Close Your Eyes (band)

Close Your Eyes was an American melodic hardcore Christian band from Abilene, Texas.

Signed to Victory Records, the group released its debut album in 2010, We Will Overcome, and a second album Empty Hands and Heavy Hearts in October 2011. The third album, Line in the Sand was released on October 29, 2013. The video for the first track from it, "The End", was released on YouTube on October 8, 2013.^[1]

The music video for their first music single, "Song for the Broken", became a viral internet video and gathered over two million views in a short time.^[2]

History

The band began in 2005 at Hardin–Simmons University in Abilene, where Shane Raymond and Brett Callaway met and started searching for other musicians to join them. After several line-up changes, they recruited Andrew Rodriguez, Sonny Vega and David Fidler. In 2008, they released their self-titled EP independently and in 2009 were signed to Victory Records^[3] to record their debut studio album.

We Will Overcome was released in 2010 and had received positive reviews, selling over 12,000 copies in June 2011 according to Nielsen Soundscan. The band has released three singles from this album ("Song for the Broken", "The Body" and "Digging Graves"), with music videos released for all three of them. Since then, the band has toured with Underoath,^[4] The Word Alive,^[5] A Day to Remember,^[6] Stick to Your Guns, and Norma Jean.^[7] They have played on some major festivals, including Cornerstone Festival, Sonshine Festival, Ichthus Festival and Scream the Prayer Tour.^[8]

In 2011, they played live two new songs from their upcoming album, Empty Hands and Heavy Hearts, which released on October 24, 2011, through Victory Records. The label released a series of video previews of the upcoming album in their YouTube account.^[9][10]

Their song "Valleys" was the theme song for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's 2011 Turning Point pay-per-view. A music video featuring TNA professional wrestler Jeff Hardy and centered around his redemption storyline has been released through the wrestling promotion's YouTube account.^[11]

On March 2, 2012, it was announced on the band's Facebook page that long-time vocalist Shane Raymond had left the band due to personal reasons.^[12] On May 17, 2012, Brett Callaway released a statement to "Alternative Press" announcing that Mikey Sawyer would be touring with the band as the new lead vocalist.^[13] Just two months later, on July 10, 2012, Close Your Eyes announced via its official Twitter account that they would be parting ways with Sawyer, as they felt he was not a good fit for the band.^[14] In November 2012, the band announced to their Facebook page that they had begun writing songs for their next album. On July 23, 2013, it was announced that the former vocalist of Blessed by a Broken Heart, Sam Robinson, would be joining the band as they began work on their upcoming album, Line in the Sand.^[15]

Line in the Sand was released on October 29, 2013 on Victory Records. The band toured with Islander throughout the month of November in support of the release. Music videos for the songs "Frame and Glass" and "The End", along with a lyric video for "The End", have been produced in support of the release. On Record Store Day 2014, Close Your Eyes released Prepackaged Hope on a 7-inch vinyl.

On December 15, 2014 it was announced that lead vocalist Sam Robinson had decided to leave the band and to continue his music career with a different project. Later that day it was announced that Close Your Eyes would be attending South By So What festival 2015 with the return of their original lead vocalist Shane Raymond.

On July 16, 2015 the bassist Alex Whitten posted on Facebook "Shane and I are no longer a part of the headache that is Close Your Eyes. What Brett does with the band now is entirely up to him because it is his band and he has the right to do so, but after almost 10 years my hands are clean of it." Not long after their departure the band became inactive.^[16]

Band members

Final Lineup

• Brett Callaway – rhythm guitar (2006–2015), backing vocals (2005–2015), lead guitar (2005–2006)
• Jordan Hatfield – drums (2012–2015)
• Bobby VaLeu – lead guitar (2011–2012, 2013–2015)

Former

• Ben Clinard – bass (2005–2006)
• Chris Coltman – drums (2005–2007)
• David Fidler – drums (2007–2010)
• Tim Friesen – drums (2010–2011)
• Mikey Sawyer – lead vocals (2012)
• Andrew Rodriguez – lead guitar (2006–2011, 2012–2013)
• Sonny Vega – bass, backing vocals (2006–2014)
• Sam Ryder Robinson – lead vocals (2013–2014)
• Alex Whitten – bass, backing vocals (2014–2015)
• Shane Raymond – lead vocals (2005–2012, 2014–2015)

Timeline

Discography

See also

• List of Christian hardcore bands
• List of pop-punk bands
• Music of Texas

References

External links

• closeyoureyesmerch.com, the band's official website
• Close Your Eyes at AllMusic