Dear Friends and Fans,

We owe you so many apologies that I am not sure where to start. No doubt many of you noticed that After The Sirens dropped suddenly off the radar shortly following our Fall 2007 tour. When we came back from tour we were exhausted but also inspired. We decided to take a few weeks off from thinking about the band at all so we could focus on the relationships in our lives. A few weeks passed, and then a few more. In mid-November we started circulating emails amongst ourselves starting the conversation of "what do we want to do next?" The answers were different for each band member, and we found ourselves pulling in all different directions both musically and in our lives. We reached a point where we just weren’t sure what we wanted to do with the band.

It’s been nearly six months since we got back from tour, and in that time we played only nine shows, the last one in January. I believe it is finally time for us to admit that After The Sirens has come to an end. To say that it has been an incredible ride would be a gross understatement. The band has more or less been my entire life for nearly five years. ATS has gone through a few evolutions, and I’m proud of all of our accomplishments. When we met as freshmen in college and started writing "Bridges Worth Buring" during our first practice, I don’t think it even crossed my mind that we’d go on to share the stage with bands I grew up listening to, or to play shows in clubs, malls, theaters, churches, and virtually every type of venue under the sun. We got to see the USA as we met you all in cities all over the country. We got to play on cable TV, radio, podcasts, and showcases for major labels. We saw our pictures in magazines that we had been subscribing to for long before ATS was even a vague idea in any of our minds. Our album charted on the top 10 indie albums of 2007 at Tower Records way across the ocean in Japan. It was a dream come true for all of us, but nothing (honestly) ever meant as much as your support every step along the way. I couldn’t even begin to list the names of all of our fans and friends who have helped us out financially, encouraged us, let us sleep in their beds, and cheered for us from the front row in shows all over the country. You know who you are, and we do too.

We started ATS largely to propegate a message of hope, forgiveness, and open inquiry. Even as we advocated such things from the stage, we were also learning about them personally. In many ways, our personal growth has been tied to the band. When we took a step back after our last incredible tour, we realized that we had all changed from the men we were when we started the band. And that’s not a bad thing, because in some respects change is always for the better. It is a sad thing, however, that we are shutting this door and saying goodbye to so many people who mean so much to us. In the last few months where we’ve left you hanging on only guesses as to what we’ve been up to, I’ve received letters and e-mails from you all that have made me realize how special our fans are, even to the point of making me cry. I wouldn’t trade the last five years for anything.

As we end this chapter in our musical lives, I want to give you an idea of where we’re going. Tom and I will be debuting a new project this summer in the Boston area. Huss is working on his own project out in the Albany, NY area. Jon and Nick will likely also continue to pursue music in other arenas. We’ll continue to use the ATS myspace page to communicate with you about our new projects when they happen, and I hope you’ll continue to support us all as we go our separate ways.

ATS is planning on playing a few final shows between now and the end of the summer, ending with our final performance at Soulfest 2008. Right now we are hoping to play four last shows... one on Boston’s South Shore for our fans down there and in Rhode Island, one on Boston’s North Shore for all of our friends at home, one with our good friends Elotheos in Connecticut, and then our final performance at Soulfest in New Hampshire. I really hope that you’ll be able to make it out for at least one of these shows. Please keep watching our MySpace page for updates. Also, if you’re interested in seeing our last performance at Soulfest, please consider buying tickets through us as it helps guarantee us a good performance slot.

Finally, I ask you all to continue to support our label, Blue Duck Records. The guys at Blue Duck have been our best friends in the music industry for a long time. They are great guys and I hope you continue to listen to their bands and buy their music. Being an independent label, especially one with as high standards for personal integrity as Blue Duck Records, is a very challenging job. Every time you buy a CD from Blue Duck, you are helping them continue to give bands like After The Sirens a chance.

Thank you for loving our music. At many times in my life, your support has given me the strength to keep moving. We wrote music in hopes that others could relate and enjoy it. Please continue to spread the music and the ideas behind the music, and continue to pursue peace, love, hope, and understanding in all areas of your life.

Love,

Ryan & ATS