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Emerging from the hippie-loving, beachfront town of Byron Bay, Australia, metalcore outfit Parkway Drive blasted out of serene surroundings touting a volatile blend of intricate metal riffing, punishing breakdowns, and hardcore's emotional tension. Named after a rural countryside road, the band formed in summer 2003 and featured vocalist Winston McCall, guitarists Luke Kilpatrick and Jeff Ling, drummer Ben Gordon, and bassist Jia O'Connor. Soon after their inception, the guys split an EP with likeminded countrymen I Killed the Prom Queen and appeared on the local hardcore compilation What We've Built. This activity preceded the May 2005 release of their debut EP, Don't Close Your Eyes, on Resist Records. Parkway Drive continued building a respected name for themselves in the Australian hardcore scene, often opening for American bands touring abroad like Bleeding Through, Shadows Fall, Every Time I Die, and Hatebreed. They next hopped on a plane to Massachusetts to record their first full-length with Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz in the production seat. Recorded over a two-week period in 2005, Killing with a Smile entered the Australian Independent Chart at number two upon its February 2006 release. The album sold extremely well around the country and saw a North American release through Epitaph that August. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide |
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