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From the Crossroads of America Indianapolis, Indiana - USA,  the metal band September Sky is turning heads all around the world. Fans describe their songs as “Disturbed meets Tool and Avenged Sevenfold”. In a sea of mediocre alternative metal, September Sky stands out not only with their magnetic twist of alternative grunge rock and thrash metal influences, but also their well-known empowering and inspiring vocals and refreshing guitar solos.

 

Their debut EP Bright Sides To Dark Days received international critical acclaim, landing them on the map with “One of the most original albums in a very long time”. Letter To Fear was released in 2013 and features “Driving bass lines, ominous guitar riffs and thundering drums that permeate and rip through you with original hard hitting lyrics” (itunes 2010). 2016 was another very successful year for September Sky as they hit the studio to record and produce a new EP. September Sky released The Dying Season in November 2016 receiving four and five-star reviews, and gaining thousands of new fans around the world which led to signing an exclusive management deal with the Los Angeles-based Inner Light Agency in early 2017.

 

September Sky sets the bar for both independent artists and the alternative metal genre alike. What makes September Sky so distinctive is its empowering message and combination of influences and genres they so magically blend together. In a genre where many bands' subject matter and the world's view tend to revolve around the dark and negative side of life, September Sky effortlessly evokes inspirational thoughts and empowers you to conquer life and truly experience the passion that metal music stirs deep in your soul.

 

How it began

 

After being in a couple of failed metal bands Larry met Scott in 2004. Larry had already started a family and chosen a career path and had all but given up on being in music when he met. Scott who is 5 years younger than Larry was also at a crossroads himself after being in a couple of Alternative Rock bands previously, his project at that time (The End Game) had an opportunity to head to California, get a record deal, and begin touring which was the ultimate goal for any young up and coming band. Ultimately, the members of The End Game could not all come together to move forward on that opportunity and subsequently broke up.

 

Larry impressed with what he had heard from Scott’s work with The End Game, saw an opportunity to partner up with Scott. No tours, no record companies. Just a couple of guys making music whenever they could get together as a creative outlet in between their daily life and family responsibilities. The two immediately clicked creatively and entered the studio in the spring of 2007 to release a 5 song EP as an acoustic project called Food For Thought. Almost immediately after that was done Larry’s former bandmate, Jeff Reagan joined the project on bass and Scott’s Uncle Martin Baker expressed an interest in working with them on the drums. The two-man acoustic project quickly turned into a four-man band to simply be creative and make music. One thing leads to another and before you know it they are playing a few shows and because of the addition of the other instruments and Scott and Larry’s passion for heavier music the tunes become more intense.

 

September Sky is born and a new force in metal is Awakened!

 

Writing begins on new music which ultimately leads the band into the studio with Scott Rainey (producer/engineer) for the first time together as a 4 piece. The band actually entered the studio as Food For Thought and about 50% through recording just knew that where they were musically with Food For Thought did not match the output of what they were creating in the studio. After a long list of potential band names and a vote amongst the current members, they came up with some sort of really cool and super cheesy “Metal” name that they all knew didn’t fit. That lasted about an hour before Larry saw a quote on a shirt Scott was wearing in the studio referencing an October Sky. For some reason that spoke to him and he and Scott both immediately started brainstorming other options knowing they truly wanted a name that could identify with the core message of what the band was writing about.

 

Most of the band's lyrical content represents what they call “Light Piercing Darkness”. It’s that place where good and evil and light and dark meet inside all of us. Like a September sunrise. beautiful, vivid, dark but light. A renewal of sorts. A name that truly represents the struggle that occurs in life much like it plays out during a season's change in nature. A season between the light season and the dark season. That indeed is September Sky.  It was then, in the studio that they knew they had found the name they were searching for. Food For Thought became September Sky and The EP to be released would indeed be The first EP released by September Sky in 2010 titled “Bright Sides To Dark Days”.

 

This is our Letter To Fear

 

The music continued to evolve from that point. Shortly after releasing Bright Sides To Dark Days, they began playing live locally and writing for what would be the next EP, Letter To Fear. This would be the first time Larry and Scott were entering the studio with a clear direction on who they were, what their musical identity was, and what the message they wanted to convey was. No leftover acoustic project stuff, no need to determine the band's name or message, and no searching for a producer. Just a desire to make the best Empowering Alternative Metal they could.

