Before the sold-out tours, platinum singles, and genre-defining albums, A Day to Remember were just five guys from Ocala, Florida with a dream—and And Their Name Was Treason was their first shot at making it real.
Released on May 10, 2005, this scrappy, self-produced debut wasn’t supposed to blow up. Recorded in a home studio (that just so happened to be their drummer’s bedroom), the album cost only a few hundred bucks to make. But what it lacked in polish, it made up for in raw emotion and a now-iconic mix of pop punk hooks and metalcore breakdowns.
Back in 2005, genre-blending was still a risk. ADTR didn’t just blur lines—they smashed them. Tracks like “Heartless” and “You Should Have Killed Me When You Had the Chance” laid the foundation for what would become their signature sound: brutally heavy, surprisingly catchy, and unapologetically emotional.
While it didn’t chart or make waves immediately, And Their Name Was Treason built a cult following fast—largely through word of mouth, MySpace buzz, and relentless touring. It caught the attention of Victory Records, who signed the band and re-released a few of the songs on 2007’s For Those Who Have Heart.
What’s most striking about And Their Name Was Treason now is how much of A Day to Remember’s DNA was already present. The heartbreak, the heaviness, the underdog attitude—it’s all there. The production may be lo-fi, but the intent is crystal clear: this was a band with something to prove.
20 years on, it’s not just a debut—it’s a time capsule. A reminder of where ADTR started and how far they’ve come. And for fans who’ve been there since day one, it’s still just as powerful.
In the years since, A Day to Remember have evolved, experimented, and exploded in popularity. But And Their Name Was Treason remains a cult classic—a rough and ready first chapter that helped rewrite the rules for an entire scene.
So here’s to 20 years of heartbreak anthems, breakdowns, and bedroom recordings that changed everything.
