Taken in Vain

Tearing down the walls that separate countless musical subcultures, Taken in Vain of Kansas City, Mo. bring forth a powerful, innovative sound that offers a distinct new approach to music.
It is safe to say that Taken in Vain have effectively broken clichÈ distinctions and crossed over a number of musical genres. Taken in Vain takes the risk and challenges listeners by playing a style that does not fit into any standard musical categories.
The band's sound is unique, creating a mood in which heartfelt melodies delicately collide with furious aggression. The powerful melodic singing and gut-wrenching screaming of vocalist Justin Sims delivers a message of pain, struggle and spirituality. The intense and demanding drum performance of Brandon Carry creates a solid backbone for Taken in Vain and makes a powerful team with the skillful bassist Gabriel Fitzmaurice. The guitar duo Jeremiah Sams and Creighton Mitts comprise the very essence of Taken in Vain with their definitive sound.
Taken in Vain has encountered several member changes since their conception in October 2003, constantly pursuing the perfect lineup including former drummer Cameron Fitzmaurice leaving to pursue a position in downthesun and another drummer, Caleb Williams joining Kao Kyen/The Escape. During a brief departure of Sims, the band tried 10 or more vocalists trying to find the perfect fit, until Sims returned to fill the slot that no one else could.
Through the lineup changes, which mean extinction for most bands, Taken in Vain has persevered, consistently working to create a dedicated fan base and earning the respect of their fellow musicians in the region. With a strong focus on faith and determination, Taken in Vain is dedicated to building and perfecting their sound and stage performance through experimentation and creative innovation. With every obstacle they encounter, Taken in Vain grows stronger and more focused.
Taken in Vain recorded a short demo CD in 2005 with engineer Aaron Crawford, of Poor Boy Productions and Flee the Seen "Facedown Records"
Taken in Vain has taken the stage with such major acts as Hell Within, War of Ages, The Warriors, and Embrace the End, and regional favorites Shaman's Harvest, The Leo Project and Kill the Excuse, among many others. They have received airplay on several radio stations, including 96.5 FM the Buzz in Kansas City, Mo. and 100.1 FM the Buzz in Columbia, Mo., as well as online radio show the Big Dumb Fun Show. Their song "Forbidden" was number one in Missouri MySpace charts for eight weeks, and number 11 in the country for two weeks. The band was nominated for the best frontman award at the 2005 Heavy Frequency Awards, and played the awards ceremony to several hundred people in the audience. They have also received press coverage from publications such as Heavy Frequency Magazine and the Pitch Weekly in Kansas City, and they have been selected to record the track "I'm Sorry I Took So Long" for the first ever Heavy Frequency Magazine and Chapman Recording & Mastering Studios CD compilation, Frequency, Vol. 1.
Taken in Vain is currently scheduling show dates and they have written an entire album worth of new material. The band plans to enter the studio in winter 2006 to begin recording the next official EP, for tentative release in early 2007.