Echo 7

Melodic hard rock quartet Echo 7 hails from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and consists of dual frontmen Ronnie O'Briant and Dave Sharrock (both handling vocals and guitar), Frank Roop (bass) and Jason Hearn (drums). Borrowing their name from Han Solo's code name in The Empire Strikes Back, the band formed in 1999 and toured consistently throughout the Eastern seaboard before recording their self-financed Trippin' on Destiny debut. The growing regional buzz surrounding the group's accessible brand of hard rock (reminiscent of Nickelback and Creed, among others) eventually led to a deal with In De Goot Recordings, which made Echo 7's next offering One Step Away the label's first release. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia