The Higher

by Corey Apar Las Vegas' the Higher formed in 2002, originally known as September Star, a high-school band consisting of vocalist Seth Trotter, drummer Pat Harter, guitarist James Mattison, and bassist Jason Centeno. Things got more serious the following year with the addition of second guitarist/vocalist Tom Oakes; the guys began playing locally and eventually recorded a demo comprised of songs they'd written when they were 16. It was enough to land a deal with Fiddler Records in mid-2003, and after the band changed its name to the Higher, the tracks were formally released that October as the five-song EP Star Is Dead, a pretty generic emo offering. The Higher's first nationwide tour followed the EP's release and the band played gigs alongside acts like Silverstein, Park, and Emery. The full-length Histrionics followed in 2005, after which the band parted ways with both Mattison and Fiddler. Guitarist Robert "Reggie" Ragan joined on in time for the band to hit the road again, and by summer 2006 the Higher had signed with Epitaph. The digital-only EP Pace Yourself appeared in late 2006; this led nicely into the February 2007 release of On Fire, which showcased the band expanding past simple emo to incorporate elements of pop, dance, and occasionally R&B.