Novena

Having shared the stage with the likes of Sevendust, Adema, Tricky and 3 Doors Down, Cookeville, Tenn.-based Novena has been cranking out genre-bending rock since the late 1990s. Over the years, they’ve never compromised their unique sound, and they've never looked back.

Novena’s roots can be traced back to 1999, when childhood friends Brad Hensley and Seth Robertson decided to team up on a few electronic-influenced tracks as ‘evendeeper.’ Soon, Hensley and Robertson added Sam Hawkins (drums) and Will Smith (bass) to the ranks of evendeeper, and the Middle Tennessee music scene quickly took notice.

evendeeper enjoyed widespread airplay on many of the mid-state’s most well-known rock radio stations, which led to what would become one of the band’s greatest triumphs – a spot on 102.9 FM’s Buzzfest 2 at Starwood Amphitheatre in Nashville. The band was ecstatic to appear alongside a diverse array of artists at Buzzfest 2, including Mesh, Nickelback, Tricky, Ben Folds and Sevendust.

Shortly after their electrifying performance at Buzzfest 2, evendeeper evolved even farther with the departure of Sam Hawkins and the addition of musical prodigy Tony Bradford.

“Tony just brought a new energy, a caterwaul, to the band’s sound,” Robertson recalled.

On Halloween night of 2004, the new line-up – now known by its current moniker – Novena made a blistering debut. Though a number of evendeeper tracks remained on the setlist, the band’s newer material is definitely a stylistic departure from its late 90s sound.

“We bend and blend genres every step of the way,” Robertson laughed, “but there’s a certain cohesiveness to the overall product – a sound only Novena could create. We like to throw a few curves into the mix every once in a while.”

Novena most recently threw a curve ball to the U.S. rock scene with a strong showing on Fuse TV’s “Bodog Battle of the Bands.” The group’s local fanbase came out in large numbers for the event, proving Novena has already established itself as a force to be reckoned with.

But, keep your ears peeled. They’ve only just begun.