The Flatliners

Born in the early 2000s in the Toronto suburbs, in Richmond Hill, Canada, The Flatliners initially belonged to the local ska-punk scene before gradually shifting toward a more melodic punk rock, marked by hardcore accents and rough vocals. Built around Chris Cresswell, Scott Brigham, Jon Darbey and Paul Ramirez, the band has remained a stable four-piece that developed through tours across North America and Europe. After a first ska-punk album, Destroy to Create (2005, Stomp Records), The Flatliners honed a faster, tighter songwriting approach with The Great Awake (2007) and Cavalcade (2010), released on Fat Wreck Chords, while keeping a taste for pronounced melodic lines. Dead Language (2013) continued this dense, abrasive approach, before Inviting Light (2017), released via Rise Records and New Damage Records, put more emphasis on indie-rock elements and more measured song structures. With New Ruin (2022), The Flatliners returned to a sharper sound, still rooted in melodic punk rock with upfront guitars. Active on many club stages, festivals and DIY circuits, the band have released numerous EPs and splits between albums, maintaining a constant connection with the international punk community and a recognisable sonic identity—direct energy, sing-along choruses and lyrics grounded in everyday life.