The Amity Affliction

The Amity Affliction are an Australian metalcore group with a melody-driven emo-tinged sound and highly confessional lyrics that are often drawn from the real-life experiences of vocalist Joel Birch. Their powerful sound emerged in 2008 with their debut album, Severed Ties. They hit their stride in 2014 with the release of Let the Ocean Take Me, which featured the major hit "Pittsburgh (No Intro)." This Could Be Heartbreak (2016), Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them (2020), and Not Without My Ghosts (2023), soared to the top of the Australian charts and earned ARIA nominations, as well as growing international success. 2026 brought House of Cards, another set of aggressive, confessional songs.

The Amity Affliction were formed in Gympie, Queensland, Australia in 2002 by Ahren Stringer and Troy Brady, a pair of longtime pals -- still high schoolers at the time -- who had been affected by the death of their friend in a road accident. Rounded out to a quartet by bassist Garth Buchanan and drummer Lachlan Faulkner, the young band released a demo in 2003 and an EP in 2004 but didn't start making waves in earnest until 2005.That year, distorted vocalist Joel Birch joined the fold, and the Amity Affliction went on a touring spell, working up a nationwide reputation as a powerful live band. In 2007, they added keyboard player Trad Nathan, switched drummers with Ryan Burt replacing <a href="spotify:artist:4b59jZACJrDxHxA9qmD30V">Faulkner</a>, and parted ways with Buchanan, with Stringer taking on bass duties. The newly formed group then hit the studio to record the EP High Hopes, followed in 2008 by the debut album Severed Ties, which peaked at number 26 on the ARIA charts.

Amity Affliction toured Australia again in 2008 and 2009, both as a support and headlining act, and in 2010 they released their second album, Youngbloods, which confirmed their efforts were paying off, reaching number six on the ARIA charts. They would top that achievement just two years later when their third album, Chasing Ghosts, debuted at number one on the ARIA charts. A fourth album, Let the Ocean Take Me, arrived on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Roadrunner%22">Roadrunner</a> in 2014 and was the band's second consecutive ARIA chart-topper, and featured one of the group's signature tracks, "Pittsburgh (No Intro)." That year, Brady left the band, leaving Stringer as the only founding member; Dan Brown, previously a touring member of the group, became their full-time guitarist.

After months of touring Ocean, the quartet returned to the studio to record their fifth LP. This Could Be Heartbreak arrived in August 2016, topping the ARIA charts once again. The band toured Australia, the U.S., and Europe in support of the record, before Ryan Burt left in February 2018 owing to mental health concerns. Joe Longobardi became their new drummer. Later that year, the Amity Affliction released their sixth album, Misery. Their first concept effort, it featured an overarching narrative chronicling the tale of three friends on a dark quest for vengeance. Two years later the band returned with weighty and downcast Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them, their first studio LP with new drummer Joe Longobardi. 2023's pummeling Not Without My Ghosts followed an over-arching theme of mortality and featured guest spots from late New Zealand rapper Louie Knuxx, <a href="spotify:artist:67f7GZXNMGRn98lqrtIdrN">Comeback Kid</a>'s Andrew Neufeld, <a href="spotify:artist:1cJ5tVoeAEFcZBAwSZ0CtF">the Plot in You</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:3j4ihH7xANVDGQhcDFJby7">Landon Tewers</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0MGJHTThvyAyqKuEAgPqDr">Phem</a>. In 2024, the Amity Affliction recognized the tenth anniversary of Let the Ocean Take Me by releasing a re-recorded version of the LP, Let the Ocean Take Me (Redux). Ahren Stringer dropped out of the Amity Affliction in 2025, and Jonathan Reeves, who had toured with the band, took over on bass. Dan Brown took on production duties for their 2026 LP, House of Cards. ~ Neil Z. Yeung & Mark Deming, Rovi