Scary Kids Scaring Kids

Since they burst onto the scene with their 2003 debut EP After Dark, Scary Kids Scaring Kids have conquered hundreds of stages around the world, captivating countless fans with their signature blend of metallic riffs, pulverizing breakdowns and anthemic choruses. The Gilbert, Arizona rockers shot to the top of the post-hardcore heap with their 2005 debut full-length The City Sleeps in Flames, which spawned two instant fan favorites and setlist staples in the blistering shred-fest “The Only Medicine” and synth-driven rocker “My Darkest Hour.”  SKSK toured relentlessly in support of The City Sleeps in Flames, cutting their teeth in packed clubs and on the Vans Warped Tour, punk rock’s notoriously unforgiving summer boot camp. The rigors of the road and the band’s newfound musical maturity influenced their 2007 self-titled album, which pushed the boundaries of post-hardcore with cinematic interludes and disarming piano ballads while taking their stadium-sized hooks and fiery guitar solos to all-new heights. Personal issues ultimately beset work on a new album, and in late 2009 Scary Kids Scaring Kids announced they would part ways after a 2010 farewell tour.

The band laid dormant for the next several years, and any hopes for a reunion seemingly disintegrated after lead singer Tyson Stevens’ untimely passing on Oct. 20, 2014. But on Sept. 29, 2019—which would have been Stevens’ 34th birthday—founding guitarist and chief songwriter Chad Crawford released a new song titled “Loved Forever” under the SKSK name. Crawford pays tribute to his fallen brother and bandmate on the haunting track, singing, “We’re still holding onto hope that one day we will see your face again / We still sing those songs you wrote / Reciting every line, word for word, note for note.”

The rapturous response to “Loved Forever” proved there was still huge demand for an SKSK reunion. Less than four months after the song’s release, the band was back on the road for the first time in nearly a decade, celebrating the 15th anniversary of The City Sleeps in Flames with help from former Saosin frontman and Dead American singer Cove Reber. SKSK stormed sold-out clubs across the United States and played for thousands of fans, including scene veterans who had grown up with the band and teenagers who had recently fallen in love with them.

SKSK’s reunion tour was no mere nostalgia act. They played with the same breathless intensity as a decade ago, summoning circle pits and diving into the crowd alongside their fans. As Scary Kids Scaring Kids celebrated their own legacy and honored the ones they loved and lost, they also set their eyes toward the future and prepared to write a new chapter in their saga. Their new full length Out Of Light will be available on May 27th, 2022 from Equal Vision Records and Velocity Records.