Stray From the Path: Long Island’s Homegrown Band

“So let’s all sing songs of it crashing down, wishing I was Long Island bound.” -- Stray From the Path, ‘Crashing Down’

With a symbol of a lighthouse representing the love for their home, the four members of the Long Island-based band Stray From the Path took the stage at the Paramount in Huntington Friday night and showed that they have come a long way from their Suffolk County roots.

The hardcore band -- made up of drummer Dan Bourke (Rocky Point), bassist Anthony Altamura (Selden), vocalist Drew York (Medford) and guitarist Tom Williams (Selden) -- are signed to metal giant Sumerian Records and have quickly become one of the most recognizable acts in the industry.

But the band wasn’t always a household name.

Williams, 26, said the struggle of starting the band and getting signed was the toughest road he's traveled due to the arduous touring schedule and lack of income.

“We fought through probably three or four years of rigorous touring without making a dollar each, but we did it because we knew that we loved it and we knew that it would be something one day,” Williams told Patch.

The Selden native started the band when he was just 14 and is the only original member. The band has changed a lot from its origin and Williams said that all happened after Bourke joined the band in 2008.

“Once we signed to Sumerian and once Dan joined the band, that’s when people really started to take notice of us,” Williams said. “A very select few would know the stuff before that. … It’s basically two bands -- it doesn’t even sound the same [as pre-2008].”

The band, which combines hardcore with elements of metal and punk, have released three records on Sumerian: Villains (2008), Make Your Own History (2009) and Rising Sun (2011).

From corruption in religion to police brutality, Stray From the Path has tackled numerous topics over its history.

“Musically, we want to bring something new to the table,” Williams said. “…“We’re pretty fortunate that we get to play all over the world and play to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people at a time. We want to use that stage to speak our minds and not just say a bunch of [expletive] like some bands would do.”

Stray has toured across the U.S. and Canada several times, as well as multiple continents, including Europe and, most recently, Australia. Williams said touring with his friends and traveling the world has given him one of the best careers on the planet.

“It’s a full-time job with 100 percent vacation time,” he said. “I’ve gone to 26 different countries now. The fact that at the end of the day I get a paycheck for it, it’s almost like a fantasy.”

“The only thing I can imagine being better is being in the National Hockey League, but I’m 26 and overweight, so it’s not going to happen,” Williams added jokingly.

Despite their early struggles and rise in popularity in recent years, Williams said the band will never sell out.

“We’ve never made a decision based on money and we never will,” he said.

As for hometown gigs, Williams said playing a Long Island show is “insane” now. Between the support from the local scene and family members, shows like last Friday’s will always be memorable.

“Playing Long Island is really special,” he said.

The band will be playing on the All Stars Tour this summer. Check the Stray From the Path Facebook page for dates.