As Cities Burn

Formed in 2002 in Mandeville, Louisiana, As Cities Burn sits at the crossroads of post-hardcore, alternative rock and an indie sensibility, with early roots in the American Christian scene. The band initially coalesced around brothers TJ and Cody Bonnette, writing tense, melodic and abrasive material that in its early phase was driven by TJ’s screamed vocals. In 2005 As Cities Burn released Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest, an album marked by dense, emotional post-hardcore, and then underwent a clear shift after TJ left the role of lead singer: Cody took over vocal duties on Come Now Sleep in 2007, where the band largely abandoned screamed vocals in favor of a more sung, nuanced approach closer to indie rock. That evolution continued on Hell or High Water in 2009, before an initial breakup later that year. As Cities Burn reunited several times in the 2010s, performed their debut album live and toured with acts such as Underoath, Emery and Silverstein, while occasionally incorporating Stephen Keech and later guitarist Hunter Walls. In 2019 As Cities Burn released Scream Through the Walls, which brings together the different facets of their trajectory—post-hardcore tension, clear melodies and more atmospheric textures.