Set It Off (band)


Set It Off is an American rock band formed in 2008 in Tampa, Florida. The band consists of lead vocalist Cody Carson, guitarist and bassist Zach DeWall, and drummer Maxx Danziger.
The band initially gained a large following through singer Cody Carson's YouTube channel. Set It Off was signed by Equal Vision Records after releasing a string of successful extended-play albums. In 2018, they signed with Fearless Records, which in February 2019 released Midnight, their fourth studio album. In 2022, after they released their fifth studio album Elsewhere, in 2023, they announced that they had left Fearless Records and gone independent. They released their self-titled sixth studio album in November 2025.

History

Formation (2008)

Cody Carson and Dan Clermont, who met in their high school marching band, formed a band, which brushed against another band created by Austin M. Kerr and Zach DeWall while playing local shows. After high school, Carson left for Ohio to attend the Oberlin Conservatory of Music as a classical clarinet student. In his first year, after exchanging a series of YouTube videos with All Time Low frontman Alex Gaskarth, Carson asked to sing "Coffee Shop Soundtrack" at the group's upcoming concert at the Cleveland House of Blues via a YouTube video. The performance led Carson to drop out of college and use his school money to start up the band.
Dewall and Kerr were among the first to join; Dan Clermont followed as the band's lead guitar player. James Arran was Set It Off's first drummer, but financial struggles made gas purchases difficult for him, and he resigned August 24, 2008. He was succeeded by Blake Howell, who soon left the band due to family difficulties. Howell was replaced by Benji Panico on October 30, 2009; he left to pursue his GED and, later, start his own photography studio. Howell introduced the band to their current drummer, Maxx Danziger.

Early releases (2008–2010)

  • Released their first EP: Baby, You Don't Tripajaharda, on October 31, 2008.
  • Self-released their EP: Calm Before the Storm on May 16, 2009.
  • Self-released the single "Hush Hush" on September 6, 2010. A music video was made to accompany the song on October 4, 2010.
  • Released the single "Together Forever" on November 16, 2010.
  • Released the single "@Reply" on December 25, 2010. A music video was later made to accompany the song.
  • Self-released their EP: Horrible Kids, which included "@Reply".

    ''Horrible Kids'' (2011–2012)

In July 2011, the band announced its signing to Equal Vision Records and that the label would issue a remastered version of its self-released EP Horrible Kids, along with the single "Chase It!" on August 30, 2011.
Carson said, "Our main inspiration in writing this album was derived from personal experiences growing up. I loved being able to turn to songs that I could personally relate to. I want to provide that same kind of coping source for people. I want people to be able to turn on Horrible Kids and pick a song that pinpoints exactly what they're going through and allows them to vent through it."
The album debuted in the top 100 Alternative Albums on iTunes. Horrible Kids was recorded at Red Sparrow Studios in Wilson, North Carolina. It was produced, engineered, and mixed by Brandon Ham and John Harrell.

''Cinematics'' (2012–2013)

In July 2012, Set It Off announced the upcoming release of its debut full-length album Cinematics, On September 18, 2012. A deluxe version was released the same day exclusively on iTunes.
Through the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, the band donated $1 for every album sold before September 23 to support music programs in schools. The band also donated their bonus, generating a total donation of $5,000. Equal Vision Records agreed to match the band's donation if the band reached No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. Cody Carson said, "We're honored to be working with VH1 Save the Music. If it wasn't for the music education program in my high school, Set It Off would not exist. I would not have met our guitarist, Dan Clermont, I wouldn't have been directed toward Oberlin Music Conservatory, and I wouldn't end up with even half of the musical knowledge I possess now. More people need to be able to experience the unity, leadership skills, and work ethic taught by being involved in music education programs in schools. Set It Off strongly endorses this organization for these, among many other, reasons. We're so excited to raise money for them and help spread the word about the importance of music education."
The album, which was produced, mixed, and recorded by Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount at ZK Productions, debuted at No. 174 on the Billboard 200, No. 4 on the Top Heatseekers, and No. 38 on the Independent Albums chart.
The band released an expanded edition of the album with a new cover on June 25, 2013. In October, Fearless Records released the album Punk Goes Christmas, which featured an original Set It Off song, "This Christmas."

