James Harrah, ex-vocals
Chino , ex-guitar/vocals
Cory Seals, guitar
Grant Mosley, bass/vocals
Dave Miller, drums
Here we go.
Bassist Grant Mosley perhaps sums it up best when describing what his first thought will be when he wakes up on July 11, when GLORY OF THIS highly anticipated sophomore album, The Lover, The Liar, The Ruse is released nationally on Indianola Records.
Nearly two years removed from the release of their debut album Adoration, Pensacola, Fla.s GLORY OF THIS has collected a bevy of scars as they experienced the growing pains of evolving into a full-time touring band.
Adoration to us was a milestone, but not necessarily our greatest accomplishment, explains vocalist James Harrah. Its what we were capable of as a band who were still learning [about] each other just as much as we were learning about the industry and the requirements of being a band.
The learning curve was indeed steep for GLORY OF THIS, experiencing the turbulence of a drastic lineup change in early 2005 when they parted ways with guitarist/co-vocalist John Manza and drummer Matt Rogers. Rather than allowing this shakeup to steer the band off course, it merely paved the way for an ideal lineup, allowing the talented duo of guitarist/vocalist Chino and drummer David Miller, who had played together in various Florida ensembles, to add some depth and chemistry to the existing roster.
David and Chino were both in a pop-punk band prior to GLORY OF THIS, says Harrah. Seeing as how they came to the band as a pair it was one less connection that needed to be made. The songwriting came about in a more assigned manner.
When Matt and John left, I personally thought the band might have been done for, states Mosley. The idea of another drummer trying to fill Matt's shoes would make me sick to my stomach, but Dave did it and then some. He is, hands down, the best drummer I have ever played next to.
With a revamped lineup intact and some additional touring under their belts, the band began writing the follow-up to Adoration throughout the latter part of 2005, and found themselves recording in New York with producer Mike Watts (Hopesfall, As Tall As Lions) at the helm by late winter.
The day we showed up [at the studio] we were even more floored than we could have expected, says Harrah. We had the ability, by living at the studio, to be surrounded by a perfect mix of comfort and a music atmosphere which led to us being able to take a more stress-free approach to the record. We could literally wake up in the morning, roll out of bed and track. We even stayed up several times just experimenting with all of the gear available to us as musicians. It was liberating and inspiring.
The comfortable studio setting only added to the unique chemistry the band had formed since initiating its new members, and the end result is an exponentially more cohesive, coherent effort than their 2004 debut album. In addition, it effectively marks the beginning of a new era for the band, having put the finishing touches on the album they had longed to create with their dream lineup intact.
The Lover, The Liar, The Ruse, as Harrah puts it, is not about cutting teeth or trying to prove anything to anyone. Its all blood, sweat, and heart. No tears here. Were proud of our accomplishments.
The blood, sweat and heart that went into these accomplishments will find an audience this summer when the band supports its album on the road, appearing on a leg of the Vans Warped Tour, their third consecutive stint on the tour in as many years, as well as national and international touring planned throughout the remainder of the calendar year.
As Grant Mosley stated earlier; Here we go, indeed.
Brace yourself.
