Aiden

Aiden was an American horror punk band that originated in Seattle, Washington, in the spring of 2003. They gained notable recognition in the underground music world throughout the mid to late 2000s. The group’s classic lineup consisted of vocalist William Francis, guitarists Angel Ibarra and Jake Wambold, bassist Nick Wiggins, and drummer Jake Davison, forming a distinctive sound that resonated with fans of the genre.

History

Early Years and Our Gangs Dark Oath (2003–2004)

Aiden came together in 2003, drawing their name from the character Aidan Keller in the 2002 horror film, The Ring. Vocalist William Francis mentioned that the character’s eerie nature inspired the band’s name. Their debut album, Our Gangs Dark Oath, was released in 2004 under Dead Teenager Records. This album was recorded while members Jake Davison and Angel Ibarra were still in high school, and it was released shortly after they graduated. The album laid the groundwork for their future success in the horror punk scene.

Nightmare Anatomy (2005–2006)

In 2005, Aiden signed with Victory Records and released their second album, Nightmare Anatomy, on October 4 of that year. The album marked their debut on a major label and saw significant success, peaking at number 196 on the Billboard 200, number 9 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart, and number 16 on the Billboard Independent Albums Chart. Nightmare Anatomy quickly became one of Aiden’s most commercially successful albums, featuring popular singles like “The Last Sunrise,” “Die Romantic,” and “Knife Blood Nightmare.”

Throughout 2006, Aiden supported their album with extensive touring, including a U.S. tour with Thirty Seconds to Mars and another tour with the Finnish band HIM during their Dark Light tour. They also performed alongside Lostprophets and Taking Back Sunday, and participated in the Taste of Chaos 2007 North American Tour with bands like The Used and Senses Fail. Their relentless touring schedule helped solidify their place in the horror punk and emo scenes.

Conviction and William Control (2007–2008)

Aiden’s third studio album, Conviction, released on August 21, 2007, marked a significant shift in the band’s musical direction. The album achieved commercial success, reaching number 54 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Independent Albums Chart. The lead single, “One Love,” was featured in the movie Resident Evil: Extinction, while “We Sleep Forever” appeared on the soundtrack for the horror film Dead Silence.

During this period, Aiden continued to tour extensively, including a U.S. tour with Madina Lake and a European tour with Kill Hannah. However, in May 2008, the band announced the departure of guitarist Jake Wambold. Despite this lineup change, Aiden pressed on, with William Francis launching a side project under the name William Control. This project allowed Francis to explore darker lyrical themes that he felt didn’t align with Aiden’s music. Aiden also contributed a cover of “Cry Little Sister” to the soundtrack for Lost Boys: The Tribe and continued to tour through 2008.

Knives (2009–2010)

On May 12, 2009, Aiden released their fourth full-length album, Knives, which saw a return to their punk roots. The album debuted at number 95 on the Billboard 200 and number 12 on the Independent Albums Chart. The first single, “Scavengers of the Damned,” was released via iTunes, followed by “Let The Right One In.” Aiden supported the album with a UK tour and participated in the 2009 Vans Warped Tour, where they engaged with fans through special signings for the Music Saves Lives charity.

In early 2010, Aiden toured with Anti-Flag on the ‘Economy Sucks, Let’s Party!’ tour, during which they recorded a live DVD and CD titled From Hell… with Love. The DVD was released on March 16, 2010. The band had plans to return to the UK and Europe with Saosin, but the tour was eventually canceled due to financial difficulties. Despite these setbacks, Aiden continued to tour, including a UK tour in late 2010 with support from Francesqa and The Dead Formats.

Disguises and Some Kind of Hate (2011–2012)

Aiden released their fifth studio album, Disguises, on March 29, 2011. The first single, “Walk Among the Dead,” was released on iTunes, followed by music videos for “Hysteria” and “A Portrait of the Artist.” However, in May 2011, drummer Jake Davison left the band to pursue other interests, and was replaced by Ryan Seaman from Falling In Reverse. Aiden headlined the Horror Nights Tour later that year with bands like Vampires Everywhere! and Eyes Set to Kill.