''Duality'' and Kerr's departure (2014–2016)

At the start of the year 2014, Equal Vision Records announced via YouTube that Set It Off would record an album with John Feldmann, which would be released on October 14. The band recorded the album in Los Angeles with several producers, including Brandon Paddock, Tommy English, and Matt Appleton. A music video for "Why Worry" was filmed at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery in Manhattan on August 21, using fans as extras. That August, it was announced that the band would be supporting Black Veil Brides on their headline Black Mass Tour through October and November, joining Falling in Reverse and Drama Club. The first single off the album was released on September 9. The album was included at number 5 on Rock Sounds "Top 50 Albums of the Year" list. The release of the album led to several music videos which, in order of release, are: "Tomorrow", "Ancient History", "Forever Stuck In Our Youth", "The Haunting", and the title track "Duality".
2014 also saw Set It Off featured on Fearless Records' Punk Goes Pop 6, on which the band covered Ariana Grande's "Problem".
The band announced in February 2015 that they would be playing at the Vans Warped Tour '15 on the Journeys shoe stage. In May, Set It Off announced that Austin Kerr would no longer be a part of the band following sexual assault claims. Kerr subsequently went on to pursue a solo hip hop career. One month later, Set It Off released their fourth EP Duality: Stories Unplugged, which contains 5 acoustic renditions of songs from Duality and one original song titled "Wild, Wild World".
Fearless Records released the album Punk Goes Christmas: Deluxe Edition in November 2015, still featuring Set It Off's original song "This Christmas ".
The band announced in March 2016 that they would be playing at the Vans Warped Tour for the second year in a row, this time on the main stage.

''Upside Down'' (2016–2017)

The band released its album Upside Down on October 7, 2016. It doubled Duality's first-week sales.
Additionally, the band released both music and lyric videos for their song "Life Afraid."

Signing to Fearless Records, ''Midnight'' and Dan's departure (2018–2021)

In 2018, Set It Off announced that they would be leaving Equal Vision and signing to Fearless Records.
At the beginning of the year, Set It Off did a livestream video on YouTube in order to write a song with its audience. Over 1,000 people came into the stream and submitted their lyric ideas. The band members took their favorite lyrics from those suggested and added guitar parts and melodies to create their single "Hourglass Love", released on YouTube soon after, on January 4.
On July 24, Set It Off released its single "Killer in the Mirror" with a music video. On November 19, they announced on Twitter that their fourth studio album Midnight, would be released on February 1, 2019. Also, on that same day, they released their single "Lonely Dance" including a music video. One month later, on December 14, they released two singles, "For You Forever" and "Dancing with the Devil", from Midnight.
They released "Midnight Thoughts" to celebrate the new year 2019. Allegations of sexual assault against Dan Clermont were released on an anonymous Twitter account in May. The band announced that Dan would be taking a hiatus from the band to be with his family while this matter is addressed. One month later, vocalist Cody Carson announced that he had a vocal haemorrhage, just after the final date of Part 2 of the Midnight World Tour. He continued with Part 3 of the tour despite this.
On June 28, an acoustic version of "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" from Duality was featured on Punk Goes Acoustic Vol. 3.
On September 11, after Part 3 of the Midnight World Tour, vocalist Cody Carson announced that due to his vocal cord injury he had to have surgery. As a result, Part 4 of the tour was delayed to March 2020. At the end of the month, the band announced the departure of Dan Clermont in a Tweet. The Tweet mentions he left "in order to focus on other areas of his life". Subsequently, according to the same Tweet, the band announced they have decided to continue on as a three-piece group.
On February 14, 2020, they released their fifth EP titled After Midnight.
One year later, on June 4, 2021, they released an expanded edition of Midnight called Midnight: The Final Chapter. This expansion includes the songs of the After Midnight EP and three acoustic renditions of the original release of the album.

''Elsewhere'' (2021–2022)

The band released a single titled "Skeleton" on October 29, 2021. On January 21, 2022, they released a song titled "Projector", alongside the announcement of the album. They released the third single "Who's In Control", on February 18.
The band's "Welcome to Elsewhere Tour" ran from January 14, 2022 to February 12 of the same year.
On March 11, 2022, the band released their fifth album, titled Elsewhere.