Strata got their start in suburban San Jose around 2000. Then called Downside, the quartet -- vocalist
Eric Victorino, guitarist
Ryan Hernandez, bassist
Hrag Chanchanian, and drummer
Adrian Robison -- started playing out frequently, and by 2001 had self-released an LP. An Internet release followed. Tours with homeboys like
Alien Ant Farm and
Dredg raised
Strata's stock, and though numerous labels showed interest in their post-grunge grooves (similar to types like
Trapt or even
Hoobastank), the band eventually signed with mondo-successful startup Wind-Up. Their largely self-produced, eponymously titled debut appeared in July 2004.
Presents the End of the World followed three years later. The trio spent the next two years writing songs while touring the U.S. and U.K., then returned to hit the studio and record
Strata Presents the End of the World, released in July 2007. In 2008, after
Victorino announced he had left the band,
Strata called it a day.
Victorino went on to form the electronic-pop duo
the Limousines while
Hernandez and
Robison formed the group Beta State. ~ Johnny Loftus