Eyes Set to Kill

Eyes Set to Kill
Eyes Set to Kill performing in 2015
Background information
Origin	Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Genres	Metalcore,[1][2][3] post-hardcore,[4][5][6] emo,[4][6][7][8][9][10][11] alternative metal[12]
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Century Media, Maphia, Forsee,[13] Suburban Noize,[14] BreakSilence, Koch
Associated acts	The Attraction, Greeley Estates, Alesana, The Dead Rabbitts, The Word Alive, LoveHateHero, Escape the Fate, XO Stereo
Website	Facebook.com/eyessettokill
Members	Alexia Rodriguez Caleb Clifton
Past members	See below

Eyes Set to Kill is an American post-hardcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, United States.^[15] Sisters Alexia Rodríguez (born 23 November 1987) and Anissa Rodríguez (born 27 January 1989),^[16] along with former vocalist Lindsey Vogt started the band in 2003. Lindsey Vogt departed the band in mid-2007 due to issues with management. Lindsey would go on to form a solo project known as "The Taro Sound", and eventually formed the band "The Attraction." After Lindsey's departure, Alexia assumed her position as lead vocalist as well as guitarist.^[15]

The World Outside received widespread critical acclaim and the group was featured on the cover of USA Today, as one of Alternative Press Magazine's "100 Bands You Need To Know", and hosted an episode of MTV's Headbangers Ball.^[17] Broken Frames was ranked fifth on the list of "Locals Only: The Best Albums and EPs in 2010".^[18]

History

The band's name was derived from a line out of a poem Alexia wrote in secondary school. Eyes Set to Kill began in 2003 as a three-piece band from Tempe, Arizona. Alexia Rodriguez (lead guitar, vocals), Anissa Rodriguez (bass guitar), and Lindsey Vogt (lead vocals), searched the local area for musicians to join their band. Despite sharing the stage with several signed and unsigned artists, including Chiodos, Blessthefall, Goodbye Tomorrow, My American Heart, and Greeley Estates, the initial combination they found was only temporary, and over the next several months, the band continued to undergo changes in their musical lineup. In early 2006, three men joined the line-up of Eyes Set to Kill, those men being Alex Torres (guitar), Brandon Anderson (vocals), and Caleb Clifton (drums). The band worked for Eyes Set to Kill to be active after losing half of their members, and went on to record an EP in 2006 with Arizona's Larry Elyea and his studio, Minds Eye Digital.

When Silence is Broken, the Night is Torn (2006)

Eyes Set to Kill's original EP featuring guitarist Alex Torres and original vocalist, Lindsey Vogt. The album featured ten songs (six of which were re-recorded for the full-length album, Reach), the EP sold 11,000 units, and was recorded locally at Mind's Eye Digital Recording Studios in Glendale, AZ with Larry Elyea and Keaton.

They toured on the Zippo Hot Tour opening for Papa Roach and Co-Headliners Hed PE

Reach (2007-2008)

Eyes Set to Kill's debut full-length album, Reach, was released February 19, 2008. The first single from the album was "Reach", with their following single as "Darling".

Reach hit No. 29 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and No. 77 on Billboard’s Independent Music charts in 2008 selling 1900 copies in its first week.^[19]

The World Outside (2008-2009)

Eyes Set to Kill's second album, The World Outside, was released June 2, 2009. Alexia stated that this new album is "a lot darker."^[20] On April 23, 2009, they posted the song "Heights" on their Myspace page. Craig Mabbitt was a guest vocalist on the song "Deadly Weapons".

The World Outside sold 2,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[21] The World Outside peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart^[22] and No. 26 on the Independent Albums chart^[23]

On July 7, 2009, it was announced that lead singer Alexia will be recording an acoustic EP after being inspired to do so following performing the song "Come Home." Recording began on July 8, 2009. Also the acoustic EP was stated to be Limited Edition and only available at their shows.

On March 25, 2010 at the Icon in Pocatello, Idaho they announced that they had finished recording their third album, but did not announce a release date. However, on March 26, 2010, at Kilby Court in Salt Lake City, Utah, (Jesse Perez was there and heard the announcement) they announced that the new album would be released in June 2010.

