Trapt

Biography

Trapt is an American rock band formed in Los Gatos, California. Since 2021, their lineup has consisted of Chris Taylor Brown (vocals and guitar), Pete Charell (bass), Shawn Sonnenschein (guitar), and Mitch Moore (drums). Nine studio albums have been recorded to date: Trapt (2002), Someone in Control×Someone in Control13 September 2005 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Disconnected (Out of Touch)3:482Waiting3:513Victim4:014Stand Up4:005Lost Realist4:066Skin Deep3:457Influence4:098Repeat Offender3:179Bleed Like Me3:2810Use Me to Use You3:2911Product of My Own Design3:33 (2005), Only Through the Pain (2008), No Apologies (2010), Reborn (2013), DNA (2016), Shadow Work (2020), The Fall (2024), and Resurrection (2026).
Trapt's biggest commercial success was their eponymous major-label debut, which became certified platinum by 2003 and included the hit single "Headstrong×Headstrong24 October 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Headstrong4:372Echo4:163Still Frame4:304These Walls4:095Made of Glass3:276The Game5:087When All Is Said and Done4:138Policy of Truth3:569Everything to Lose (live)4:2810Enigma (live)5:2811Perfect Dream (demo)3:3612Patience (demo)3:1913Headstrong (clean)4:3614Headstrong (Alexis K dubstep remix)4:0515Headstrong (Die Krupps remix)4:3616Headstrong (acoustic version)4:2617Echo (acoustic version)3:14", which became a crossover hit to the pop charts and peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though their subsequent releases did not match the pop appeal of "Headstrong", the band was able to maintain a presence in the rock market throughout the decade. The band has sold over 2.5 million records worldwide.

Formation and early years (1995–2000)

The members of Trapt met in middle school in the mid-'90s, and were in an early NOFX cover band called the Swinging Udders, with Manny Terres on guitar and Aaron Azlant on lead vocals. Shortly thereafter, the band reformed and developed an act with Chris Taylor Brown (lead vocals), Simon Ormandy (guitar), Rick Sanders (guitar), Pete Charell (bass), and David Stege (drums). Originally, the band were rapcore. The band's first few rehearsals were in Ormandy's guesthouse, which had a party-like atmosphere with its loft overlooking the living room. They began playing at local venues in 1997 before any members had graduated high school. In 1998, still before graduation, they were already opening for up-and-coming fellow acts like Papa Roach. They recorded and released their first CD, Amalgamation, in 1999, which they sold at their live shows. Sanders departed from the band afterwards, but the band opted to remain a quartet instead of recruiting an additional guitarist. Drummer Stege also left the band not longer after. He was replaced by Robin Diaz, and in 2000 the band released the EP Glimpse×Glimpse2000 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Break Me Out4:312Hollow Man5:153Enigma4:124Lie Awake3:005I'll Stay3:48.

Warner Bros. and Eleven Seven years (2001–2011)

By 2001, the band began looking for a record deal. The band were set to sign with Immortal Records, however after disagreements relating to creative control, the deal fell through and the band ultimately signed with Warner Bros. Records, and started recording their debut album with producer Garth Richardson. During recording however, Diaz was simultaneously in Trapt, Closure, and Theory of a Deadman, but he ultimately chose to stay in the latter two bands; thus, his place in Trapt was filled by Aaron Montgomery. On November 5, 2002, the band released their major label debut album, Trapt, which was certified platinum by the RIAA on November 24, 2003. The album produced a total of three charting singles: "Headstrong×Headstrong24 October 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Headstrong4:372Echo4:163Still Frame4:304These Walls4:095Made of Glass3:276The Game5:087When All Is Said and Done4:138Policy of Truth3:569Everything to Lose (live)4:2810Enigma (live)5:2811Perfect Dream (demo)3:3612Patience (demo)3:1913Headstrong (clean)4:3614Headstrong (Alexis K dubstep remix)4:0515Headstrong (Die Krupps remix)4:3616Headstrong (acoustic version)4:2617Echo (acoustic version)3:14", "Still Frame", and "Echo", with "Headstrong" as the most successful of the three.
Before releasing their next full-length album, the band released a self-titled three-track EP, released March 30, 2004, that included live versions of the "Made of Glass" and "Echo" tracks from their debut album, as well as a previously unreleased non-LP track, "Promise". Their second full-length album, titled Someone in Control×Someone in Control13 September 2005 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Disconnected (Out of Touch)3:482Waiting3:513Victim4:014Stand Up4:005Lost Realist4:066Skin Deep3:457Influence4:098Repeat Offender3:179Bleed Like Me3:2810Use Me to Use You3:2911Product of My Own Design3:33, was released September 13, 2005. It produced three singles for the band: "Stand Up", "Waiting×Waiting2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Waiting3:50", and "Disconnected (Out of Touch)". While it reached #14 on the US Billboard 200, the album didn't meet Warner's expectations, selling 500,000 copies. Disappointed, Warner stopped responding to the band. Brown said of the situation: "We didn't like the situation. We asked them to let us off the label. There was no official parting of the ways; we just said, 'We're leaving', and there was no response, so we were out of there." The band signed to Eleven Seven the following year.

