New End Original is a Bay Area, CA-based rock band that blends emocore punk rock with the raw, ragged feel of Nirvana, post-hardcore, indie rock, and just a small bit of the down home roots of Americana alternative country. The band formed when former Far frontman Jonah Matranga, who had been performing solo shows and releasing records under the name Onelinedrawing, convinced his friend Norman Arenas to join forces with him. Arenas, a veteran of the New York/New Jersey area hardcore bands Shelter and Resurrection, hadn't played guitar since disbanding emocore standard bearers Texas Is the Reason in 1997. He was DJing in Chicago, yet began trading tapes via mail with Matranga. In early 2001, Arenas moved to the West Coast, where former Texas Is the Reason bassist and grapeOS label co-owner Scott Winegard had just moved as well. Winegard decided to align himself with Arenas and Matranga, bringing transplanted Indiana native Charlie Walker along with him. Walker played drums in both Split Lip and Chamberlain before moving to New York, where he played with Winegard in a band called the Americans before backing former Quicksand bassist Sergio Vega's solo touring. With the entire lineup assembled, the four of them collectively decided after their first rehearsal that a new name, one other than Onelinedrawing (which would continue as Matranga's solo outing), should be selected. New End Original had a deal with Jade Tree before playing a single show. They demoed a large body of hastily assembled material with former Fudgetunnel leader Alex Newport producing, and recorded an album on the East Coast with Brian McTernan after just six practices. The allegedly un-ironically titled Thriller was released in the fall of 2001. Jade Tree also released a CD single of non-album B-sides, Lukewarm, from the album the same year, which is only available at shows, on the Web, and through mail-order.

Ryan Downey
AllMusic.com