Trapt History: (1997-)

Trapt exploded as one of the best-known Southern California Alternative Metal bands, now scheduled to play at Crue Fest.

Trapt: Style

Trapt sprang from the Alternative Metal movement of the early 1990s. The Grunge phenomenon placed the spotlight strongly on the Alt-Metal genre and it took off. Early examples of this genre include Rage Against the Machine and Nine Inch Nails. These influential bands fathered their own followers, and Trapt was certainly among them. Like other Alternative Metal bands, Trapt puts a combination of screaming and singing vocals over a strong bass line and tuned-down guitars. Trapt keeps to the basics of Metal, however, and does not include the samples or turntables featured in Nu-Metal.

Trapt: Start

Lead vocalist Chris Brown formed Trapt in 1997 at the peak of the Alternative Metal movement. Joined by guitarist Simon Ormandy, bassist Peter Charell, and drummer David Stege, Trapt recorded two demos to help supplement their touring income. Due to the popularity of Alternative Metal and Trapt’s constant touring, word of mouth soon spread the Trapt’s name to big record label Warner Bros. Records.

Trapt: Headstrong

The album Trapt was released in 2002. Trapt scored a hit their first time out with single “Headstrong,” which found its way onto several video game soundtracks, as well as the soundtracks for TV shows and sporting events. The driving riffs and defiant lyrics of “Headstrong” enabled the song to be fit into the many projects without feeling forced. With the power of TV and radio play, “Headstrong” was a No. 1 Rock hit, and made Trapt a household name. Follow-up single “Still Frame” was a No. 1 Rock single as well and was also a staple video on Fuse and MTV. The next single “Echo” reached No. 10. With the strength of the Trapt album, Trapt began a large tour with several other top bands. With themselves established and a strong fan base on the rise, Trapt went back into the recording studio.

Trapt: Someone in Control

The second Trapt studio album, Someone in Control, was released in 2005 to high expectations. The first single “Stand Up” was released to plenty of airplay and TV video rotation. The guitar was cranked up on “Stand Up,” and moved to a heavier edge. With the fresh sound, “Stand Up” was a No. 4 Mainstream Rock hit. Trapt experimented with their sound a little more and also went softer on a few tracks. The singles “Disconnected (Out of Touch)” and “Waiting” also garnered significant airplay. Trapt was able to tour on the back of the gold-selling Someone in Control. Trapt toured with musical powerhouse Nickelback and expanded their fan base even more. The energetic live performances led to live album Trapt Live! and its studio single “Stay Alive.”

Trapt: Crue Fest

After another series of touring and a long wait for fans, Trapt announced that they were recording another studio album called Only Through the Pain in 2008. Though no release date was given, single “Who’s Going Home With You Tonight?” was released. With a unique style and a strong fan base in tow, Trapt has been thrilling audiences since their inception. Trapt will continue this tradition on perhaps the biggest stage of their careers this summer during Crue Fest – the brainchild of the iconic Motley Crue.

Motley Crue chose Trapt along with a few other bands to perform in Crue Fest because they shared similar musical styles. But, most importantly to Motley Crue, Trapt lives the same lifestyle that Motley Crue loves and cherishes. The national Crue Fest tour will place Trapt next to not only Motley Crue themselves but also with modern Glam band Buckcherry, fellow Alternative Metal rockers Papa Roach, and Nikki Sixx side project Sixx A.M. From the sunny shores of Southern California to the heart of Canada, Crue Fest will unite the two most powerful Metal movements of two decades into a singular musical experience.

Trapt: Greatest Hits

• “Headstrong” from the Trapt album
• “Still Frame” from the Trapt album
• “Echo” from the Trapt album
• “Stand Up” from the Someone in Control album
• “Disconnected (Out of Touch)” from the Someone in Control album
• “Waiting” from the Someone in Control album
• “Stay Alive” from the Trapt Live! album
• “Who’s Going Home With You Tonight?” from the Only Through the Pain album