Broken Frames (2010-2011)

Their third studio album, called Broken Frames, was released on June 8, 2010. The first single from the album is called "All You Ever Knew", and was released on April 1, 2010 on revolvermag.com and on their MySpace page. Brandon Anderson had resigned from the band, and "quit for a girl, but it wasn't just that. He really damaged his vocal chords and he can't scream anymore," band member Caleb says. Frontwoman Alexia said of the album, "I have a lot of memories that I want to forget about. So I wanted to base the theme of the song on that feeling. I have had a friend pass away; I have broken hearts; I have lost faith at times; and I have made mistakes that I can’t even count anymore. So all of the memories of these things inspired me to write about them on this album. We really wanted this first song to be the heaviest and the most evolved sounding track compared to the tracks on The World Outside. 'Broken Frames' is the first song we finished for this record and the first song we tried out this theme on. So I guess you could call this a concept album about everything I want to forget."^[24] The song "Ryan" is about Alexia's guitar teacher, who taught her almost everything she knows. She says "he was always a happy person, but not in the inside I guess." One day she went in for lessons, he wasn't there and she later found out he had shot himself in the chest. So she really just wanted to write a song about him. Anissa wrote the piano part in the song.

It was stated on Eyes Set To Kill's Twitter that they will be playing 3 brand new songs at The Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA March 20, 2011. They played with Rosalynn, Black Veil Brides, Confide, and From First to Last. One of the new songs that debuted is called "Where I Want To Be."

On March 2, 2011 it was announced that Eyes Set To Kill would be playing the Vans Warped Tour 2011.

Underground Sounds (2010-2011)

On October 12, 2010, Alexia "Lexia" Rodriguez released her debut solo album called "Underground Sounds." The album includes a few of ESTK's songs such as "Come Home," with the debut single's acoustic version of "Reach" and a cover of Radiohead's "Climbing Up the Walls."^[25] On October 26, 2010, "Let Me In" was released as Lexia's first single with a video under her first solo album "Lexia: Underground Sounds."^[26] The song is featured as a bonus track from their third studio album, Broken Frames. On January 27, 2011, in a blogspot written by Alexia Rodriguez, she reveals the departure of Greg Kerwin.^[27] Replacing Greg on guitar for their Alaska tour is David Molina. In 2011, Alexia Rodriguez was featured in the song "Cross-Eyed Catastrophe" on The Black Crown by Suicide Silence.

White Lotus (2011)

The band will be on the Horror Nights Tour with Aiden, Get Scared, Vampires Everywhere!, and Dr. Acula from May 13-June 23.

Eyes Set to Kill entered the studio in Ocala, FL with producer Andrew Wade to record a new album on April 27. It was stated on May 11 that the new LP was complete. The first song to be released is called "The Secrets Between" and will be on the 2011 Warped Tour Compilation CD out June 7. It was announced that a song would be streaming on www.revolvermag.com on June 7 and available as a free track on June 10.

It was announced on May 30 that the LP would be titled "White Lotus." On June 7, Eyes Set to Kill announced they started their own record label, Forsee Records,^[13] and would no longer be with Breaksilence Records. They released White Lotus through a joint venture between their own label Forsee Records and Maphia Entertainment on August 9.^[28]

The band embarked on a fall tour with Falling in Reverse and For All Those Sleeping throughout September and October 2011.^[29] They enlisted the help of Justin Whitesel (previously from LoveHateHero) for guitar duties for this tour, but he never returned for another tour due to conflicts with former vocalist Cisko Miranda.

In June 2012, It was announced that Eyes Set to Kill would be headlining the Show Your True Colors 2012 North American Tour with My Ticket Home and Awaken the Empire.

Signing to Century Media Records and Masks (2011–2015)

On July 19, 2012 it was announced that Eyes Set To Kill had signed to Century Media Records.^[5] The band will enter the studio early next year with producer Steve Evetts (Suicide Silence and The Dillinger Escape Plan) to record its next album and debut for Century Media Records. The album is set to be released in spring 2013.^[30][31] On December 20, 2012, the band reached 1,000,000 likes on Facebook prompting them to release a free download of a new demo for their upcoming album entitled ^[32] "Masks" the following day.

Band members

* Anissa Rodriguez - Bass guitar, vocals, programming  (2003- Lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, piano (2003–present)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Reach (2008)
• The World Outside (2009)
• Broken Frames (2010)
• White Lotus (2011)
• Masks (2013)

Awards and nominations

Revolver Golden Gods Awards

References