Humboldt County based alt-rock band Laden Swallow formed in the waning days of 2004 when singer/guitarist Mark Staley and original drummer Eduardo Donoso stumbled onto bassist Justin Vanegas and decided to start an alt-rock band. The trio added a fourth member in guitarist Josh Leong after a few months and began to establish themselves in the secluded community of Humboldt County. Donoso would soon leave for Southern California, however and was replaced with the more metal-minded Chad Helmonds. With Helmonds behind the kit, Laden Swallow started laying down tracks for what would become their debut album Awaken in November of 2006. The album was finished and released in May of 2007 to overwhelmingly positive reviews just in time for Chad to move to Minnesota to attend recording school. He was replaced by Conor Bent just in time for Laden Swallow to win the 2007 Power 96.3 Battle of the Bands Tournament in front of over 200 people in Eureka. With a newly solidified line-up, a strong debut album and an always entertaining and energetic live show, Laden Swallow is looking to bring their unique brand of alternative rock beyond the scenic and secluded confines of Humboldt County.
Press about Laden Swallow:
"Like any first effort by an indie band -- they proudly handled every aspect of production, from recording to artwork -- it's rough around the edges, but the strength of Laden Swallow's songs, mostly written by guitarist and singer Mark Staley carries the record.
Laden Swallow is nothing if not versatile, and they made it work; the first four tracks on “Awaken†are thick slabs of pop-punk verging on chugging metal, without relying on the hackneyed clichés of either genre. It isn't until the song "Until Then", that a more perfect synthesis emerges: Staley's strong vocal presence has a little room to breathe, guitarist Josh Leong's soaring riffs act as a counterpoint, backing vocals kick in; the result is heavenly."
-Joel Hartse for the Eureka Times-Standard
" 'This love is a drug... you'll be my heroine,' cried Mark Staley on Laden Swallow's debut album Awaken. Comparing love to a drug and using a play on the words - heroine and the drug heroin - Staley builds an anthem for the broken- hearted.
Fueled by members of the Humboldt State football team chanting, "You'll be my Heroine," this song has a power and a drive like, well, a football team. Members of the Humboldt State girls-volleyball team sing/chant back up on this song to give it an ethereal, unearthly feel. With Chad Helmonds' loud hard drumming, Josh Leong's backbone lead guitar and Justin Vanegas' dependable interesting bass playing, Heroine is the landmark song on Laden Swallow's debut album.
Some of the best songs on Awaken are ones Staley just wrote for the sake of music. Track number six is a song called Blast Off, a simple acoustic piece about love lost and Staley counts from 1 to 10 and then back down again.
Between the intense screaming and hard loud rock songs like Misdirection to the acoustic quiet love songs this album shows off the musicians' versatility."
-Melody Stone for the Jack Online
Buy Awaken online at CD Baby and iTunes
