Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Baxter.
Adam, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in a musical family – Dad played trumpet, Mom the piano and organ. I’ve bounced between different bands, styles, and instruments since high school. I have contributed at least backup (if not lead) vocals in every band I’ve been in. I have played saxophone in a ska band, bass in a punk band, bass and keyboard in a screamo band, guitar in a rock band, and now guitar for Without Sacrifice.
Our name is open to many interpretations, but to me, it is derived from a simple explanation for life experience… Too often I have taken things for granted and may tend to forget that everything important to me came at a price. I had to remind myself that without sacrifice, I would have nothing. My writing style tends to reflect this, as well, as I tend to write based off of personal experiences.
The band started in 2009 in Wichita, KS. Having tried out for a few bands after moving around for a while, I decided to start my own. I came to the conclusion that I enjoyed playing and singing multiple genres and couldn’t decide what style I wanted to play most. Then it occurred to me: why choose one? I can find like-minded musicians and we can blend all of our influences into our writing. After writing a few originals and putting together a few covers, we started playing opening slots in the area – even rocked some acoustic sidewalk sets downtown!
Over the next 6 years, the band experienced multiple lineup changes. In January 2015, I relocated to the DFW area for a career opportunity I couldn’t refuse. Upon my indefinite departure, the band evolved further still and decided to start over under a new name. Rather than let the band that I had worked, sweat, breathed, and bled for fade away, I brought the name (and brand) down to Arlington and started auditioning an entirely new lineup. The previous members now go by the name “Shiva” and have a great sound that I highly recommend!
Though we have had humble beginnings, we have also had a lot of great opportunities! We have opened for the likes of Smile Empty Soul, Stitched Up Heart, Fit For A King, and played a stop on Vans Warped Tour. We’ve recorded 2 EP’s (“Past Static” {2012}, and “Without Sacrifice” {2013}), a single with Seasons After’s own Chris Dawson (“We The People” {2014}) and have recently completed our first full-length album (“Take Your Pill” {2017}). We have also had the honor of holding the #1 spot on ReverbNation Metal charts for not only Dallas, TX but for the entire DFW region for the last 3 months; AND we’ve stayed in the top 20 nationwide and top 50 for 2 months (source: https://www.reverbnation.com/withoutsacrifice – charts subject to change daily). You can hear our tracks on 97.1 The Eagle during Loud & Local hour Sunday nights from 11pm-12am CST, or on any online platform (iTunes, Amazon Mp3, Spotify, Pandora, many more).
We are a very outgoing group and have profiles on all the major social media networks. To see where and when we’re playing, the best place to look is www.facebook.com/withoutsacrifice. For exclusive updates via e-mailing list, “Become A Fan” of ours on ReverbNation and “Subscribe to Updates”! Without Sacrifice is: Adam Baxter, Vocals/Rhythm; Clay Wilson, Drums; Ryan “RCX” Murphy, Turntables/Backup vocals; Gavin Haley, Lead; Scott “Rock” Rockstead, Bass.
Has it been a smooth road?
A smooth road? No. We have probably not had nearly as many struggles as some bands out there, but it has not been easy. Our biggest struggle has always been keeping members. Since the band’s inception, we have gone through: 7 drummers, 10 guitarists, 9 bassists, 4 vocalists, and 1 DJ (including present lineup). Outside of the group dynamic changes that come from changing members, our only struggle has been defining our genre, as it has such a wide variety of influences and styles that it is hard to pin down when asked.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Without Sacrifice – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Without Sacrifice is a heavy band based out of Arlington, TX. We specialize in blending catchy riffs, melodic vocals, and heavy breakdowns with a taste of rap and hip-hop styles. We are most proud of how we’ve made our diverse individual backgrounds come together to develop a unique sound of our own. Using turntables and rap/hip-hop influences set us apart from most heavy bands in the area. We’re not as heavy as most metal bands, but we get down more than most hard rock bands – allowing us to float between those 2 genres the best. However, our tracks can also be found in a playlist with the likes of Hed PE and Tech9.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
We’ve had our share of both good and bad luck. As for the role it has played for Without Sacrifice, it depends on perspective. We’ve noticed that so many things happen for a reason, and where 1 door closes, another opens. Although we’ve had sudden member departures that set us back from playing shows and risk losing momentum (bad luck), in many cases the new members pushed the band to evolve both musically and personally (good luck).
Pricing:
- “Take Your Pill” – Full length CD, $15
Contact Info:
- Website: www.reverbnation.com/withoutsacrifice
- Email: wosacrifice@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/withoutsacrifice/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/withoutsacrifice
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/wosacrifice
Image Credit:
Dana McCurdy
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
