Dead Eyes(US), 12 Stones, Reign of Z, and Wind Walkers

From humble beginnings in Mandeville, Louisiana, 12 Stones, formed of vocalist Paul McCoy, bassist Kevin Door, guitarist Eric Weaver, and drummer Aaron Gainer, was founded in 2000. With most members still in their teenage years, and with fewer than 15 live performances under their belt, 12 Stones recorded a demo and headed to New York City. After performing at a band showcase where multiple labels and industry executives would be, the band signed with Wind-Up Records.

12 Stones’ eponymous debut album was issued by Wind-Up in 2002 and debuted at No. 147 on the Billboard 200. Produced by Jay Baumgardner, the album spawned the singles “Broken”, “The Way I Feel”, and “Crash”, the former of which has been used as the theme song for WWE. Not long after the release, vocalist McCoy contributed vocals to the Evanescence smash hit “Bring Me to Life”, which won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

The band’s sophomore album “Potter’s Field” appeared in 2004 and marked a change in sounds towards a more guitar-driven crunch. Aided by McCoy’s exposure from the Evanescence single, “Potter’s Field” became 12 Stones’ highest charting album, debuted at No. 29 on the Billboard 200. After the release the band took a break to focus on their families, however returned with the 2007 album “Anthems for the Underdog” in response to the deadly Hurricane Katrina that affected their hometown. The album was the first to include new member by Justin Rimer, was produced by Skidd Mills and encompasses feelings of helplessness experienced by victims of the hurricane.

“Beneath the Scars” followed in 2012 once again produced by Skidd Mills. The album earned favourable reviews from the musical press and spawned the singles “Bulletproof”, “Worlds Collide”, and “Infected”.