Time in Malta

Biography

San Francisco's Time in Malta is an intense three-piece hardcore band that combines elements of melody, power, and heavy metal into a convincing, uplifting powerhouse akin to the works of Boy Sets Fire, Grade, and Shai Hulud replete with manic crunch and indie sensibility alike. The band formed in 1997 when transplanted Indianapolis natives Todd Gullion (bass/vocals, formerly of Burn It Down), Chris Lyon (guitarist and co-owner of Frentic Records), and Sander Leech (drums) met up in the Bay Area. The trio began writing songs, eventually producing a demo at Toast Studios, which was submitted to several independent record labels. Impressed by their dynamic yet intense approach, Escape Artist Records snatched up the band and released their seven-song Construct & Demolish EP in July 1999. The band completed a short tour of the United States in support of the EP, appearing at several key hardcore festivals as well before settling in to compose material for their first full-length album. They paused briefly to deliver one new song and a cover of Threadbare's "In Effigy" to Escape Artist, which was released as the Identify, Persist, Transcend 7" single in late 2000. In February of 2001, former Burn It Down vocalist Ryan Downey joined the group, relegating Gullion to bass and backing vocal duties. Time in Malta performed one show with this lineup, before Leech left the band and was replaced by One Time Angels drummer Eric Alexander. Downey left the group around the same time. Again a three-piece, Time in Malta recorded a three-song demo in July 2001 before parting ways with Alexander and asking Leech to rejoin the band. They finally pulled together their first full-length album, A Second Engine, in the summer of 2002 on Equal Vision Records. Alone with the Alone followed two years later. ~ Ryan J. Downey, All Music Guide