Hail the Sun

About Hail the Sun

Hail the Sun started in Chico, California in 2009, which matters because the post-hardcore scene in smaller cities tends to produce bands with something to prove. Donovan Melero handled vocals and drums simultaneously for the first few years, the kind of technical ambition that tells you everything about where they were headed. Aric Garcia on guitar, Shane Gann on bass, and later John Stirrat completing the lineup gave them the firepower to turn that ambition into actual songs.

Their early work showed up on "POW! Right In The Kisser!" in 2010, but it was really just them figuring out how to blend mathcore technicality with the melodic sensibilities of early 2000s post-hardcore. The drumming and vocal combo was impressive in a way that could've been gimmicky but wasn't. By the time "Elephantitis" dropped, they'd refined the approach enough that people started paying attention beyond their immediate circle.

The real shift happened when Melero moved to front the band full-time, letting him focus on vocals while a dedicated drummer handled the increasingly complex rhythms. "Wake" in 2014 marked that transition and showed a band comfortable with odd time signatures that never felt like they were showing off just to show off. The songs had hooks. "Relax/Divide" and "Human Target Practice" became setlist staples because they managed to be both technically demanding and actually catchy.

"Culture Scars" arrived in 2016 through Equal Vision Records and pushed them further into the conversation around modern post-hardcore. The production was cleaner but not sterile. Songs like "Burn Nice and Slow (The Formative Years)" showed they could write something almost poppy without losing the edge. They toured relentlessly around this period, building the kind of dedicated following that comes from actually being good live, not from algorithm luck.

"Mental Knife" in 2018 leaned heavier into prog elements without disappearing up their own complexity. The album felt darker, more aggressive in spots, but still retained the melodic core that kept them from becoming just another tech band. "Doing the Same Thing and Expecting Different Results" was the kind of song title that doubled as a mission statement.

They've continued that trajectory with "New Age Filth" in 2021 and "Divine Inner Tension" in 2023, refining rather than reinventing. The Blue Swan Records connection through their association with Dance Gavin Dance's scene helped, but they've always existed slightly apart from that world, more interested in their own musical puzzles than fitting a particular mold.

These days they're exactly where a band like this should be: headlining mid-sized venues, commanding respect from musicians, and largely ignored by people who think post-hardcore ended in 2007. Their fans know every word. Everyone else is missing out, but that's how these things work.

Tight as hell. The kind of show where people actually watch rather than just absorb. You'll see folks trying to track the riffs, nodding through the odd meters. The energy is concentrated rather than explosive. They lock in and rarely waver.

Known for The Saddest Song I've Got, New Skin, Dream in Broken Images, What God Knows, Holy Fucking Science

See Hail the Sun Live