Jump to content

The Chariot (band)

From Alfawiki
The Chariot
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded2003 in Douglasville, Georgia, United States
Defunct2013
Headquarters
Douglasville
,
United States
ProductsStudio albums, EPs, live performances

The Chariot was a hardcore punk group originating from Douglasville, Georgia, active between 2003 and 2013. The band's final roster consisted of drummer David Kennedy, frontman and leader Josh Scogin, along with guitarists Brandon Henderson and Stephen Harrison. Despite numerous personnel shifts over the years, Scogin remained the only founding member throughout. Their aggressive metalcore sound deliberately avoided conventional melodic elements and harmonic singing, earning them recognition for intense live performances. Scogin's songwriting explored topics including materialism, inner conflict, political issues, and Christian themes.

Shortly after departing from Norma Jean, Scogin established The Chariot, which signed with Solid State Records in 2004. Their debut full-length, Everything Is Alive, Everything Is Breathing, Nothing Is Dead, and Nothing Is Bleeding, followed soon after. After extensive touring, they released the Unsung EP in 2005, along with three additional studio albums: The Fiancée (2007), Wars and Rumors of Wars (2009), and Long Live (2010). Their fifth release, One Wing, was recorded in May 2012 and launched on August 28 of that year. The band concluded their journey with a farewell tour in late 2013 before disbanding.

2003–2004: Formation and debut album

Following his exit from metalcore act Norma Jean—where he contributed to the 2002 album Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child—Josh Scogin formed The Chariot. His departure came shortly after Norma Jean's performance at Furnace Fest, surprising both fans and fellow musicians. Scogin attributed his decision to personal reasons rather than disputes within the band. Returning to his hometown of Douglasville in 2003, he put together the original lineup featuring guitarists Keller Harbin and Tony "Taco" Medina, bassist Joshua Beiser, and drummer Jeff Carter. The band's name draws inspiration from the Biblical account of Elijah’s ascent via the chariot of fire.

In 2004, The Chariot secured a contract with Solid State Records, a metal imprint under Tooth & Nail Records. Their initial release was a track on the compilation "This Is Solid State, Volume 5", which they later re-recorded for their debut album. Recorded live with producer Matt Goldman in Atlanta, their first album was unveiled in November 2004 under the title Everything Is Alive, Everything Is Breathing, Nothing Is Dead, and Nothing Is Bleeding. This title served as a satirical take on grim album names. Upon release, it reached No. 23 on the Top Heatseekers chart and garnered favorable critical acclaim. That winter, they toured extensively alongside groups such as As Cities Burn, He Is Legend, Far-less, and Showbread during the Young Bloods Tour.

2005–2008: The Fiancée

Early departures of Medina and Carter led to their replacements by Brian Khounvichit on bass and Mark Nicks on drums; Carter went on to create progressive death metal band Deus Invictus. Later on, Jake Ryan took over drumming duties from Nicks. In September 2005, The Chariot embarked on a 27-city tour supporting High on Fire, Every Time I Die, and The Red Chord. December saw the release of the Unsung EP featuring two new songs alongside four re-recorded tracks from their debut album; it received positive reviews from critics. Following that release, they toured with labelmates As Cities Burn, mewithoutYou, and Underoath.

Touring persisted throughout 2006 with a national spring tour alongside P.O.D., followed by participation in the summer's Sounds of the Underground Tour alongside As I Lay Dying. June brought lineup changes as longtime friends Dan Eaton and Jon Terry replaced bassist Beiser and guitarist Harbin respectively.

In autumn 2006, The Chariot joined the Youngbloods II Tour, sharing stages with Solid State labelmates August Burns Red, Destroy The Runner, and Inhale Exhale. By January 2007, they completed a European tour with Becoming the Archetype and Shaped by Fate; bassist Jon "KC Wolf" Kindler had also joined by this time. After some delays due to lineup shifts, their sophomore album The Fiancée was released in April 2007. Produced by Matt Goldman under tight deadlines, Scogin found writing lyrics after composing music challenging enough to vow against repeating that process. Notable guest appearances included Hayley Williams of Paramore on "Then Came To Kill" and Aaron Weiss of mewithoutYou on "Forgive Me Nashville."

The Fiancée debuted at No. 169 on the Billboard 200 chart with sales reaching approximately 6,800 copies. It achieved recognition within both Christian and mainstream markets. Subsequent tours featured support slots alongside Misery Signals, I Am Ghost, and I Hate Sally before joining that summer’s Warped Tour. The Fiancée promotional cycle extended into spring 2008 with tours alongside LoveHateHero, Alesana, Our Last Night, and Sky Eats Airplane.

