The Nashville-based rock outfit
Luna Halo center on the talents of lead vocalist/guitarist
Nathan Barlowe. Born in Raleigh, NC,
Barlowe initially honed his skills with
Reality Check, a modern rock Christian outfit, before forming
Luna Halo in 1999. The band's CCM-oriented debut album,
Shimmer, was released by Sparrow Records in 2000. Despite the album's positive reviews,
Barlowe grew tired of the Christian industry and subsequently left Sparrow's roster. A new lineup was gradually assembled (including
Barlowe's younger brother, guitarist
Cary Barlowe), and the revised band released a handful of EPs while touring with the likes of
Hoobastank and
Velvet Revolver. A deal with American Recordings surfaced in 2005; two years later,
Luna Halo released their self-titled sophomore effort on American/Columbia Records. ~ Andrew Leahey