Later in 2011, Aiden released their sixth studio album, Some Kind of Hate, on October 25. It was their final album on Victory Records and their second album released in 2011. The first single, “Broken Bones,” received a music video release, and the band was scheduled to headline the “Rock Beyond Belief” festival at Fort Bragg in March 2012. This festival was a secular response to a previous Christian music festival held at the base.

In early 2012, lead guitarist Angel Ibarra left the band, though Aiden continued to tour with replacement members. They participated in the “Something Wicked This Way Comes” tour across the U.S. West Coast with Wednesday 13 and Modern Day Escape. During this tour, Ian MacWilliams and Keef West joined the band on guitar and drums, respectively. Aiden’s track “There Will Be Blood” from Some Kind of Hate was also used as the theme song for the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling pay-per-view event Genesis in 2012.

Hiatus (2012–2014)

Following the “Something Wicked This Way Comes” tour, Aiden went on hiatus. William Francis focused on his William Control project and writing career, while Nick Wiggins concentrated on his new band, Girl On Fire. During this time, Francis also produced albums for bands like Fearless Vampire Killers and Ashestoangels. In a 2013 interview, Francis revealed that Aiden would release one final album before disbanding, although the release was initially planned for 2014, it was later postponed.

In January 2012, Aiden was embroiled in controversy when Fox News accused them of promoting church burning in their music video for “Hysteria,” which was used to promote the “Rock Beyond Belief” concert. The band denied these allegations, stating that promoting church burning was never their intention.

Return and Aiden (2014–2016)

On December 30, 2014, Aiden hinted at a reunion by posting “2015” on their Facebook page. In January 2015, William Francis announced that a new Aiden album was in the works. With Nick Wiggins no longer in the band, Francis became the only remaining original member. Wiggins was replaced by Kenneth Fletcher, who had been part of William Control’s live band. Francis decided to release the final Aiden album as a free digital download, funding the project by auctioning off old Aiden memorabilia.

The self-titled album, Aiden, featured guest vocals from various artists including Ashley Costello of New Years Day, Adam Crilly of Ashestoangels, and Chris Motionless of Motionless in White. The album’s first song, “Crawling Up From Hell,” was released on October 9, 2015. Aiden embarked on the Last Sunrise Tour in the fall of 2015, which was billed as their final tour. The tour featured performances of Nightmare Anatomy in its entirety. Despite contributing to the album, drummer Keef West was replaced by Ben Tourkantonis for the tour. Aiden played their final show on January 31, 2016, at the Camden Underworld.

Musical Style and Influences

Aiden’s music has been described in various ways, including goth, goth-punk, emo, horror punk, and post-hardcore. Their debut album, Our Gangs Dark Oath, is often categorized as post-hardcore with a screamo influence, drawing comparisons to bands like AFI. Unlike later albums, Our Gangs Dark Oath lacked horror themes, instead focusing on personal experiences from William Francis’s life, including struggles with drug abuse and isolation during his teenage years.

With the release of Nightmare Anatomy in 2005, Aiden began to incorporate horror themes into their music, solidifying their place in the horror punk genre. Their 2007 album, Conviction, represented a departure from their punk roots, featuring a pop rock-influenced style reminiscent of The Cure. However, 2009’s Knives saw Aiden returning to a more punk-oriented sound.

Aiden’s influences range from New Order and Joy Division to Bad Religion, Nirvana, The Misfits, NOFX, The Damned, and David Bowie. They have frequently been compared to AFI, both for their sound and their thematic content.

Members

Final Lineup

• William Francis – lead vocals, piano (2003–2016), rhythm guitar (2008–2016); bass (2003)
• Ian MacWilliams – lead guitar, backing vocals (2012–2016)
• Kenneth Fletcher – bass, backing vocals (2015–2016)
• Ben Tourkantonis – drums (2015–2016)

Touring Members

• Mike Novak – drums (2011)
• Ryan Seaman – drums (2011)

Former Members

• Steve Clemens – lead vocals (2003)
• Jake Wambold – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2003–2008)
• Jake Davison – drums (2003–2011)
• Angel Ibarra – lead guitar, backing vocals (2003–2012)
• Nick Wiggins – bass, backing vocals (2003–2015)
• Keef West – drums (2012–2015)