Mid-2008 marked significant lineup changes as Jake Ryan, Dan Eaton, and Jon Terry exited the band. Ryan and Eaton later formed indie pop project Queens Club under Tooth & Nail Records.

2009–2010: Wars and Rumors of Wars

In May 2009, the band released their third studio album, Wars and Rumors of Wars. The lineup underwent another transformation, leaving Josh Scogin as the only remaining member from the previous two records. Drawing its title from Matthew 24:6, the album's name alludes to internal struggles rather than actual warfare. For the initial 25,000 copies, the band personally designed the album artwork and liner notes. Wars and Rumors of War entered the Billboard 200 chart at number 112, marking their highest peak so far. The album received widespread acclaim from critics. That summer, The Chariot participated in the Scream the Prayer Tour, sharing the stage with Haste the Day, Sleeping Giant, Oh, Sleeper, and Project 86. Subsequently, they joined Norma Jean on the national Explosions 2009 Tour.

2010: Long Live

The band's fourth album, Long Live, was launched on November 22, 2010, via Good Fight. Production was handled by Matt Goldman.

2012–2013: One Wing and final tour

In May 2012, The Chariot entered the studio to record their fifth album, One Wing, which was released on August 28, 2012. Bassist Jon (KC Wolf) Kindler departed in June to resume his college education; as a result, Henderson and Harrison took over bass duties while the group continued as a quartet. Prior to the album's release, the song "In" debuted on Alternative Press.

The band's concluding tour occurred between October and November 2013, featuring support from Glass Cloud, Rebuker, Birds in Row, and To the Wind.

Following the breakup, Josh Scogin went on to form '68. Stephen Harrison became part of The Fever 333, a supergroup led by Jason Aalon Butler after letlive.'s dissolution. In 2018, former members Bryan Taylor and Jon Terrey joined forces with David Kennedy to establish The Threats.

By 2020, Scogin confirmed that The Chariot would not reunite in any formal capacity, preferring impromptu performances over nostalgia-driven comebacks.

Musical style and influences

The Chariot's sound is characterized by a metal foundation combined with frontman Josh Scogin's screamed vocals. Critics frequently describe their music as "chaotic"; Allmusic referred to it as a "dense, clobbering sledgehammer," while Alternative Press highlighted its "manically pounding, distortion-soaked exercises of catharsis." Although often categorized under metalcore, the band breaks conventional genre boundaries through relentless drumming, heavy guitar riffs, and intense shrieking. Their compositions tend to be brief and incorporate frequent tempo shifts and abrupt changes. Scogin dismisses strict genre classifications, labeling their style as "heavy punk rock" and considering terms like mathcore overly precise.

Live shows are a core aspect of their identity. Scogin stated, "That's what this band are all about: playing live shows." Their debut album was recorded in a single live take; later recordings permitted some editing but maintained an unpolished vibe. Building an audience through energetic performances remains paramount. Their live reputation is notable—MTV described them as "the thing of metalcore legend." Reviews emphasize their fierce stage energy and raw intensity.

Scogin cites influences from legendary performers such as James Brown, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis Presley, alongside bands like Arcade Fire, The Beatles, and The Killers. He has also expressed respect for At The Drive-In and Nirvana.

Lyrically, Scogin tackles subjects including materialism, mortality, and critiques of Nashville's Christian music scene. The darker tone of Wars and Rumors of Wars reflects personal grief. He views lyrics as poetic expressions rather than finished works—songs are abandoned rather than completed. Christian themes are woven subtly into songs like "Yellow Dress: Locked Knees" and "And Shot Each Other," which contain spiritual allusions.

While The Chariot is frequently labeled a Christian band—a designation Scogin acknowledges by saying "We are Christians in a band therefore we are a Christian band"—he emphasizes that their faith is not imposed on listeners. He prioritizes musical quality above religious identification: "A band's either good or they ain't, and that's the only thing that should matter."

