The Color Morale
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Rockford, Illinois , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
The Color Morale is a metalcore and post-hardcore group originating from Rockford, Illinois, established in 2007. The current roster includes vocalist and keyboardist Garret Rapp, guitarists Devin King and Aaron Saunders, bassist Mike Honson, and drummer Steve Carey. Among them, Rapp and Carey remain as the founding members still active in the band. Previously signed with Fearless Records, they entered a hiatus in 2018 but made an official comeback in March 2020. Before pausing their activities, they released five full-length albums: We All Have Demons, My Devil in Your Eyes, Know Hope, Hold On Pain Ends, and Desolate Divine.
Their musical style is heavily influenced by post-hardcore and metalcore acts such as Glassjaw, Beloved, Misery Signals, and Poison the Well. The lyrical content frequently addresses topics including spirituality, mental well-being, personal challenges, and messages of hope.
Formation and We All Have Demons (2007–2010)
The band was formed in 2007 by Garret Rapp, Justin Hieser, Ramon Mendoza, John Bross, and Steve Carey following the disbandment of their previous groups; all except Hieser had been members of The Killer Apathy. Their chosen name symbolized their core mission. On June 9, 2009, they signed with Rise Records with intentions to release their debut album on September 1 of that year. Their first album, We All Have Demons, was produced by Joey Sturgis at Foundation Studios located in Connersville, Indiana. In 2010, they participated in the Rise Records Tour alongside The Bled and released a music video for the track "Humannequin" from their debut record.
My Devil in Your Eyes and line-up changes (2010–2012)
Towards the end of 2010, work began on their sophomore album with Joey Sturgis returning as producer. My Devil in Your Eyes was launched on March 8, 2011. Just prior to this release, bassist Justin Hieser departed due to personal matters and was succeeded by Anthony Wick. However, Hieser rejoined during touring activities while Wick stepped down. John Bross exited the band to dedicate time to his family and clothing business; consequently, Hieser transitioned to rhythm guitar while bass duties during live shows were covered by other members. In 2012’s Fire & Ice tour, Ryan Pulice from Rosaline joined as bassist. By August that year, lead guitarist Ramon Mendoza scaled back his involvement to care for his newborn child and was replaced by Devin King, who had previously toured with the band.
Know Hope (2012–2014)
In mid-2012, the group began composing material for their third album titled Know Hope, aiming for a release either later that year or in early 2013. Out of twenty-two written songs, twelve were selected for the final tracklist; production and mastering were handled by Josh Schroeder between October and December 2012.
Aaron Saunders took over rhythm guitar responsibilities from John Bross. Bassist Ryan Pulice was dismissed to enable Justin Hieser’s return to bass duties. On January 31, 2013, a lyric video for "Learned Behavior" was premiered through Alternative Press, accompanied by the unveiling of the album’s artwork, track listing, and a release date set for March 26. Rise Records streamed the album on YouTube starting March 20.
On January 1, 2014, it was announced that The Color Morale would be included in the lineup for the 2014 Vans Warped Tour.
Signing with Fearless Records and the Release of Hold On Pain Ends (2014–2016)
On April 10, 2014, Fearless Records announced that they had signed The Color Morale, along with plans to release their fourth studio album, Hold On Pain Ends, later that year. The next day, Mike Honson was introduced as the band's new bassist, succeeding Justin Hieser. By May 27, after two months of work, the band had finished recording the album.
The first single, "Outer Demons," debuted on iTunes accompanied by a lyric video on June 23. Shortly after, on July 2, the album’s artwork and tracklist were unveiled alongside pre-order availability. The second single, "Suicide;Stigma," featuring Dave Stephens from We Came as Romans, was released on July 16.
Produced by Mike Green, Hold On Pain Ends officially dropped on September 2, 2014. In addition to Stephens, Craig Owens of Chiodos contributed guest vocals on the track "Developing Negative."
Desolate Divine Era and Hiatus (2016–2020)
The band revealed their fifth studio album, Desolate Divine, on June 23, 2016, with its release date set for August 19. The announcement included the lead single "Walls." Vocalist Garret Rapp shared that he would no longer perform unclean vocals, a responsibility that rhythm guitarist Aaron Saunders assumed.
On January 19, 2018, Rapp used Facebook to announce that the band was entering an official hiatus.
