The brainchild of composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Liam McCormick, orchestral indie
band The Family Crest was started as a recording project with co-founder John Seeterlin (bass)
as a final release before bowing out of the industry. Instead of leaving music, they were inspired
by their peers to set out to reinvent how a band could be created, starting The Family Crest with
an audacious and bold vision of cultivating a musical community. “We always liked making
music with people - getting a bunch of people together and singing. So we put ads everywhere,”
says McCormick. “We posted on Craigslist, distributed flyers, and emailed old friends from
school.” The outcome was greater than the original duo imagined, with over 80 people credited
on the first recording the band produced and over 500 musicians credited throughout their
catalog.
Beyond the core band, over 500 “Extended Family” members participate on recordings, live
shows, and across the artistic spectrum. Known for their jaw-dropping live performances, The
Family Crest has toured extensively domestically and internationally garnering the support of
fans and the press alike. Bob Boilen of NPR's All Songs Considered said of The Family Crest,
“Seeing is believing. Liam McCormick is a knockout singer, you simply must hear him live...
There's a decent chance you're about to discover your favorite new band.”

The Family Crest has released four full-length albums and three EPs, including their critically-
acclaimed breakout LP, Beneath the Brine, the music of which SPIN magazine called,“...a

masterfully arranged epic... sharp strings, galloping percussion, and an ambition wide enough
to swallow you whole.” Most recently, the band has been releasing pieces of their current
musical concept album series, The War. “The War represents “the next version of The Family

Crest,” says McCormick, and indeed, the album reveals a band more in tune with its own large-
scale Baroque eclecticism. Jim Vorel of Paste Magazine described their first offering, Prelude to

War, as “A sound so big, it feels like it could collapse in on itself at any moment to form a black
hole... One thing is certain: These guys are just as explosive as ever, and these songs are
going to bring the house down in a live setting.” The War: Act I, the second installment in the
concept series brought about similar sentiments as Earmilk stated, “The Family Crest deliver
complex arrangements with such confidence that each varying sound produced is done with
effortless intent and is never perceived as an afterthought... a stunning explosion of color and
emotion and just another reason why I'm continually captivated by this group.” According to
PopMatters, “The War: Act I is another triumph for The Family Crest, showcasing once again
why they equal—if not outdo—just about every one of their stylistic peers.”