AUSTIN, TX | January 17, 2017: Sitting at the center of the post-hardcore revival Nominee, consisting of I Call Fives former member, Chris Mclelland, Thieves former member, Andrew Exchavarria, Cameron Kisel and Stephen Flynn drew influences from past hardships, personal stories, and triumphant battles to showcase their relentless ambition to create an alternative sound that is as dynamic, as infectious. With their passion to tell personal stories, the 4-piece developed a gritty, battered-and-worn style to their music that exudes energy, dedication, and triumph. After years of hard work the band are thrilled to be releasing Drag Me Out (due out January 26th), the band's most personal record to date, a concept album that displays hardship and struggle with mental illness. What fans soon find out is the EP is a telling of tales by Chris Mclelland and his personal triumph with Bipolar Disease. Mclelland expands of the overarching theme of Drag Me Out, "The record is about admitting that you're not okay and trusting someone enough to tell them. We collaborate on all of our songs. Usually one of us will bring an idea to the table to get the wheels turning and we'll go from there. Musically, Drag Me Out is a reflection of who we are as a band." Drag Me Out, is due out January 26th and was produced and recorded by Kory Gables (Major League, I Call Fives, Born Without Bones) and mastered by Bill Henderson with all pre-production by Joseph Milligan of Anberlin.

 

Today, the band has unleashed "White Water" exclusively with Rock Sound, a song about what happens when those close to you let you down because they don't quite understand your struggle. The song details the struggle of dealing with a mental illness and constantly feeling like one cannot live up to another persons expectations. Mclelland went in to detail, "I know first hand what its like to not live up to someone's expectations, but on the other side of that, I feel like I've spent a better part of my life as a door mat, not saying how I feel and letting people walk all over me. I've been taken advantage of around every turn. I've never had a girlfriend who didn't cheat and I've never had a friend who didn't stand me up at one point or another. White Water is a culmination of feeling disappointed and betrayed by either family or friends."

 

Nominee recently released, "Retrospect" with the help of the non-profit, Hope For The Day. The song is about continuation of Mclelland's understanding of his Bipolar Disease. In the music video for "Retrospect" individuals begin throwing away items into a fire pit relieving them of something of their past. "Retrospect" is about revolting in to a new you and rediscovering one's self after overcoming hardship. The song was followed by, "Stay" which premiered with idobi Radio, a song about Mclelland's first diagnosis with Bipolar disorder at the tender age of 17 and how his medication wasn't making him feel himself. The song talks about the relationships that were ruined because of what he was going through and what it was like the moment he stopped taking his medication and how he has been ferociously dealing with the issue.