 

With that desire in mind, they brought a completely focused Martin Baker back in to play drums and brought in their first lead guitar player, Mark Lentz to add another layer of power that the music had lacked before. After many failed attempts to secure a competent bass player for the EP, Larry took the reigns and played bass and rhythm guitars on what was to be the band's second EP and complete transformation into an Alternative Metal Powerhouse with hits such as Fallacy, The Fight, and Letter To Fear.

 

 

Our greatest challenge and biggest success…..

 

While evolving and stretching themselves musically and working with many different musicians to craft each EP has become a part of how they write and record, they knew at that point what recipe they needed to create the sound that was to be, The Dying Season. Larry wanting to focus completely on guitars continued the search with Scott for someone to play bass on the upcoming EP. Mark who had played lead guitar on Letter To Fear, introduced them to Jugghead who agreed to join them on the stage to support the previous releases and to lend his skills to play bass on the upcoming EP. Soon after releasing Letter To Fear, Scott and Larry began writing more music for what would eventually become the third September Sky EP, The Dying Season.

 

After wrapping up live performances in multiple states regionally, Martin Baker and Mark Lentz had to leave September Sky due to personal and family commitments. James Kline was brought in on drums and writing for the third EP was quickly wrapped up and ready for studio. In January 2016 they entered the studio to begin recording The Dying Season. While in the studio Scott and Larry approached Scott Rainey (producer of all of September Sky’s previous music and formerly of Transmatic, Billboard top 40 artist and toured with Tantric while being signed to Virgin/EMI records) about adding him to the mix on lead guitar for this EP bringing yet another layer of experience, talent and a new level of artistry to the music. In November 2016 The Dying Season was released and features the band's most diverse, unique, and focused music to date.  

 

In early 2017 the band added Becket Weir and Kevin Rickett to round out the touring lineup. Bigger opportunities, bigger stages, more music, and a chance to connect with many more sky fans drove us to the biggest stages ever played by us. Bucket list venues were played. Huge lineups happened! The crowds got bigger and bigger. The memories got better and better.

 

After touring with the band for 3 years, in 2020 amidst the Coronavirus Pandemic, September Sky delivered two singles that are currently the last two released pieces of music we have produced (Time and Delusions). Both of which featured Becket Weir on Drums and Kevin Rickett on bass for their first recorded appearances in September Sky. We can never thank you all enough for being a part of the legacy that is September Sky.

 

A message from the guys…

Please know that we couldn't do any of this without you! Keep listening, watching, and supporting us in any way that you can and we promise to do everything we can to make sure that more September Sky is always a possibility on the horizon. Stay Tuned!

 

Stay Metal and Conquer!!!

 

Scott Bernhardt (Co-Founder) - Vocals 


Current gear: voice box, Shure SM 58 Mic


All time favorite bands: Tool, Soundgarden, Breaking Benjamin, Hurt


Favorite Restaurant: Eddie Merlots in Indianapolis


Favorite beer: Guinness


Favorite movie: The Dark Knight 


Best concert you've ever been to: Hurt and Army of Anyone 

Larry \Oz/ Craig (Co-Founder) - Rhythm Guitars all EP's and Bass on Letter To Fear EP

Current Gear: Peavey JSX 100 Watt head and 4x10 Cabinet, Schecter C-1Hellraiser, Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy, EMG Pickups, DR Strings, Custom Dunlop Picks, Line 6 Wireless and XT Live Floorboard

All time favorite bands: (Old) Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Pantera, Ozzy, Machine Head, Trivium, Testament, Slayer

Favorite restaurant: Fogo De Chao

Favorite Drink: Crown and Diet

Favorite Movie: Lord Of The Rings trilogy

Best concert you have ever been to: All 6 Pantera Shows

 

Scott Rainey - Lead Guitar: The Dying Season


Current gear: ESP and Gibson Guitars. Carvin Amps

 

All time favorite bands/Influences: Metallica, Mitch Ryder, Bruce Springsteen, Beatles and Rolling Stones

 
Favorite Restaurant:  Jimmy Johns


Favorite beer: Anything wet


Favorite movie:  Braveheart


Best concerts you've ever been to:  Rolling Stones

 

