedler, and two additional friends, the group began chiefly as Detar’s side endeavor while he served as guitarist and principal songwriter in metalcore outfit Zao. Detar’s affinity for pop eventually prevailed, prompting a full-time shift to the Juliana Theory and an amicable departure from Zao.

The band’s first recording appeared via a split-EP with Dawson High on Arise Records. Their concerts delivered high-voltage energy, marked by playful, tongue-in-cheek bubblegum pop gestures such as the guitarists’ habit of flipping picks skyward and retrieving them mid-performance. After recruiting drummer Neil Hebrank and guitarist Josh Kosker, the Juliana Theory secured a multi-album contract with Seattle-based Tooth & Nail. Their first long-player, Understand This Is a Dream, arrived on March 23, 1999, blending dreamy, whimsical pop numbers with early indications of the greater emotional range later developed.

The group launched an extensive touring campaign behind the album, sharing bills with numerous acts and appearing at several national festivals. Returning to the studio in 2000, they first issued a three-way split-CD alongside Onelinedrawing and the Gray AM on Onedaysaviour, then delivered the refined, dynamically expansive Emotion Is Dead. That sophomore release probed darker emotional territory than prior work, weaving textured electronics and broadened atmospheres into powerful ballads and expansive rock anthems.

As the fan base swelled, Detar increasingly handled third guitar duties onstage. Growing disenchanted with the emo label and its associated bubblegum image, the band pursued more concentrated songwriting. Following a major-label bidding war in 2001, the Juliana Theory inked a deal with Epic/Sony. Several 2001 Warped Tour appearances ensued. On October 23 of that year they issued six new tracks via the Music from Another Room EP on Tooth & Nail, venturing into territory that recalled the expansive dynamics of late-’70s prog acts Rush, Yes, and Genesis. Additional shows paired them with the similarly oriented Movielife and Detar’s former Zao colleagues.

Their third album, Love (Epic), further distanced the quintet from genre norms by adopting a broader mainstream stance while retaining intensity and experimental touches. It reached number 71 on the Billboard 200, marking both their sole charting release to date and their first official major-label effort. The Epic association proved short-lived; the band next released a live album on Tooth & Nail before moving to indie imprint Abacus for September 2005’s Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat. A Tooth & Nail-era best-of collection, A Small Noise, surfaced in February 2006. That same month the group officially declared its dissolution.

In 2010 the Juliana Theory reconvened for several reunion performances that presented Emotion Is Dead in full at select dates. The reunion concluded at year’s end, after which the band remained inactive for nearly a decade. Spring 2017 brought a 20th-anniversary tour across the United States.