Parkway Drive

Parkway Drive is an Australian melodic metalcore and metalcore group from Byron Bay, Australia. The band forms in 2003 and takes its name from the street where its members practise in their hometown. Its current line-up includes Winston McCall on vocals, Jeff Ling on lead guitar, Luke Kilpatrick on rhythm guitar, Ben Gordon on drums and Jia O'Connor on bass. The group is active from 2003 to the present and releases music on Parkway Records.

Early releases and line-up changes

Parkway Drive first issues a split EP with Adelaide band I Killed The Prom Queen, and later in the same period appears on the Byron Bay Hardcore compilation What We've Built. Its debut EP, Don't Close Your Eyes, follows. The band later reissues that EP in 2006. Bass player Shaun Cash leaves in 2006 for personal reasons, and Jia O'Connor joins the group as a permanent replacement after working with the band in a merchandise role and as a long-time friend.

Albums and recordings

In May 2005, the band travels to the United States to record its debut album with metal producer and Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz. Killing With a Smile appears in 2005, followed by Horizons in 2007, Deep Blue in 2010, Atlas in 2012, I.R.E. in 2015, Reverence in 2018 and Darker Still in 2022. Releases are issued through labels including Resist Records, Epitaph Records and Burning Heart Records. Other releases include Smoke 'Em If Ya Got 'Em, Boneyards and Parkway Drive: The DVD.

Recognition and touring

After Don't Close Your Eyes, Parkway Drive builds a large following in Australia through support slots with acts including Hatebreed, In Flames, Chimaira, Shadows Fall, As I Lay Dying, Bleeding Through and Alexisonfire. The band also plays Metal for The Brain 2005 and Australia's Hardcore 2005, and later signs to Epitaph Records. Horizons receives strong reviews and reaches number 6 on the ARIA chart. The group tours widely in Australia, the United States, Europe and Japan, including dates with Killswitch Engage, Bury Your Dead and Darkest Hour, as well as appearances at the Vans Warped Tour, Download Festival, Bamboozle, Soundwave Festival, Homebake Festival, Sound Fest, Gravity G Festival and the Rockstar Taste of Chaos tour. It also tours the Australian east coast with fellow Byron Bay bands 50 Lions and Word Up! on the Surf Rats Tour.

Later activity

In 2022, the band cancels a North American tour, takes a break from activity for mental health reasons, and later resumes scheduled European dates with Lorna Shore and While She Sleeps under a rebrand. It releases the singles Glitch and The Greatest Fear before announcing Darker Still.