Welsh pop-punks Neck Deep formed in 2012 as the D.I.Y. project of singer Ben Barlow and guitarist Lloyd Roberts. After testing the water with a couple of self-released online tracks, they issued their first EP, Rain in July, in late 2012. Part of the wave of pop-punk revival acts, Neck Deep cited influences like Fall Out Boy, New Found Glory, and Sum 41, offering an updated version of the genre's classic sound. Wanting to expand their capabilities, Barlow and Roberts enlisted friends from the local scene to complete their lineup. Matt West joined on guitar, Fil Thorpe-Evans became their bassist, and Dani Washington joined as drummer. Their second EP, 2013's A History of Bad Decisions, garnered enough attention to bring them to the U.S. for their first international shows, where they caught the attention of several major labels. Neck Deep signed with Hopeless Records in August 2013 and, just a few months later in January 2014, issued their debut, Wishful Thinking. The album was well-received and they spent much of 2014 touring the U.K. and the U.S. supporting bands like We Are the In Crowd and Knuckle Puck, and joining the Vans Warped Tour for a stint. Their sophomore LP, Life's Not Out to Get You, arrived in August 2015. The record garnered widespread acclaim, from both fans and critics alike, with particular praise from Daniel P. Carter of the BBC Radio One Rock Show. After promoting the record on a worldwide tour and a lineup change (Roberts was replaced by Climates and Blood Youth guitarist Sam Bowden) Neck Deep returned with their third studio effort, The Peace and the Panic, in the summer of 2017. ~ Timothy Monger