Ink & Dagger

Formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during 1996, the punk rock outfit Ink & Dagger assembled an initial roster that included vocalist Sean McCabe, who composed the majority of the group’s material, Don Devore on guitars and programming, Joshua Brown on bass, and Ryan McLaughlin on drums. Their early performances of hardcore-infused punk material quickly drew a broad following throughout the city’s underground circuit, prompting the band to commit its sound to tape. The resulting debut EP, Love Is Dead, appeared on the Happy Days label and further elevated their standing within alternative rock circles. Encouraged by this momentum, the quartet embarked on an extensive tour spanning the United States and Canada that occupied most of 1997. Later that same year they tracked their first full-length studio album, Drive This Seven Inch Wooden Stake Through My Philadelphia Heart, which earned widespread critical notice and favorable commentary. In 1998 the Philadelphia musicians returned to the studio to record their sophomore effort, The Fine Art of Original Sin. Following another lengthy stretch of roadwork that encompassed multiple European dates, the band released its self-titled album Ink & Dagger in 1999.