Unlocking the Truth
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York , United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Unlocking the Truth was a heavy metal ensemble originating from Brooklyn, New York, established in 2007. The trio comprised Malcolm Brickhouse (guitarist, vocalist, principal songwriter), Jarad Dawkins (drummer), and Alec Atkins (bassist).
History
Malcolm Brickhouse and Jarad Dawkins first connected in 2005, discovering shared musical interests that led them to create the band. To finalize their lineup, they instructed their friend Alec Atkins in bass playing. Their street performances throughout Times Square and other parts of New York City quickly attracted viral attention via YouTube and social media platforms.
As adolescents, Unlocking the Truth appeared on national television programs such as NBC's The Tonight Show, ABC's The View, CNN, and Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report. In 2014, they made history as the youngest performers at the Coachella and also appeared at events like Afropunk Festival, SXSW, and were the youngest group on the 2014 Vans Warped Tour. Their festival appearances extended to Heavy Montréal and Bonnaroo.
The band toured alongside prominent acts including Guns N' Roses, Motörhead, Queens of the Stone Age, Living Colour, Slash, and Marilyn Manson. They featured in advertising campaigns for companies such as Airheads, AT&T, Beats by Dr. Dre, Maybelline, and Verizon. Coverage of their career appeared in publications like Spin, Revolver, Guitar World, Rolling Stone, New York Daily News, Village Voice, New York Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, and Loudwire.
In 2014, Unlocking the Truth secured a $1.8 million agreement with Sony Music Entertainment for five albums; due to their minor status, this contract required approval from the New York Supreme Court. The band successfully negotiated an exit from this deal in 2015. Their first full-length release, Chaos, was made available on June 17, 2016 through TuneCore. That year also saw the debut of the documentary Breaking a Monster, which documented their journey and won Best Music Documentary at the UK Music Video Awards. Loudwire premiered their video for "Take Control".
Following releases included singles such as "My Chains" (2017), "Come Closer" (2018), "Mama" (2018), and "Pretend" (2019). The group disbanded in January 2020; frontman Malcolm Brickhouse embarked on a solo path under the name Malxolm Brixkhouse, releasing the track "Rapture" in September 2021.
Style and influences
Unlocking the Truth’s musical style has been characterized as a tribute to classic metal infused with contemporary elements. The Los Angeles Times described their Coachella set as "a powerful fusion of metal, speed punk, and alternative rock," emphasizing their remarkable professionalism given their age. Artist Direct hailed them as "the future of music." Their influences include bands such as Metallica, Slipknot, Disturbed, Living Colour, Escape the Fate, Chelsea Grin, and Motionless in White.
Discography
Albums
- Chaos (2016)
Singles
- "My Chains" (2017)
- "Come Closer" (2018)
- "Mama" (2018)
- "Pretend" (2019)
Members
- Malcolm Brickhouse – vocals, guitar (2007–2020)
- Jarad Dawkins – percussion (2007–2020)
- Alec Atkins – bass guitar (2013–2020)