Reunion and Upcoming Sixth Album (2020–Present)
On March 25, 2020, Garret Rapp confirmed the group's comeback and revealed they were in the process of writing their sixth studio album. Later, on January 30, 2023, the band publicized a reunion show scheduled for September at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival held at Virginia International Raceway.
Christianity
The Color Morale have largely avoided being categorized strictly as a "Christian band." Bassist Anthony Wick explained that although most members identify as Christians, this label is more a marketing tool than a true reflection of their personal beliefs. He stressed the importance of living genuinely rather than making declarations during performances and dismissed the "Evangelical Christian Metalcore" classification.
In a 2013 interview, vocalist Garret Rapp described himself as existing in a personal "grey area," focusing instead on producing positive influence through his music as a reaffirmation of his purpose.
Band members
Current
- Garret Rapp – lead vocals, keyboards
- Steve Carey – drums
- Devin King – lead guitar
- Aaron Saunders – rhythm guitar; vocals; backing vocals
- Mike Honson – bass, backing vocals
Former
- John Bross – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Ramon Mendoza – lead guitar
- Ryan Pulice – bass
- Justin Hieser – bass; vocals; rhythm guitar
Touring
- Anthony Wick – bass
- Ricky Thomas – bass
Timeline
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label | Chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 200 | US Heat | US Christian | US Indie | |||
| 2009 | We All Have Demons | Rise | – | – | – | – |
| 2011 | My Devil in Your Eyes | – | 11 | 20 | 44 | |
| 2013 | Know Hope | 106 | 1 | – | 22 | |
| 2014 | Hold On Pain Ends | Fearless | 28 | – | – | 6 |
| 2016 | Desolate Divine | 155 | – | – | – | |
Music videos
| Year | Song | Album | Director | Style | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Humannequin" | We All Have Demons | Unknown | Story-driven | [1] |
| 2013 | "Smoke and Mirrors" | Know Hope | Live footage | [2] | |
| "Learned Behavior" | Dan Kennedy & Rasa Acharya | Performance video | [3] | ||
| "Strange Comfort" | Story-driven | [4] | |||
| "Steadfast" | Brendan Donahue | Live footage | [5] | ||
| 2014 | "Prey for Me" | Hold On Pain Ends | Dan Centrone | Story-driven | [6] |
| "Between You and Eye" | Eric Richter | Performance video | [7] | ||
| 2016 | "Walls" | Desolate Divine | Samuel Halleen | Story-driven | [8] |
| "Clip Paper Wings" | The Color Morale | Live footage | [9] |
Collaborations
| Year | Track | Album | Collaborating Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Whiteflag" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Broken Mirrors | Mercy Screams |
| 2012 | "Inertia (The Hermit)" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Divination | In Hearts Wake |
| "Holy Smokin O's" (featuring Garret Rapp) | The Call Out | Boys of Fall | |
| 2013 | "Fractures" (featuring Garret Rapp) | The Greatest of These | Sinners to Saints |
| "Man of the House" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Pandoras Box | Our Imbalance | |
| "The Loyal Ones" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Beacon | Witness | |
| "Persona Ex Machina" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Indigo on Blast | Indigo on Blast | |
| "Scarred" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Non-album single | Oh, Infamous City | |
| "Elevate" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Elevate | Silence Is Broken | |
| 2014 | "Empty Eyes" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Rebel Revive | Jamie's Elsewhere |
| "Voodoo Blues" (featuring Garret Rapp) | I Have Become a Corpse | Illuminate Me | |
| "Dream Eater" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Heavy Hearts | For the Fallen Dreams | |
| "Season of the Dead" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Season of the Dead | Chasing Safety | |
| 2015 | "The Oil, the Canvas" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Honesty | Abyss, Watching Me |
| "People Like Us" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Mind Games | Palisades | |
| "DreamWeaver" (featuring Garret Rapp) | DreamWeaver | Made from Myths | |
| "Soulless" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Sounds of Sorrow | DEADSPEAKER | |
| "The Hearts of Our Broken" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Routine Breathing | Slaves | |
| "Dead Society" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Dead Society | We Were Giants | |
| 2016 | "Stepping Stones" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Past Is Prologue | A Greater Danger |
| 2018 | "Delectation" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Reverie | Boy Becomes Hero |
| 2021 | "Let's Pretend" (featuring Garret Rapp) | Galleons | Galleons |