San Diego Reader

Larry Soliman: Vocals | Jesse Barrera: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Vocals | Steven Oira: Drums | Matthew VanGasbeck: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Vocals | Dustin Hook: Bass guitar

Genre: Alternative, Rock

Sound description: Screamo.

RIYL: Underoath, Of Hearts and Shadows

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Related Links

• My American Heart website

• Website · Aug. 23, 2007

Synoposis

Inception: San Diego, 2003

Influences: Hawthorne Heights, Underoath, Greeley Estates, Aiden, Of Hearts and Shadows, A Dead Giveaway, Killfast Casino

Background:

Originally called No Way Out, My American Heart wrote their debut album when most of the members were merely 16. Following the band’s well-regarded first album, The Meaning in Makeup (which the group originally self-released as a self-titled debut), the group recorded Hiding Inside the Horrible Weather. Frontman Larry Soliman’s lyrics became noticeably more refined, spinning with clever turns of phrase and poetically-inclined verses, yet another gleaming facet of evident growth.

“We actually took our time to write this record,” says Soliman. “It was a lot of fun creating this record and expressing ourselves and actually growing as musicians together. Just figuring out what we’re capable of. It was definitely a huge step up from the last record.”

Armed with new guitarist Matthew VanGasbeck, formerly of Downtown Singapore, the group chose producer James Paul Wisner (Underoath, Dashboard Confessional), who recorded the band in his St. Cloud, Florida, studio.

In 2007, with their MySpace page sporting over 100,000 friends and four million song plays of their music, the band was signed to Warcon Records.

Discography