Members

Final Roster

  • Josh Scogin – lead vocalist (2003–2013)
  • Stephen "Stevis" Harrison – rhythm guitarist, backing vocals (2009–2013); bassist (2012–2013)
  • David Kennedy – drummer (2008–2013)
  • Brandon Henderson – lead guitarist, backing vocals (2011–2013); bassist (2012–2013)

Past Members

  • Keller Harbin – lead guitar, vocals (2003–2006); drums (2003–2004)
  • Joshua Beiser – bass guitar (2003–2006)
  • Tony Medina – rhythm guitar (2003–2005)
  • Jeff Carter – drums (2004–2005)
  • Mark Nicks – drums (2005–2006)
  • Jake Ryan – drums (2005–2008)
  • Dan Eaton – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2006–2008); bass guitar (2006)
  • Jon Terrey – lead guitar, backing vocals (2006–2008, 2010)
  • Jon "KC Wolf" Kindler – bass guitar, backing vocals (2006–2012)
  • Dan Vokey – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2008–2009)
  • Bryan Russel Taylor – lead guitar (2008–2010)
Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:110 bottom:80 top:5 right:0 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/2003 till:01/12/2013 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors = 

 id:Vocals    value:red         legend:Lead_vocals
 id:BVocals   value:pink        legend:Backing_vocals
 id:LGuitar   value:teal        legend:Lead_guitar
 id:RGuitar   value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitar
 id:Bass      value:blue        legend:Bass
 id:Drums     value:orange      legend:Drums
 id:Album     value:black       legend:Studio_album
 id:EP        value:gray(0.5)   legend:EP
 id:bars      value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4 ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:2003 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:2004

BarData = 

 bar:Scogin     text:"Josh Scogin"
 bar:Harbin     text:"Keller Harbin"
 bar:Terrey     text:"Jon Terrey"
 bar:Taylor     text:"Bryan Russell Taylor"
 bar:Henderson  text:"Brandon Henderson"
 bar:Medina     text:"Tony Medina"
 bar:Vokey      text:"Dan Vokey"
 bar:Harrison   text:"Stephen Harrison"
 bar:Beiser     text:"Joshua Beiser"
 bar:Eaton      text:"Dan Eaton"
 bar:Kindler    text:"Jon Kindler"
 bar:Carter     text:"Jeff Carter"
 bar:Ryan       text:"Jake Ryan"
 bar:Kennedy    text:"David Kennedy"

PlotData= 

 width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4)
 bar:Scogin    from:01/01/2003   till:01/12/2013   color:Vocals
 bar:Harbin    from:01/01/2003   till:01/06/2006   color:LGuitar
 bar:Harbin    from:01/01/2003   till:01/01/2004   color:Drums width:7
 bar:Terrey    from:01/06/2006   till:01/06/2008   color:LGuitar
 bar:Terrey    from:01/06/2006   till:01/06/2008   color:BVocals width:3
 bar:Taylor    from:01/06/2008   till:01/03/2010   color:LGuitar
 bar:Terrey    from:01/03/2010   till:01/01/2011   color:LGuitar
 bar:Terrey    from:01/03/2010   till:01/01/2011   color:BVocals width:3
 bar:Henderson from:01/01/2011   till:end         color=LGuitar
 bar:Harrison  from:01/03/2009   till:end         color=RGuitar
 bar:Harrison  from:01/03/2009   till:end         color=BVocals width=3
 bar:Harrison  from:01/06/2012   till:end         color=Bass width=7
 bar:Henderson from:01/06/2012   till:end         color=Bass width=7
 bar:Henderson from:start         till:end         color=BVocals width=3 
 bar:Eaton     from:start+5y+5m till:start+7y+6m color=RGuitar width=7 
             from:start+5y+5m till:start+7y+6m color=BVocals width=3 
             from:start+5y+11m till:start+7y+6m color=RGuitar 
             from:start+5y+5m till:start+5y+11m color=Bass

LineData = 

 color:EP
 at:(06|12|2005) layer:=back 
 color:black layer:=back 
             at:(16|11|04) 
             at:(03|04|07) 
             at:(05|05|09) 
             at:(23|11|10) 
             at:(28|08|12)

</timeline>

Discography

Full-length albums
Extended plays
Collections
  • 2011: Before There Was
Singles
  • 2011: "Music Of A Grateful Heart"
Demo recordings
  • 2004: I Collect Bust
  • 2004: Matt Goldman Demo
Guest appearances

Videography

Comprehensive list of music videos by The Chariot, covering both official releases and live footage.

Year Title
2005 The Company, The Comfort, The Grave
2006 Yanni Depp
2007 They Faced Each Other
2007 They Drew Their Swords
2008 Forgive Me Nashville
2009 Daggers
2009 Teach
2010 Evolve
2010 David De La Hoz
2011 The City
2011 The Heavens
2011 Evan Perks
2012 Cheek

Filmography

  • 2004: Ladies and Gentlemen... The Chariot
  • 2007: One More Song
  • 2014: Farewell Documentary

References

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=The_Chariot_(band)&oldid=85971"