Bio: Worcester, Massachusetts. 8 pm. Those who have their hearts set on a Sunday night bingo game or knitting circle at the Quinsigamond Village Community Center will walk away sorely disappointed. Instead, nearly 600 kids spanning all ages and tastes have excitedly packed themselves into the tiny venue. The room is plunged into darkness and the wild shouting echoes in the air; this is the moment they've been waiting for. The first strains of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" filter through the speakers as Four Year Strong take their hometown stage, fully prepared to shred faces, blow minds, and take no prisoners.

Alan Day (Vocals/Guitar), Dan O'Conner (Vocals/Guitar), Joe Weiss (Bass), Josh Lyford (Synth), and Jake Massucco (Drums) are Four Year Strong. The band has since graduated from the likes of closet venues and community centers, selling out 1600-capacity venues with their perfected formula of unrelenting spirit, gut-wrenchingly good music, and no flashy gimmicks. Their unique blend of brutal breakdowns and soaring choruses incites a riot like nothing seen before, leaving live crowds and CD listeners alike simultaneously blown away and fired up.

Their influences range from Lifetime to Saves the Day, Gorilla Biscuits to New Found Glory. "We just play exactly what we want to hear," describes Dan, explaining their combination of hardcore and pop-punk. Sharing an average age of 20 years old, the five guys of Four Year Strong have already made themselves known as one of Alternative Press's "100 Bands You Need To Know in '08" and Rolling Stone's "40 Bands You Need To Know". Frequenting the Smartpunk Top 10 sales and Purevolume's "most played" charts, the band has garnered nearly 2 million plays on MySpace by simply making music the way they want it to be made.

With a do-it-yourself determination, Four Year Strong do not pretend to be anyone but themselves. The band does not sugarcoat their image, avoiding the pretty-boy front that smothers the scene. Behind the numerous tattoos and grizzly beards, Four Year Strong are the kind of guys you would want to bring home to Mom and Dad. The band does not bother with egos or attitude, determined to connect with every fan on a personal level.

Their debut full-length, Rise or Die Trying, premiered September 18th on I Surrender Records. The album continues to generate an excited buzz across the web, catching the ears of Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz. As of February 2008, the band is proud to announce its partnership with Decaydance Records, joining the ranks of bands like Panic at the Disco, The Academy Is…, and Gym Class Heroes. With the support of both Decaydance and I Surrender Records, Four Year Strong are building themselves to the top with an indestructible foundation.

Four Year Strong combine equal parts melody and mayhem; however, their true talent lies in the ability to use these parts to create one exciting, infectious whole. "We wanted to put out a great record and not just a bunch of great songs." They fully embrace their album title, Rise or Die Trying, and Four Year Strong refuse to stop until they've taken the world by storm.

Brace yourself, let's start the takeover.