BLACKENED seemed to have come out of nowhere, but the truth is that every member of the band has been involved in the independent music community for the last decade and a half. The all–star lineup boasts current and former members of the juggernaut that is HATEBREED (Bassist Chris Beattie and original drummer and founding member Dave Russo) as well as current Connecticut contenders and alum alike, including vocalist Jay Reason (THE DISTANCE) guitarists Chris Legg (FASTBREAK) and Wayne Lozinak (HATEBREED, TWO BY FOUR, YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS). Founded on the terms of combining the roots of traditional hardcore with the sheer brutalness of metal, BLACKENED is quite simply a wrecking ball that is stopping at nothing in its path.

For their forthcoming debut, appropriately titled "This Means War", the band has joined up with Think Fast! Records, a label not only responsible for introducing bands like HAVE HEART and OUTBREAK, but also spanning a back catalog containing veterans like SICK OF IT ALL and IGNITE. Think Fast! Records co–owner Ryan O'Connor comments "When we received the Blackened demo tracks, we immediately knew that these guys were onto something special. The amazing lineup aside, these songs are crafted in a different vein than all of their past bands, which was the most impressive point of all. We're very excited to bring the first taste of Blackened to the world".