Although their message and beliefs make them a Christian band, I, The Breather are a progressive metalcore band whose savage sound feels anything but wholesome. Based out of Baltimore, Maryland, the band was formed in 2009 by singer Shawn Spann, guitarist Justin Huffman, and drummer Morgan Wright. As the trio attempted to build a stable lineup, they self-released their eponymous debut EP shortly after forming. With a roster made up of Spann, Huffman, and Wright, along with guitarist Jered Youngbar and bassist Armand Jasari, I, The Breather quickly gained the attention of a label and signed on with Sumerian Records in 2010, the same year the band would release their full-length debut, These Are My Sins. Youngbar's time with the band would be short-lived, and he parted ways with I, The Breather in 2011, with guitarist Chase Kozlowski filling in. In 2012, the band's sophomore effort, Truth and Purpose, found them making their way onto both the Billboard Heatseeker and Christian charts, reaching 36 and 13, respectively. However, those highs would be tempered by more membership changes, with Huffman and Jasari both departing the band that year, and Wright following not long after in 2013. Spann, now the only founding member of I, The Breather left in the band, soldiered on, recruiting guitarist Kyle Bowman, bassist Conor Hesse, and drummer Aaron Ovecka to fill the holes left in the band's lineup. Sounding as if they hadn't missed a beat, they returned in 2014 with their devastating third album for Sumerian, Life Reaper. ~ Gregory Heaney