About He Is Legend

He Is Legend formed in 2000, as its members were graduating from high school in Wilmington, NC. Singer Schuylar Croom, lead guitarist Adam Tanbouz, rhythm guitarist McKenzie Bell, bassist Matt Williams, and drummer Steven Bache cycled through a variety of band names and musical approaches before establishing themselves as He Is Legend.

After a self-released demo, A Kiss That Killed the One We Love (No One Wins), the band signed with the small indie label Tribunal Records to release their first EP, 91025 in the summer of 2004.

With their emphasis strictly on music and not what happens to be "cool," they bring an array of musical tastes and influences to the table, but still manage to deliver in-your-face rock n roll and a "no-holds-barred" attitude. 91025 captures a band in its youthful stages, who are willing to risk it all regardless of what critics might think. They are able to mix harmonious, metallic, guitar precision with solid rock rhythms, flawlessly. While vocalist, Schuylar Croom, delivers a most versatile performance, ranging from subtle crooning to cathartic, throaty screams.

Although their name is taken from Richard Matheson's vampire horror classic - I Am Legend (the inspiration for the cult film The Omega Man, among others) the band's take on screamo is more positive than most groups, so much that they regularly deflect the idea that He Is Legend is a Christian rock band.

Following the release of 91025 the band signed with the more established label Solid State Records to release their full-length debut, I Am Hollywood, later the same year. After a two-year break, during which the band only released a split EP with the band Classic Case, entitled Black Unicorn.

He Is Legend returned to the studio and released their second full-length, Suck Out the Poison, in the fall of 2006.

The act of sucking out the poison is a myth, a fairy tale that will get you killed. But it’s also a fascinating, fictitious picture of redemption. Your friend, your love, is bitten by a serpent, inflicting a fatal wound. In order to save them you have to place yourself on the wound, tasting the serum, to save their life. It is a both vile and virile act, much like the sophomore release from this North Carolina quintet. Dirty, disgusting at times, but always an alluring and fascinating picture. You are drawn to it, even though maybe you shouldn’t be.

“We pride ourselves in being the most random band in the universe. There is no one concept, no one rule to how we do things. We don’t agree on anything besides the music we write. Why take yourself seriously if you are in a rock band? I can’t even believe that people pay money to watch us make fools out of ourselves onstage. But still, we want everyone to come to the show and never know what to expect, besides knowing they will have a great time. This time around though, we are way more satisfied with the music we have written. I think people will come to the shows and do a little more than just swing their arms and do karate kicks.”

He Is Legend latest release to check out is It Hates You, Tragic Hero Records, June 2009.