Artist description Swift is a modern heavy band that has the elements of groove and melody, a high energy stage show and a unique "clean-cut" image to demand the attention of listening and visual audiences.

Music Style Alternative Metal

Musical Influences Older Metallica, Radiohead, Pantera, Bjork, Testament, Depeche Mode, Meshuggah, Foo Fighters etc.

Similar Artists Deftones, Newer Poison the Well etc.

Artist History Swift was formed in July of 1998, the band worked on material for about 6 months and finally made their debut in January of 1999. Since that time the band has worked hard to promote themselves--so far swift has circulated 1,000's of promotional demos, sold over 1,000 copies of their "thoughts are thought" CD release locally, and played many local shows to develop a strong following.

Group Members Gary Forsyth - vocals \\Taylor Mabe - guitars \\ Billy Deal - bass \\ Jamie King - drums

Instruments vocals - guitars - bass - drums

Albums Thoughts are Thought [1998], Waging War [July-2002], A Communication Manual [May-2003]

Press Reviews "Swift, an amazing band comprised of four unique individuals, brimming with musical talent and passion, each with their own influences, yet striving together for the same goal. Alone, individually, each member has his own defining component, yet through past experience, without the cooperation of the other members, they are lost, and only through the combining of their four unique elements can this band become one, a powerful unit that will allow no person or object to stand within their path.The sounds that emanates and pulses from the instruments of Swift is some of the most powerful and emotionally-charged music that will ever envelope the listener, threatening to drown them within their own awe. The music is very groove-oriented, chunk-filled with unending aggression balanced by segments of melody and variety. The sound is reminiscent of a cross between Staind?s darker-edged vibe, Vision of Disorder?s hardcore aggression, and Will Haven. Powerful, chunk-filled riffs injected with interludes of wicked strums and soothing melodies, dominating groove-oriented basslines, eclectic and furious drumwork round out the key elements of Swift?s almost simplistic, yet overpowering playing style. Not the most talented or original music, or the most complex song structures, but the overall passion and sincerity that simmers from every note is highly evident.The key element for Swift is no doubt Gary Forsyth, whose vocal abilities is the glue and foundation of the band. This is highly noted by the fact that Gary took a short break from the band because of personal reasons and without his presence, it just seemed that the life of Swift had come to an abrupt end. There was never really any question as to who would replace Gary, as there could never be any replacement, and the band is once again whole. What makes Gary as a vocalist so special? With a powerful voice ranging from extremely beautiful and touching melodies to some of the most devastating and destructive hardcore screams and singing that I have ever heard, mixed with incredible vocal shifts, Gary possesses the ability to capture and enthrall an audience. Combine that with his extremely personal and meaningful lyrics that are voiced with overpowering passion and sincerity and you have a very special element that many vocalists lack.?Thoughts Are Thought? is definitely one of the most powerful albums that I have ever heard. Heavy and powerful in the vein of say Slipknot, Machine Head or Pantera, yet retaining that certain melodic appeal reminiscent of Staind. Featuring nine songs of all-out aggression countered by soothing melodies including a well-done cover song in ?Enjoy the Silence?. ?Diamond? starts out the cd with intense vocal interplay, nice riffage, and well-done vocal effects and a steadily rising energy level. ?Swell Guy?, ?Whack It?, ?Nurse? and ?Feminine? feature powerfully contrasting vocals that explode through the listener?s minds with immeasurable intensity, all the while punctuated by dominating grooves. The rest of the cd is also quite intense, engaging and extremely moving. Swift is a band whose recent label signing promises great things for them in the very near future. As long as they are able to mature and evolve their songwriting, yet continue to maintain the level of intensity and passion that is already pouring forth, Swift should carry them selves far within the music industry. Very few bands today possess the raw, destructive power that Swift is able to create, yet balance it out with soothing melodies and intricacies. Proving that nothing will get within their path, even the recent departure of Gary, and of course his glorious return, Swift is a name that will soon be on the tongues of many new fans whose hearts and minds will be captured by the honesty and realism of Swift's extraordinary music." [www.dynamicrock.com] "Forming in North Carolina in 1998, Swift have been making a steady buzz throughout the underground scene since the release of their 1999 debut, "Thoughts Are Thought". But trouble laid ahead and after a short hiatus and some internal problems requiring some attention, the group are now back with a vengeance, readying their follow-up effort, "Waging War", which they currently plan to release in August. Comparisons to the likes of finger eleven, Failure, the Deftones, Far and more are all justifiable and with an approach on modern metal that is bit more bleak and emotional, the band easily manage to stand out from the pack. Their music just has that rarely found quality of honesty and is as heavy as it is wounded, taking the listener through the musical equivalent of a car crash and the subsequent recovery process in one quick shot. Inspiring, empowering and captivating, this is Swift." [theprp.com]

Location Winston-Salem, NC - USA

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