Proven
Truth Reign Supreme
Brute-force breakdowns and focused, rhythmic attack blend with crushing vocals and snap-neck speed to create a sound reminiscent of such early '90s Metal/Hardcore bands as Biohazard, Pantera and Machine Head.
August of 2005 saw the arrival of Proven, when Randy Ross, Marc Halverson and Sam Boggess made a pact to do whatever it took to give hardcore metal back the respect that had been stripped from it by all the recent crossover bands populating the industry. Proven started churning out brutal hook laden riffs that mixed the ferocity of Pantera, Biohazard, Soilwork and early '80s Thrash, pummeling the Pacific Northwest with their unique style of brute force metal.
Old friendships were rekindled when Marc contacted Billy Graziadei of the legendary New York hardcore metal group Biohazard, and asked him to produce Proven's first studio album. Billy was so impressed with the demo that he asked Proven to fly out to New Jersey to record their debut EP at his Underground Sound Studios, co-owned by Danny Schuler (Biohazard/Bloodclot) and Mike Turner (Vulture).
The album was completed in only four days of tracking, with drums being laid down in one eight hour session by former Proven drummer John Gagne, who had relocated to the East Coast several months earlier.
Not long after the release in May of 2006, Proven began receiving regular rotation on 101.5 KFLY's Sunday night heavy music program, as well as obtaining features on XM radio and college radio across the nation, and have distributed over 1500 copies of the album to date, without any label assistance.
The five song EP deals with self respect, brotherhood and overcoming hardships and has received stellar reviews, garnering worldwide attention from noted heavy music journal MetalIsrael.com, as well as shining stateside reviews that have gone so far as to mention that the fate of hardcore metal lay in Proven's hands.
Proven has shared the stage with national acts such as Sworn Enemy, Amon Amarth, Himsa, Full Blown Chaos, Skinlab, Scars of Tomorrow and Nights Like These among many others.
In February of 2007, Billy Graziadei boarded a plane bound for Portland Oregon to record Proven's second album Truth Reign Supreme, at Jackpot Recording Studios. With this new release the band hopes to achieve new levels of success, they intend to tour the world and infect the masses with their brand of metal brutality.
...like Sick Of It All's Call to Arms, Proven's approach on Truth Reign Supreme is not whiny, melodic hardcore but melodic hardcore that remains loyal to the tradition of what classic Hardcore is all about. The brutal opener, "Heaven," sets the tone immediately with its old school gang chorus and impressive breakdowns. You won't be disappointed to hear Billy Graziadei himself making a guest vocal appearance on "The Compromise" or the bouncing call-and-answer shouts and double-bass assault on "This War" & "Bond". But it's clearly the thunderous "Pack It Up" that will leave the most lasting impression on the listener with its undeniable recognition of what came before them as they now step up with devil horns raised high in the air, more than ready to dominate.
http://themetalden.com/index.php?categoryid=1&p2_articleid=4821
Metal/Punk: 90's Metal