Aiden
is an American band from Seattle, Washington [1] that formed in the spring of 2003. They took their name from the character in the movie The Ring
, although with a different spelling with an 'e' instead of an 'a'. The current members are WiL Francis (vocals, guitar, piano, lyrics), Jake Davison (drums), Nick Wiggins (bass), and Angel Ibarra (lead guitar). wiL originally played bass but took over lead vocals when the original singer left.
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AIDEN TICKETS
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History
Aiden's first full-length album
Our Gang's Dark Oath
was released on Dead Teenager Records in 2004. It was recorded while Jake Davison and Angel Ibarra were still in high school, being released shortly after they had left.
Later in 2005, the band was signed to
Victory Records. Their second album and debut for Victory Records titled
Nightmare Anatomy
was released October 4, 2005.
Aiden contributed a cover of
Nirvana's "Drain You" to Higher Voltage, a CD given away free with
Kerrang!
magazine.
In March 2006, Aiden played an arena tour of the US supporting
30 Seconds to Mars with
Emanuel and
Keating.
In May and June of 2006, Aiden toured the US supporting the Finnish band
HIM.
In April 2007, Aiden played an arena tour of the UK supporting
Lostprophets with
Taking Back Sunday. They also played the 2007
Taste of Chaos North American Tour alongside
The Used,
30 Seconds to Mars,
Senses Fail,
Saosin,
Chiodos, and Evaline. They recently played a West Coast tour, followed by a national tour, Confessions in the Dark Tour, with
Drop Dead, Gorgeous,
Still Remains, and
1997. They recently completed the International Taste of Chaos tour.
Aiden's song "
One Love" appears in
Resident Evil: Extinction
, and their song "
We Sleep Forever" is featured in the motion picture
Dead Silence
.
The band's third studio album entitled
Conviction
was released August 21, 2007. It marks a complete change of style in the band's musical direction.
On the 9th of October, 2007, through a MySpace bulletin the band announced that they were filming their next music video, for the song "Moment", thus confirming it as the next single.
The band played a show in
Anchorage, Alaska in January 2008, introducing their U.S. tour with
Madina Lake in February and March, 2008. This was the first part of their three-part "World by Storm Tour", the second part of which was a month-long Europe tour with
Kill Hannah from late March to late April 2008. The third part, a tour from Massachusetts back to their home base in Seattle, was to occupy much of May 2008, but the band pulled out of the tour after two shows, according to their web site for "personal reasons". However, the band did reinstate the final two shows, in Spokane and Seattle, near their home base.
They also played the Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey in May 2008. In addition, Aiden recorded their own version of
Ashley Massaro's theme music "Let's Light a Fire Tonight" for the bonus edition of
WWE The Music, Vol. 8
.
On May 20, 2008, the band announced on their website that Jake Wambold was no longer a member of Aiden. They played their first live show as a four piece in
Spokane,
Washington on May 24, 2008.
Francis has started a website and a MySpace page for a side project called "William Control", details of which have not been announced. William Control is a sort of alter-ego to wiL, and the album will consist of dark content lyric-wise, which wiL stated in a
Kerrang!
interview did not suit Aiden. William Control has its debut album,
Hate Culture
, which hit stores on October 27, 2008 in the UK, and October 28 in the U.S. William Control did a UK tour from November 1-7th.
[2]
Aiden also appeared on the soundtrack to
The Lost Boys: The Tribe
with a cover of the theme song "
Cry Little Sister".
Aiden did a European tour in October 2008, followed by a U.S. tour in November, called The Suffer Little Children Tour, finishing December 7.
On December 14 Aiden posted a blog on their MySpace saying that they are in the studio writing and recording songs for their next album. The blog also said that there are about 25 songs that they are working with and wiL also mentioned he'd written 30 songs for the new record in an
Alternative Press
podcast.
[3] The next album is said to be "darker". In a recent interview with
Kerrang!
magazine, wiL told that he has written 23 songs so far, but is wanting to write about 30, as they are planning to release a double album. He describes the new songs as being "totally different to William Control [his Solo project] of course, but the attitude's the same". It will be recorded at the same studio wiL produced
Hate Culture
. "I think that a lot of people who hated
Conviction
will really like this one. But who knows and who really cares? We're just going to make the record we want to make."
Ibarra has also begun a self-named side project, which had its first performance in Metro Seattle in late January.
He has also announced a new side project with Davison, called Rock 'n Roll Weekend. Wiggins has also announced a side project.
Aiden has announced that the new full length album entitled
Knives
will be released on May 12, 2009 (May 11th in the UK). On March 31, 2009, a new single, "Scavengers of the Damned", was made available through iTunes.
In April Aiden announced a UK tour on their
MySpace. They stated that they chose the smallest venues that were available, Tonight is Goodbye were announced as support for the tour, with Lost On Landing providing support in their hometown of Southampton.
Former member Jake Wambold is suing the band for money that he says they never gave to him after kicking him out.
The band toured on the 2009 Warped Tour, but has announced few shows for the fall, and both Francis and Wiggins have announced shows for their respective side projects.
Members
Current
- William "WiL" Francis - Lead vocals, guitar, piano, lyrics (2003–present)
- Angel Ibarra - Lead guitar, backing vocals (2003–present)
- Nick Wiggins - Bass, backing vocals (2003–present)
- Jake Davison - Drums, percussion (2003–present)
Former
- Jake Wambold - Rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2003–2008)
Discography
Studio albums
Year
| Album
| Label
| Chart peaks
|
US [4]
| US Indie
| US Heat
| UK [5]
|
2004
| Our Gangs Dark Oath
[A
| DeAd Teenager Records
| —
| 32
| 30
| —
|
2005
| Nightmare Anatomy
| Victory Records
| 196
| 16
| 9
| —
|
2007
| Conviction
| Victory Records
| 54
| 5
| —
| 45
|
2009
| Knives
| Victory Records
| 95
| 12
| —
| 150 [6]
|
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.
|
A
^
Our Gangs Dark Oath
did not chart until 2006 when it was reissued through Victory Records.
EPs
Year
| Album
| Label
| Chart peaks
|
US
| US Indie
| US Heat
| UK
|
2004
| A Split of Nightmares
| Unfun Records
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
2006
| Rain in Hell
| Victory Records
| —
| 23
| 9
| 167
|
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.
|
Singles
Year
| Title
| Album
|
2004
| "I Set My Friends on Fire"
| Our Gangs Dark Oath
|
"Fifteen"
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2005
| "Knife Blood Nightmare"
| Nightmare Anatomy
|
"The Last Sunrise"
|
"Die Romantic"
|
2007
| "We Sleep Forever"
| Rain in Hell
|
"One Love"
| Conviction
|
2008
| "Moment"
|
"Cry Little Sister"
| The Lost Boys: The Tribe
|
2009
| "Scavengers of the Damned"
| Knives
|
Awards and nominations
Awards won
- The Kerrang! Awards 2006 - Best International Newcomer
- Metal Hammer
Awards 2006 - Best Newcomer
Nominations
- The Kerrang! Awards 2007 - Best Live Band
References
- Aiden - Conviction | Music | CD | Reviews | Static Multimedia
- Tickets.com - Browse
- http://altpress.com/podcast
- "Artist Chart History - Aiden - Albums". Billboard. Retrieved on May 21, 2009.
- "Chart Log UK (1994–2008) A – Azzido Da Bass". Zobbel. Retrieved on May 21, 2009.
- "Chart Log UK (2009) Week 20". Zobbel. Retrieved on May 21, 2009.