Evoking an alternate universe version of Arcade Fire as fronted by Nick Cave, the band's sound feels both carefully orchestrated and straight from the heart, striking a fine balance between the overblown and the down to earth. The group got its start in 2006 when childhood friends Nato Bardeen (vocals, guitars, keys), James Smith (guitar), and Rory Dolan (percussion) decided to start making music together. Recruiting Todd Eisenkerch (bass) and Gabe Messer (keyboards), the Drowning Men released their Kill the Matador EP in 2007. Their full-length debut, Beheading of the Song Bird, followed in 2009, and afterwards the band set out on the road, spending the next couple of years supporting bands like the Airborne Toxic Event, Flogging Molly, and Alkaline Trio. The band eventually signed on with Flogging Molly's label, Borstal Beat Records, which released the Drowning Men's sophomore album, All of the Unknown, in 2012. ~ Gregory Heaney