Their first live album, titled Trapt Live!×Live!18 September 2007 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Stay Alive (studio)3:362Everything to Lose (studio)4:363Stillframe6:534Made of Glass4:215Hollowman5:556Stand Up4:057Skin Deep3:438Echo4:259Disconnected4:4010Waiting4:4611Headstrong5:51, was released on September 18, 2007. The album featured two new studio songs, "Stay Alive×Stay Alive2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Stay Alive3:36" and "Everything to Lose", as well as live versions of nine songs from their earlier records. On March 7, 2008, it was announced that lead guitarist Simon Ormandy had parted ways with the band. He was replaced by Robb Torres. Despite rumors indicating otherwise, Ormandy's departure was amicable, and Brown continued to speak highly of Ormandy to the media, while promoting Torres as the new guitarist. A day later on June, Trapt released the single "Who's Going Home with You Tonight?×Who's Going Home With You Tonight?10 June 2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Who's Going Home With You Tonight (Late Night Pick Up Mix)3:362Who's Going Home With You Tonight (Early Evening Mix)3:30", the lead single from their then-upcoming studio album entitled Only Through the Pain×Only Through the Pain5 August 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Wasteland3:452Who’s Going Home With You Tonight?3:353Contagious4:234Black Rose4:425Ready When You Are4:576Forget About the Rain3:297Cover Up3:458Only One in Color4:199Wherever She Goes3:4310Curiosity Kills4:2211The Last Tear4:1512Who’s Going Home With You Tonight?3:51, which released on August 5. A music video for the song was released that same day, premiering exclusively on Xbox Live. That summer, Trapt toured as part of Mötley Crüe's Crüe Fest along with Buckcherry, Papa Roach and Sixx:A.M. The tour began July 1, 2008 in West Palm Beach, Florida, and wrapped up in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania on August 31. In 2009, the band released "Contagious×Contagious2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Contagious4:23" as the second single from the album, and embarked on the "Contagious" tour early that year.
In March 2010, Trapt said they were wrapping up the recording process of their new record with producer Johnny K. No Apologies was released on October 12, 2010. The first single, "Sound Off×Sound Off20 July 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sound Off3:29", was available on iTunes on July 20, 2010. Another song, "Stranger in the Mirror", was released for free from the band's Facebook page August 11, 2010. The band left Eleven Seven shortly after the release. In 2011, the band released the compilation album Headstrong under Cleopatra Records, with which they re-recorded 7 tracks from their self-titled, as well as releasing a new track, "Policy of Truth".