*Scott also recorded and produced Bright Sides To Dark Days, Letter To Fear and the Dying Season
 

 

Kevin Rickett (AKA Krickett) - Bass Guitar: 2017 - Current

 

Current gear: Galien Kruger Amps Ampeg Cabinets, Dean Guitars

 

All time favorite bands/Influences: Tool, Deftones, Alice In Chains, Pink Floyd

 
Favorite Restaurant:  Grandmas Kitchen Table


Favorite drink: Jagerbomb, Jim Beam Apple


Best concerts you've ever been to:  Tool

 

Becket Weir - Drums: 2017 - Current

 

Current gear: Dixon drums, Predator Percussion Snare, Vater Drum Sticks, Zildjian Cymbals, DW Hardware, and pedals.

 

All time favorite bands/Influences: Tool, Karnivool, Rush, Metallica 

 
Favorite Restaurant:  The Greek Islands (Indy)


Favorite drink: Whiskey (Bourbon, Rye, Sour, Mash, and Irish)


Best concerts you've ever been to:  Journey, Whitesnake

ALUMNI

James Kline - Drums : The Dying Season 


Current gear: Pearl, Ludwig, Evans and Paiste

 

All time favorite bands: Metallica, Primus, Skillet, Peter Gabriel


Favorite beer: N/A


Favorite movie: Despicable Me, Matchstick Men, Green Mile


Best concert you've ever been to: Type O Negative

Martin Baker - Drums: Bright Sides to Dark Days, Letter To Fear EP's

(Martin drummed on Bright Sides To Dark Days, and Letter To Fear EP's before taking a brief hiatus while we recorded The Dying Season)

 

Current gear: Mapex Orion Six Piece, Sabian HHX/Paragon Cymbals

 

All time favorite bands: Rush, Led Zeppelin, Tool, Rise Against, Weather Report


Favorite Restaurant: The Stinking Rose. San Francisco


Favorite beer: Innis & Gunn (if PBR is not available)


Favorite movie: Top Gun (are there any other movies???)


Best concert you've ever been to: The Who 

"Jugghead" - Bass: The Dying Season


Current gear: Carvin V440T, Hartke Amplification and Cabinets, Nady Ture Diversity Wireless, Seymour Duncan Pickups, Boss GT 8 Pedal Board

 

All time favorite bands:  Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Ozzy Osbourne, Dream Theater, Loudness, Iced Earth


Favorite Restaurant:  St. Elmo's Steakhouse Indianapolis


Favorite beer:  Warsteiner


Favorite movie:  Nobody's Fool - Paul Newman


Best concert you've ever been to:  Loudness and AC/DC

 

Mark “Shred” Lentz - Lead Guitar: Letter To Fear EP


Current gear: 2005 Ibanez Prestige 2550 Galaxy Black with DiMarzio LiquiFire and Crunch Lab pickups, 2006 Ibanez Prestige 2570 VSL (Vital Silver) with a 2005 2550 Prestige Neck,a Carbon fiber pickguard and DiMarzio LiquiFire and Crunch Lab pickups. Line 6 Spider Valve HD100 Bogner head with a Line 6 4x12 cabinet with Celestion V30 and Beam blockers

 

All time favorite bands: Scorpions, Dream Theater, Older Metallica, Ratt, Led Zepplin, Ozzy and anything with Steve Vai

 
Favorite Restaurant:  Texas Roadhouse, and Iria’s, Indianapolis, IN


Favorite beer: Any cold IPA


Favorite video game and/or movie:  Full Metal Jacket, Pulp Fiction 


Best concerts you've ever been to:  AC DC and Loudness, Scorpions, Bon Jovi and Ratt, Foo Fighters, Ozzy and Metallica. 


 

"Jeff Reagan" - Bass: Bright Sides To Dark Days


Current gear: Ampeg SVT 8x10, Ibanez Soundgear 5 String Bass, Dunlop Picks

 

All time favorite bands:  Lamb Of God, Pantera, Metallica, Shadows Fall


Favorite Restaurant:  All fo them


Favorite beer:  Blue Moon, Wild Turkey


Favorite movie:  Goodfellas


Best concert you've ever been to:  Shadows Fall and Lamb of God & Slipknot

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