Alan Day, Dan O’Conner, Joe Weiss, Josh Lyford, and Jake Massucco are Four Year Strong. At first, this may not raise eyebrows or drop jaws, but it is only a matter of time. With a unique blend of brutal breakdowns and soaring choruses, Four Year Strong have sunk their teeth into the Worcester hardcore scene and thirst for more. Their music incites a riot like nothing seen before, leaving live crowds and CD listeners alike simultaneously blown away and fired up.
Their influences range from Lifetime to Saves the Day, Gorilla Biscuits to New Found Glory. “We just played exactly what we wanted to hear,” describes one member, explaining their combination of hardcore and pop-punk. Sharing an average age of 20 years old, the five guys of Four Year Strong have already self-released two EPs, making themselves known on the Smartpunk Top 100 sales and Purevolume’s “most played” charts. The band built their own sets, booked their own tours, and made music the way they want it to be made.
With this do-it-yourself determination, Four Year Strong do not pretend to be anyone but themselves. The band does not sugarcoat their image, avoiding the pretty-boy front that smothers the scene. Beyond the tattoos, Four Year Strong are the kind of guys you would want to bring home to Mom and Dad. The band does not bother with egos or attitude, determined to connect with every fan on a personal level.
Four Year Strong combine equal parts melody and mayhem; however, their true talent lies in the ability to use these parts to create one exciting, infectious whole. “We wanted to put out a great record and not just a bunch of great songs.” They fully embrace their album title, Rise or Die Trying, and Four Year Strong refuse to stop until they’ve taken the world by storm.
The band’s 2007 release Rise or Die Trying hit #31 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart in 2007. Four Year Strong was signed to Decaydance in February 2008.