Default

Formed in Vancouver in the late 1990s, Default was part of the early-2000s Canadian rock wave, with a sound at the crossroads of hard rock, post-grunge and alternative rock—thick guitars, straightforward melodic lines and a dark atmosphere without tipping into metal. Initially active under the name Fallout, the band adopted the name Default in 2000 and was built around vocalist Dallas Smith, guitarist Jeremy Hora, bassist Dave Benedict and drummer Danny Craig. Their early recordings circulated in Vancouver's local scene with support from Chad Kroeger, before the debut album The Fallout was released in 2001, followed by Elocation in 2003. Default continued in that vein with One Thing Remains in 2005, where the songwriting tightened around a more direct rock, and Comes and Goes in 2009. The band's trajectory remains associated with that period when North American rock extended the grunge legacy into a more radio-friendly format, emphasizing choruses, heavy textures and an intense vocal delivery.