From the formation of The Pleading in 2006 by guitarist Justin Peaytt, Drummer Brandon Sather, vocalist Jon “Cease” Owens and bassist Jeff Strader, audiences have experienced an emotional mix of powerhouse vocals and intense musicianship resonating with a passionate and personal message of life, love and the pain that it intertwines. Truth being the heart of The Pleading’s purpose and passion, much of their music is created from the exposed truth of their own lives. The band’s comfortable and easy-going persona easily provokes audience members to share their own stories and experiences. Vocalist Cease’s introspective vulnerability further proves their relatability to a wide audience. The band consistently pushes the envelope by facing tough, thought-provoking issues in their music. "Our music deals with drug abuse, loneliness, sexuality, depression, child abuse, divorce, suicide...you name it," says Cease. "I've been told that some people find our lyrics to be a little...dark", he says with a sly grin, "but we like to think of them as darkly optimistic. We might take you to a place that's scary but we won't leave you there!" After a few years hiatus, The Pleading relaunched in 2015, and now features all original members as well as the addition of Matt Robertson on lead. In December 2016, The Pleading released their self-produced debut album "Decay", which offers hope in the face of adversity and continues building on their original vision of creating deeply personal music that has an impact by delving into the heart of humanity. Aggressive Rock from Nashville, TN. It's not "just music", it's a journey into the heart of humanity.