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Acceptance (band)

From Alfawiki
Acceptance
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1998 in Seattle, Washington, United States
Defunct2006 (initially)
FateReunited in 2015
Headquarters
Seattle
,
United States
ProductsStudio albums: Phantoms (2005), Colliding by Design (2017), Wild, Free (2020)

Acceptance is a pop punk group originating from Seattle, Washington, established in 1998. Their initial EP, Lost for Words, was released in 2000, followed by Black Lines to Battlefields in 2003, which later saw a reissue including live bonus tracks. Their first full-length album, Phantoms, debuted in 2005.

The band announced their comeback on January 26, 2015, and introduced "Take You Away," their first new track in over ten years, on May 8, 2015. Subsequently, they released the studio albums Colliding by Design in 2017 and Wild, Free in 2020.

Formation, debut release, and disbandment (1998–2006)

Acceptance embarked on nationwide tours alongside acts such as The Juliana Theory, Anberlin, Finch, and Seether, and participated in events like the Warped Tour and Cornerstone Festival. Their debut EP, Lost for Words, launched through Seattle’s independent label Rocketstar Records, achieved close to 5,000 units sold and garnered industry notice. After recording a five-track demo with producer Aaron Sprinkle, the band secured a deal with Columbia Records, a Sony subsidiary. Columbia issued the Black Lines To Battlefields EP via The Militia Group, utilizing Sony's Red Distribution network.

Their first album Phantoms, produced by Aaron Sprinkle, was released under Columbia Records in 2005. This record later became associated with the Sony rootkit controversy due to the inclusion of Extended Copy Protection software.

On August 2, 2006, Acceptance declared their dissolution. Guitarist Christian McAlhaney stated that lead vocalist Jason Vena opted to leave the band in pursuit of a more traditional lifestyle while other members explored different projects.

At the time of their split, the group had composed and demoed new material for an upcoming album. As a parting gesture to their audience, they made the unreleased demo "Not Afraid" available for free download on their Myspace page.

Activities following disbandment (2006–2014)

In 2010, Jason Vena made his first significant appearance after the breakup by featuring on Ivoryline's album Vessels with the track "The Healing" and later appeared on All Time Low's 2012 release Don't Panic on the song "Outlines".

Kaylan Cloyd collaborated with Ryan Van Wieringen and Bobby Darling from Gatsbys American Dream to form Search/Rescue, releasing their debut album The Compound in Japan (2007) and subsequently in the United States (2008) through Eyeball Records.

Christian McAlhaney served as guitarist for Anberlin until their 2014 breakup and has since reunited with them. Alongside Nick Radovanovic and Kyle Flynn, McAlhaney also formed Thunder Thunder with Jerrod Bettis; however, the band's current status remains uncertain due to McAlhaney’s commitments with Anberlin.

Kyle Flynn resides in Los Angeles where he collaborates with his brother Kevin Flynn on a Warner Bros. screenplay project and was announced as part of Anberlin’s touring lineup.

On May 30, 2009, Nick Radovanovic released a remixed version of "So Contagious" and later shared a demo titled "Desperate," both originating from Acceptance’s unreleased recordings prior to their breakup.

Reunion era: Colliding by Design and Wild, Free (2015–present)

Acceptance announced their comeback on January 26, 2015, unveiling "Take You Away," their first new single since 2006. In August 2016, the band planned several shows in Texas as opening acts for As Cities Burn.

In a November 2016 interview, Christian McAlhaney disclosed that the band's split in 2006 was influenced by several issues: an early leak of their debut album Phantoms, pressure from their label to promote a ballad as the lead single, the inclusion of spyware with the album, and a legal dispute that ultimately led to the album's withdrawal.

Their sophomore studio release, Colliding by Design, arrived in February 2017. Supporters on Pledge Music were given early access to the song "Diagram of a Simple Man." Additionally, a lyric video for the track "Haunted" was released in January 2017.

By May 2019, Acceptance confirmed they were working on fresh recordings in the studio. They subsequently announced the Wild EP would be released on July 24, 2020, preceded by the single "Cold Air." Their third full-length album, Wild, Free, which includes all songs from the EP, was launched on October 2, 2020.

In the summer of 2025, Acceptance signed a deal with Equal Vision Records.

Musical style

According to AllMusic, Acceptance’s sound merges infectious melodies and large-scale choruses with a robust rock influence akin to bands like Jimmy Eat World and Anberlin. Their debut album Phantoms fuses pop punk with elements of alternative pop, pop rock, emo, and rock.

Band members

Current

  • Jason Vena – lead vocals (1998–2006, 2015–present), keyboards (2000–2006, 2015–present), bass guitar (1998–2000)
  • Kaylan Cloyd – lead guitar (1998–2006, 2015–present)
  • Garrett Lunceford – drums and percussion (2000–2003, 2015–present)
  • Christian McAlhaney – rhythm guitar and backing vocals (2000–2006, 2015–present)
  • Ryan Zwiefelhofer – bass guitar (2002–2006, 2015–present)

Former

  • Nick Radovanovic – drums (2003–2006; participated in 2015 reunion shows)
  • Peter Pizzuto – drums (1998–2000)
  • Chris DeCastro – rhythm guitar and backing vocals (1998–2000)
  • Christopher Camp – bass guitar (2000–2002)

Touring

  • Kyle Flynn – bass guitar (2006), keyboards (2005–2006)
Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

  • Phantoms (2005)
  • Colliding by Design (2017)
  • Wild, Free (2020)

External links

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