Final Serenade [PUBLISHED: Sample only]

PROLOGUE

Hall Affinity

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hall Affinity is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2001.

The current lineup consists of vocalist Frankie Blade, guitarist Dante Martinez, bassist Johnny Z, and drummer Carter Valentine. The band has released four studio albums, accumulating sales of more than 50 million records worldwide, including 23 million records in the United States, making them one of the world's best-selling rock bands of all time.

Hall Affinity is known for its diverse rock sound and dramatic imagery on its album covers and for its experimental musical style that pushes the boundaries of modern rock music.

The band secured their first recording deal with Red Eye Records in 2003 and subsequently released their debut album, Adrenaline Lane, in 2004, which broke Billboard's Top 200 in under six months. The band's second album, Hollow Heart Dream, (2006) marked a dramatic change in style, incorporating influences from classic '90s grunge sounds. It peaked at number one on Billboard 200 in December 2006.

Hollow Heart Dream was the last album Hall Affinity released via Red Eye Records. It was also the last album to feature the original band's drummer Quin Kelly, who was replaced by Carter Valentine. In May 2007, the band secured a five-album record deal with KBC Universal and started recording their highly anticipated third studio album. The album release, however, was postponed to mid-2008 due to creative tensions within the band. Blade and Martinez had a temporary falling out, which, after a four-month hiatus, caused the record label to step in and legally pressure both band members to work out their differences and finish the album by March 2008.

Breathe Crimson climbed the charts to number one in under a week after the day of its release. Its lead single, "Ambivalent," the band's most commercially successful single to date, won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance. After two years of extensive touring, Hall Affinity returned into the studio to start working on their fourth album Chasing Memories, which was released in fall of 2011, earning the band another Grammy.

Hall Affinity was inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, the first year of its eligibility.

On July 10, 2012, lead singer Frankie Blade was involved in a serious motorcycle accident, resulting in a temporary disbanding of Hall Affinity. In November 2012, the band's PR representative issued an official statement about Blade's physical condition preventing the singer from continuing as a lead vocalist of Hall Affinity. The record label and Blade's bandmates, under pressure from displeased fans, rejected the possibility of finding a replacement. The band has been on an indefinite hiatus since 2012.