Outbreak

In the Maine Fall of 2001, three friends living in dead end towns, decided it was time to start a band influenced by the fast, aggressive hardcore/punk that they grew up listening to. With no prior band experience, vocalist Ryan, guitarist Chuck and drummer Ira started practicing in Ira's garage and later on in an abandoned house nicknamed "The Office." The three song demo was written over the Fall at The Office, and by the time Winter rolled around, they booked their first ever recording session in Amherst Massachusetts. Without a bass player, guitarist Chuck laid down the bass tracks and the band would later recruit their friend Austin to take over bass duties. Although today they might deny the existence of the demo, it's no question that it helped them book shows around the North East and create a small fanbase. After playing out all over the North East, the demo, along with footage from a live show was sent out to several record labels, both big and small, in hopes that someone would give the band a chance at recording their first EP. After it seemed like no one was interested, they got a call from Western Front Records out of California, who agreed to release the bands debut EP "Eaten Alive". In the writing process of the EP, Outbreak picked up Chris, a long term friend of Austin's to join the band on lead guitar and right around this time, Austin left the band for personal reasons and Joe took over on bass. The EP was recorded in the Summer of 2002 in Portland Maine, and came out on Western Front in November of that year, just one year after they had first started practicing in Ira's garage. With "Eaten Alive" under their belt, the band gained more exposure and started playing more and more shows, further and further away from home, all while the band members were still in High School. After High School, Ira enlisted in the Marines so he left the band and Joe left the band not to long after to pursue the College life, so with two vacant spots Outbreak welcomed back Austin on bass and over the next few months the band used various drummers for various tours. In May of 2003, the band met up with Connecticut's The Distance for a string of dates on the East Coast and later on in the year a full tour on the East Coast and Midwest. It was at this time that Outbreak met Jay Reason, vocalist of The Distance. Jay encouraged the band to start searching for a bigger label to release their next record and with his help, in November of 2003 Outbreak inked a deal with one of the most promising labels in hardcore/punk Bridge 9 Records, based out of Boston. Finally finding a full time drummer, local friend Nate joined the band and helped write Outbreak's Bridge 9 Records debut titled "You Make Us Sick". A week in February was booked at the legendary producer Don Fury's studio in New York, and right before the band left to record the record, bass player Austin left the band for a second time for personal reasons. Lead guitarist Chris stepped it up and laid down the bass tracks on the record and a few months later, the band welcomed back Joe who decided the first year of college was enough for him. "You Make Us Sick" was later released in July of 2004 and has since been circulating everywhere. Lyrically, the band focuses on your traditional, straight forward hardcore/punk ethics of waving the middle finger at anyone who stands in their way with words of hate, desperation, anger and depression. With a couple of well received records, an insane live show and a hectic touring schedule that puts most bands to shame, Outbreak is sure to turn heads anywhere and everywhere they play, and keep the spirit of hardcore/punk alive and well.