Independent years and lineup changes (2012–present)

In 2011, Trapt released the single "Bring It×Bring It8 November 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Bring It3:48," which would prove to be the final single with Montgomery on drums, as he would leave the band in 2012, being replaced by Dylan Howard. That same year, the band signed with Epochal Artists, and in October of that year, announced Reborn would be released on November 20, before delaying it to January 22, 2013. "Bring It" made it to the top 20 on the Active Rock Radio Charts. Shortly before the album released, Torres announced his departure from Trapt, saying "it's time to move on to a new chapter." He was replaced by Travis Miguel of Atreyu.
In 2014, Trapt re-released their early, out of print albums Amalgamation×Amalgamation1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Who I Am5:332Can This Be4:033No One3:434Riddle5:365Control Me6:036Leaving Behind5:227Sick4:578Perfect5:089Instra5:01 and Glimpse×Glimpse2000 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Break Me Out4:312Hollow Man5:153Enigma4:124Lie Awake3:005I'll Stay3:48 EP. and announced "The Self Titled Tour," a tour focused around their self-titled album. On June 15, Trapt launched an Indiegogo campaign to help fund their next studio album, DNA, and a collection of acoustic versions of songs called The Acoustic Collection×The Acoustic Collection2014 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Headstrong4:262Echo4:093Only In One Color4:194Contagious4:225These Walls4:036Ready When You Are4:547Black Rose5:048Waiting3:559Lost Realist3:5910Made Of Glass3:2111Too Close3:1612Who's Going Home With You Tonight3:2613Love Hate Relationship4:21, which came out that summer. Their $50k goal was met two weeks early. Following the end of the "Self Titled Tour," Miguel left to rejoin Atreyu, with the band recruiting Ty Fury.
The band's sixth studio album, DNA, was released on August 19, 2016. It was the band's poorest charting album to date, debuting and peaking at number 148 on the Billboard 200 chart. Two of its singles, "Passenger" and "It's Over," were able to make it into the top 50 on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart. They also partook in the Make America Rock Again tour that year and the following year. After the 2016 Make America Rock Again run, Fury departed from Trapt, later joining Tantric. David Sudock filled in for the 2017 run, before Brendan Hengle took his place in 2018, as he was already the band's drummer starting from 2016 up until then, replacing Howard. In 2018, the band released the non-album single "Come Together×Come Together2018 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Come Together3:56" with rapper An0maly, which did not chart on any Billboard song charts. Around this time, drumming duties were being handled by both Mike Smith and Adam Prentice.
In May 2020, the band's seventh studio album, Shadow Work×Shadow Work20 June 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Make It Out Alive3:312I Want to Want What I Want3:543Tell Me How You Really Feel4:104Too Little Too Late4:045Far Enough Away4:166Turn Me Around Again3:137Trying Too Hard3:278Let Me Down Slowly3:119Too Far Away3:5910Get You Back3:3211Hold and Be Held3:2812Save Your Soul3:5913Fire4:0314Make It Out Alive (acoustic)3:2715Tell Me How You Really Feel (acoustic)4:0816Far Enough Away (acoustic)4:1617Turn Me Around Again (acoustic)3:0618Let Me Down Slowly (acoustic)3:16, was announced. It released the following July, though it failed to chart in the US Billboard 200 chart, selling only 600 copies in its first week, an 87% drop from their prior studio album, DNA, in 2016. That August, the band performed alongside Smash Mouth at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota; the event was later classed as a superspreading event. In the following December, multiple outlets reported that Brown had been fired from the band, though it was debunked as a hoax hours later. On January 23, 2021, Smith announced that he had left Trapt for "primarily political" reasons. He was replaced by Mitch Moore.
In 2022, the band embarked on the "20th Anniversary Tour", where they performed the self-titled album in full. This was the first tour with Shawn Sonnenschein on guitar.
In 2023, the band announced that their eighth album, titled The Fall×The Fall31 May 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 15 tracks1Meant to Be4:152Try It First3:383Halo3:154Think of You4:155Bulletproof3:136Home3:317My Devices3:268Above It All3:309Safe Here in the Shade3:0210Drop Your Guard4:4911When I Get Better3:1412Ignorance Is Bliss2:5413Can't Look Away3:4914Stories (full band electric)4:0415Pride4:10, would be released by the end of the year, before being delayed to March 2024, and again to May 31. They embarked on The Fall Tour throughout 2023 and 2024. Trapt were supposed to appear at the 2024 edition of Louder Than Life, but were pulled from the lineup at an unknown point, which Brown claimed was due to "virtue signaling."
In 2025, Trapt embarked on a full band acoustic tour, with dates being added throughout the year. In March 2025, the band were announced to be a part of Ill Niño & Powerman 5000's "Taste of Armageddon Tour," but were pulled from the bill the same month. Brown claimed they left the tour on their own terms because of heavy backlash. During the acoustic tour, Brown claimed four venues backed out due to "cancel culture," with which people would contact the venues to inform them of the band's controversies. In May 2025, Trapt performed at Boardwalk Rock festival in Ocean City, Maryland, their first major festival appearance in years.
On April 24, 2025, it was reported that Trapt's upcoming ninth album would be titled Resurrection. When asked about it, Brown promised the album would include "some of the heaviest Trapt songs we have done." The band debuted the song "Bandages" in concert in August, while "I Did My Time" was first performed in October. The album was officially announced in March 2026, with the band releasing three tracks; "Bend So Much," "No One Home," and "I Did My Time;" exclusively through the album's pre-order on April 10. Resurrection released physically on September 11, 2026, and on September 12, Trapt is set to embark on the "Then Til Now" tour, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band signing a record deal, as well as the anniversary of their self-titled record.

