Hangnail (Christian band)

History

Hangnail was formed when Nick Radovanovic and Jacob Dosemagen, who had started a group called Say What when they were only eight years old, met up with Mike Middleton in high school. Matt Wendt joined the band later as a second guitarist, making the group a foursome.

Right after graduation in 1997, Hangnail appeared on the Cornerstone New Band Showcase stage, which enabled the band to engage in a serious career. Subsequent touring allowed the band to build up a strong fan base, and in 1999 Hangnail recorded its self-titled debut album, released on BEC Recordings.

This release was followed up by extensive touring in 2000, and the band's second release, Facing Changes, was released in 2001 on Tooth & Nail Records. This release was bundled with an Acoustic EP, which showcased the band's varied style. The band played at Cornerstone Festival in 2001, and began work on a third studio album. In 2003, the band finished recording the album, entitled Transparent, and announced that it would disband after playing a final show at Cornerstone. The album was released immediately following this performance after the group disbanded.

Style

Hangnail's punk-pop style combined rhythms from heavy metal and melodic punk rock with pop music flourishes. According to Allmusic, this style was mixed with "praise-oriented lyrics to come up with a unique sound that rocks wildly with metal riffs and power chords." The band's musical influences varied. According to Mike Middleton, when Hangnail first started the members liked bands such as Nirvana, Green Day, and Weezer. Other early influences include Stevie Wonder, MxPx, Pennywise, and NOFX, though according to Middleton the band broadened its listening tastes to a wide variety of genres ranging from classical to rock and roll.

Discography

Line up