Grade (band)

Grade is a melodic hardcore band from Burlington, Ontario, often credited as pioneers in blending metallic hardcore with the honesty and melody of emo,[1] and - most notably - the alternating screaming/singing style later popularized by bands like Poison the Well and Hawthorne Heights.[2] Formed in 1994, Grade found inspiration in the hardcore bands Integrity and Chokehold. By 1995, however, they had discovered Indian Summer and Rye Coalition and began developing the sound and style for which they had become known.[3]

Grade
OriginBurlington, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Years active1994–2002
2010-present
LabelsVictory Records = Second Nature Recordings
MembersKyle Bishop
Matt Jones
Shawn Magill
Greg Taylor
Matt Richmond
Past membersChris Danner
Brad Casarin
Silas Barrette
Kent Abbott

History

Four of the members of Grade previously played in the band Incision, with a different bassist, from 1992 to 1993, releasing two demo tapes.[4] In late 1993, the band briefly broke up but reformed under the name Rebirth.[4] After only two shows, Rebirth recruited bassist Matt Jones (who was then also playing in the band Sun Still Burns) and changed name to Grade in January 1994.[4][5] Grade released their debut three-song demo tape in February 1994 through Workshop Records.[6]

Though And Such Is Progress would eventually be hailed as a "landmark album,"[7] it was not until 1997, when Grade released Separate the Magnets and toured with Hot Water Music, that they began to develop a following.[3] During this time, band members collaborated in several side-projects. Bishop played in Acrid; Jones played in SeventyEightDays; Bishop and Jones played in The Swarm aka Knee Deep in the Dead; and Bishop played in Tomb of the Worm; Taylor and Harris played in Jersey.[8][9][10]

In 1999, Grade signed with Victory Records and released Under the Radar, the album for which they had become best known. Under the Radar spawned two singles, the videos for which received some play on MTV2 in 1999 and 2000. In 2000, the band toured Europe and the United Kingdom, meeting up with American melodic hardcore band As Friends Rust for several cross-over shows.[11][12]

In 2001, Grade released their fourth and final full-length album, Headfirst Straight to Hell, before disbanding approximately one year later.[13][14] Jones, Magill, Danner and Casarin all went on to play in To the Lions.[15]

Since their break-up, Grade have reunited several times, beginning with a 2006 show in Toronto.[16] In 2010, they wrote and recorded two new songs for a split 7-inch with Bane.[17] In 2013, Grade performed at Pouzza Fest in Montreal.[18] In 2014, they toured the northeastern U.S. with Ensign.

Legacy

When asked by Noisey in 2014 if he ever felt bitter for a lack of recognition, singer Kyle Bishop stated, "There’s a lot of accolades that people give us for supposedly starting something and I think that’s all bullshit, to be honest with you. I think that a billion bands were doing similar things before us and after that deserve just as much credit. And if we do get some credit from certain people, awesome. If we don't, it doesn’t really matter because I really don’t think it’s true anyway."[19]

Discography

Albums

EPs
  • Grade (1996, Wheatfield Press Records)
  • Triumph & Tragedy (1999, Victory Records)
  • Collapsed Lungs (2014, Dine Alone Records)

Split albums
  • Split CD with Believe (1994, Workshop Records)
  • Split 12-inch with Incision (1999, Workshop Records)
  • Split 7-inch with Bane (2010, At Both Ends Magazine)

Compilations

See also

References
  1. Barnard, Laurent (July 16, 2015). "This Is Hardcore: Grade – Under The Radar". Team Rock. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  2. Sacher, Andrew (September 26, 2014). "Grade returning to NYC & Philly w/ Ensign (and other dates)". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on December 3, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  3. Ramirez, Carlos (December 18, 2014). "Interview: Kyle Bishop (Grade, Acrid, The Black Maria, The Swarm)". No Echo. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  4. Julien, Alexandre (December 26, 2014). "Incision & Rebirth Official Biography". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  5. Julien, Alexandre (September 18, 2013). "Face Down & Sun Still Burns Official Biography". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  6. Julien, Alexandre (March 22, 2011). "Workshop Records Interview". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on May 30, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  7. Adams, Gregory (January 16, 2014). "Grade's 'Separate the Magnets' Set for Deluxe Vinyl Reissue". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  8. Julien, Alexandre (October 4, 2013). "Acrid Official Biography". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  9. Julien, Alexandre (November 17, 2014). "The Swarm aka Knee Deep in the Dead Official Biography". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  10. Julien, Alexandre (March 5, 2015). "Tomb of the Worm Official Biography". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  11. Julien, Alexandre (January 10, 2020). "As Friends Rust - A skeletal repository of As Friends Rust's timeline". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  12. "Tours". Victory Records. August 16, 2000. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  13. Bento, Debbie (August 28, 2001). "CD Reviews: Bjork, Slipknot, Grade and many more". Chart Attack. Archived from the original on December 4, 2001. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  14. TheDude (July 28, 2006). "Grade / the Reason - live in Toronto". Punk News. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  15. Julien, Alexandre (December 11, 2013). "To the Lions Official Biography". Abridged Pause Blog. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  16. Aubin, Paul (May 16, 2006). "Grade to reunite in Toronto". Punk News. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  17. Schreurs, Jason (July 2, 2009). "Reunited Grade to Record Songs for New Seven-Inch Comp". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  18. Wisniewski, Kira (March 7, 2013). "Pouzza Fest announce final batch of bands, post schedule". Punk News. Archived from the original on September 5, 2013. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  19. Bayer, Jonah (November 21, 2014). ""We Are Literally the Worst Band Ever": Canadian Hardcore Superstars Grade Release Two New Songs". Noisey. Archived from the original on November 23, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
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