Musical style and influences

Trapt's musical style has been described as post-grunge, hard rock, alternative metal, alternative rock, nu metal and heavy metal. AllMusic critic MacKenzie Wilson writes that the band "draws influences from grunge and heavy metal" while "absorbing the heavy rock sounds of Korn, Soundgarden, and Metallica". The band has cited Korn, Tool, Papa Roach, Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam and Genesis as influences.

Social media use

Many publications have taken note of the band's unusual use of social media accounts, run by Brown, often to lash out and attack others, something not often done from official band accounts. Music website MetalSucks noted in 2015 that the band's official Facebook account made lengthy posts criticizing viewers of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which devolved into the account swearing and berating commenters. The comment also included homophobic insults towards internet musician Rob Scallon, whom the band had feuded with on social media earlier in the year over the unauthorized and unattributed use of Scallon's videos. In 2017, Brown insulted commenters who disagreed with his defense of former President Trump's dismissal of James Comey, and then again later in the year with critics of Brown's stance that institutional racism does not exist. Brown initially expressed regret for his comments, saying "I think the biggest thing you have to do for yourself is collect yourself and realize that you’re in a position where people are looking up to you. You do have to be the bigger person, no doubt."
In March 2020, Metal Injection, The A.V. Club, and Slate all reported that the band's Twitter account had gone on a week-long effort of arguing with and insulting people. It began with insults of civil rights activist and bishop Talbert W. Swan II and accusations of having a "victim mentality". The comments then expanded into areas such as defending the Unite the Right rally, calling people "nerds", challenging the existence of white privilege in society, supporting Trump's "Chinese virus" rhetoric in reference to the COVID-19 pandemic, and fat-shaming women. Loudwire noted that many notable bands and musicians later responded to counter or ridicule the claims. Brown later used the band account to threaten legal action against an unflattering parody account assuming Trapt's identity, but dropped the issue on the same day once the account altered its Twitter handle to make the parody clearer. In May 2020, Brown threatened legal action against multiple Change.org petitions to keep the band's music off of the upcoming Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 re-release, even though the band's music never appeared on the originals nor was announced for the remaster. In the same month, Brown used the band's account to partially blame George Floyd for his own death.
In August 2020, in response to an article by music publication Consequence of Sound that asserted that the band drew a small crowd size at a festival, the band took to Twitter to berate the publication and any fans who agreed with the story's claim of poor attendance. The following month, the band's account was used to publicly berate Travis Livingstone, an artist the band had commissioned, but not paid, for a lyric video for their album release that year. In October 2020, the band drew criticism when they announced their support for the far-right extremist group the Proud Boys and invited the group's Dallas, Texas, chapter to their next show in town.
In November 2020, Spin reported that Facebook had deleted Trapt's page on the grounds of hate speech. In December 2020, the band's Twitter account was suspended after Brown wrote a series of Tweets that multiple publications interpreted to be about defending statutory rape, where Brown said he would 'high five' a hypothetical 15-year-old boy who had sex with a 25-year-old female teacher. In April 2021, Brown defended and clarified his stance, saying it was not meant as a defense of statutory rape, but rather, "a joke in bad taste" in relation to his thoughts on the "double standard between how men need to treat women versus the other way around".