Overcome (band)

Overcome is a Christian metal and hardcore band from Phoenix, Arizona.[5] The band began in 1993, led by Jason Stinson on guitars. He would hire on Ryan Hayes on drums, Reggie Shumway on guitars, and Jason Obergfoll on bass. With the four, they searched for a vocalist until it was decided that Stinson would perform the vocals.[6] With the lineup, the band, influenced heavily by Focused, Unbroken, and a few others, began to work on music, eventually recording an self-titled EP, followed by a second EP, As the Curtain Falls. After speaking with Tim Mann of Focused, the band set forward to sign with Tooth & Nail Records to release their record.[6]

In 1996, after signing their record deal with Tooth & Nail, the band released their debut album, Blessed Are the Persecuted.[6] After playing some shows around their state and some in California alongside Focused and many other bands, the band recorded their sophomore album, When Beauty Dies, which would also be the first release on Solid State Records.[6][7][8] Following the album, Stinson was worried about his fellow members, which consisted of Shumway, Obergfoll, and two newer members Bassist Ken Williamson and Drummer Alex Woodford, spiritual lives and spoke with them. However, after this conversation, the entire band, save for Stinson, left the band.[6]

Despite this, Stinson decided to push forward and continue the band. Tooth & Nail would, however, void their contract, which left the band independent.[6] After gathering a new lineup, Nick Westby on guitars, Ethan Pajak on drums, BJ Ovsak on guitars, and Matt Brooks on bass, the band was offered a deal by Facedown Records, which led to their signing and re-issuing of their debut EP and the new EP, Life of Death.[6] With the new lineup, the band began working on new material to release through Facedown, despite receiving offers to re-sign with Tooth & Nail and Solid State.[6] In 1999, the band recorded and released their third album, Immortal Until Their Work is Done, with the label. The album was recorded in October 1996 at Phase Four Studios in Tempe, Arizona and was released on March 18, 1997.[9] In 2000, Brooks departed from the band which led to Jason Bowen rejoining the band; he previously filled in after Williamson quit the band. The band continued on until 2001. According to Stinson, the band disbanded because, at the end of their shows, he began to cough up blood.[6] After Overcome disbanded, he began Indwelling alongside Pajak, Ovsak, and his friend Thomas Washington on vocals, as he wanted to continue music but was unable to continue with vocals.[6][10][11] In response, Facedown Records issued a compilation featuring past works of the band titled More Than Death in 2001.

In 2010, Stinson met Jon Strunk, who he noted was a great drummer. Not wanting to let the talent go to waste, he wanted to start a band with Strunk and his former bandmate in Indwelling, Thomas Washington.[6] Eventually, he decided to reunite as Overcome, with him focusing on guitar playing and Washington on vocals. With Bowen returning on bass and Nick Greenwood joining on guitars, the band reunited and recorded their fourth album, which was titled The Great Campaign of Sabotage, which took a more death metal orientation for the band.[2][12][13] Their longtime friend, who also had been a part of Indwelling at one point, Jarrod Norris, would contribute vocals to the release.[13] Norris was initially supposed to take over vocals for Washington, as he was planning on moving. However, this did not occur.[14] Following the release, Greenwood departed from the band and was replaced by Steven Cosand. In 2013, the band with this lineup recorded their next EP, No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets., which would also be released through Facedown.

Their works have been chronicled at Cross Rhythms, where they reviewed Immortal Until Their Work Is Done, More Than Death, The Great Campaign of Sabotage, and No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets.[15] Their EP, The Life of Death, had two reviews at The Phantom Tollbooth where they were highly critical of the music.[16]

Current members[5]

• Jason Stinson – guitar, (2010–present) vocals (1993-2001) (ex-Indwelling)
• Jason Bowen - bass (1998, 2000-2001, 2010–present) (ex-Every Day Life)
• Jon Strunk - drums (2010–present)
• Thomas Washington - vocals (2010–present) (ex-Indwelling, ex-Abishai)
• Steven Cosand - guitar (2011–present) (Sanhedrin, Quaker Folk, Cryptic Rising)

Former members[5][17][18]

• Justin Gage – guitar, vocals (–2010)
• Matt Burnside – drums
• Chris Davis – vocals
• Ryan Hayes - drums (1993-1996)
• BJ Ovsak - guitar (1998-2001) (ex-Indwelling)
• Nick Westby - guitar (1998-2000)
• Steve Owens - guitar (1998, 2000-2001)
• Matt Brooks - bass (1998-2000)
• Ethan Pajak - drums (1998-2001) (ex-Indwelling)
• Reggie Shumway – guitar (1993-1998)
• Jason Obergfoll – guitar, (1996-1998) bass (1993-1996)
• Ken Williamson – bass (1996-1998)
• Alex Woodford – drums (1996-1998)
• Nick Greenwood – guitars (2010-2011)
• Rob Kroehler – bass (1996)

Studio albums[19]

• Blessed Are the Persecuted (June 7, 1996, Tooth & Nail Records)
• When Beauty Dies (March 18, 1997, Tooth & Nail Records)
• Immortal Until Their Work Is Done (April 21, 2001, Facedown Records)
• More Than Death (October 2, 2001, Facedown Records)
• The Great Campaign of Sabotage (February 1, 2011, Facedown Records)

EPs

• Overcome (1995, independent)
• As the Curtain Falls (1996, Life Sentence Records)
• Overcome (1998, Facedown Records; Re-release)
• The Life of Death (1998, Facedown Records)
• No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets. (January 8, 2013, Facedown Records)

• Cosand, Steven (March 2, 2013). "A Night With Overcome - Facedown Records". Interviewed by Austin. Blog Talk Radio. Retrieved January 24, 2017.