Taken

Orange County, California's Taken formed in mid-1997 between guitarists Chad Tafolla and Dan Baird. The duo wanted to depart from their previous punk efforts, and move towards a heavier sound. As the pair wrote new material, they would slowly fill in the band's personnel gaps. After months of practices and shows, Taken would hit the studio to record a demo, which would be released in late-1998 on Here We Are Records. Despite the fact that the demos sold out quickly, the band was unhappy with their current sound and, therefore, began to write new tracks with a more melodic approach. Taken would enter the studio again in mid-1999 to record its "Haven/Crayons" seven-inch for Here We Are. The seven-inch would be released in July of 1999, and Taken would distribute the record around the U.S. and Canada in hopes of finding a label. It was at that point that Goodfellow Records would offer to release an EP and full-length for the band. In mid-2000, Taken would release its 7-song CD, "Finding Solace in Dissension," and embark on its first U.S. tour. Although the tour was not quite a success, the unit's first Goodfellow effort has sold more than 5,000 copies year to date. The band's latest record, "And They Slept," was released in 2001 on Goodfellow. Combining elements of hardcore, emo, rock, fans of somewhat chaotic, yet melodic, hardcore should give Taken a listen.