Artist in the Wings - The Dear Hunter

The Dear Hunter is a project led by Casey Crescenzo. He was formerly a member of the post-hardcore band The Reciving End of Sirens. The Dear Hunter has given him the opportunity to explore a much wider range of musical styles and elements than was possible previously. One minute the Dear Hunter could be performing ballad style material, and the next they may be roaring with guitar noise. There is an overall theatricality to the band's music that engages the listener's brain as well as heart.

Last June the Dear Hunter released their second studio album Act III: Life and Death which became the band's first to break into the Billboard Top 200 album chart. Now the Dear Hunter are in the midst of a national tour through the end of November. The new album is the third act in a six act story. The story follows an unnamed character in an exploration of the social landscape of war. The Dear Hunter will take listeners outside of the realm of typical mainstream pop music, but you will recognize many elements borrowed from pop music history. Listen to the Dear Hunter and explore the experimental edge of contemporary pop-rock.

• Watch "He Said He Had a Story" live

_{Photo by Dan Gillan, courtesy Triple Crown Records}