More Metalcore Frenzy with Parkway Drive
Parkway Drive is a 2002 band that formed at Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Within their 8 year period, Parkway Drive only released two full-length albums along with an EP, a DVD, and two split albums.
Band History
The name Parkway Drive originated from the actual street name located in Byron Bay, Australia. The street name served as the house location called “Parkway House” where the band kept on practicing. Band members, Winston McCall, Ben Gordon, Jeff Ling, Like Kilpatrick, Shaun Cash, and Brett Versteeg got together with another metalcore band, I Killed the Prom Queen to produce a split EP titled “I Killed the Prom Queen / Parkway Drive.”
In the following year, Parkway Drive came up with their first eight track EP “Don’t Close Your Eyes.” This first solo work was so well received in their home country that the band eventually saw the growth of a loyal fan base. Things started to look up even more for the band after other bands like Shadows Fall and Hatebreed performed in the same band events.
May 2005 served as their first milestone when they traveled to the US to prepare and record their first ever studio album. After their first album titled “Killing with a Smile” was released, the band started to tour around to further promote the album. A year later, the album made its way to the US after they signed up with Epitaph Records. Around that time, bass player Shaun Cash left the band in good terms with the other members because of personal issues.
It was a double blow for the group because Brett Versteeg who also handled bass left as well. A friend of the group Jia “Pie” O’Connor was tapped to take on the bass player spot. Despite the changes, Australian fans and tour merch customers continued to multiply especially after the band’s tours. A further boost to their popularity was the second release of the EP “Don’t Close Your Eyes.” This second release contained songs from the Byron Bay Hardcore compilation and their split EP. The second Parkway Drive Album “Horizons” was also well received.
Albums Out
It was the band’s first album “Killing with a Smile” that really introduced the group internationally after having been released in the US in 2006, only a year after its recording. The work was perhaps given a good initial reputation because of the participation of Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage as producer.
Although the first album was a good one, it was the second album, “Horizons” that really solidified the band’s international foothold. It has reached multi platinum status in the US and is on the sixth slot on the ARIA charts. To date, it is the band’s bestselling album made more appealing by the live performances included in it.
A new Parkway Drive album is reported to be under the pipelines to soon become a part of the Parkway Drive discography. Winston McCall offers some insight into it calling it the band’s “rawest and heaviest record.” More clues to their next release can be found in their blog and in MySpace. Final word on the album’s title has not been given but its expected release will be before June 2010 after the conclusion of the band’s European Tour.
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