Submersed formed in Stephenville, Texas, a small town in the north central part of the state, coming together around 2001 as a hard rock and alternative metal outfit. The band was originally formed in 2001 in Fort Worth, and featured Donald Carpenter on lead vocals, Eric Friedman on lead guitar and vocals, Kelan Luker on bass, TJ Davis on guitar, and Garrett Whitlock on drums. The group blended heavy volume with heavy issues that reflected their rugged individualism and ambition to be a "positive force for change," quickly distinguishing themselves within the early 2000s post-grunge and alternative metal scene coming out of Texas.
The band's breakthrough came with their debut album. Submersed was signed to Wind-up Records, and worked with Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti on its debut studio album, In Due Time, which featured the singles "You Run", "Hollow", and the title track. In Due Time was released September 28, 2004, and reached No. 16 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, with the follow-up Immortal Verses in 2007 reaching No. 35 on the same chart. The lead single "Hollow" became the band's signature radio hit, and became their breakthrough radio hit, peaking at No. 19 on the US Mainstream Rock chart and No. 20 on the Active Rock chart, driven by its anthemic post-grunge hooks and emotional lyrics about personal struggle. Following the success of their debut, Submersed spent years building a touring reputation alongside some of hard rock's biggest names of the era. In support of the album, the band performed in several cities across the US and Canada, sharing stages with Trapt, Crossfade, Seether, Rob Zombie, Chevelle, Mudvayne, Taproot, Alter Bridge and others. The lineup shifted after their first release when the band continued work on their second studio album with producer Rick Beato following the departure of guitarist Eric Friedman. Despite the momentum, the band was dropped by their label Wind-up Records and disbanded in 2008. Members went on to other projects, most notably Donald Carpenter, who formed Eye Empire with former Dark New Day members, Corey Lowery and B.C. Kochmit. Submersed's story did not end there. On March 4, 2019, SubmerseD had a partial reunion as Donald Carpenter, Eric Friedman, and Kelan Luker played a one-off acoustic set of SubmerseD songs for "Lukerpalooza," a benefit concert at the Twisted J Live in Stephenville, Texas, featuring a 6 song acoustic set. That reunion sparked a fuller comeback, and a full reformation in the early 2020s led to the release of their third studio album, Grand Illusion Army, on September 11, 2024, their first new material in 17 years, later re-released as Grand Illusion Army (Reborn) on February 22, 2025. Today the band remains active, carrying its early 2000s hard rock legacy into a new era while retaining the emotional, melodic sound that defined its original run.
It is fitting that Submersed holds a place in this archive. Wayne Dennon photographed the band twice in 2005, capturing them on stages in two different cities across two states during the height of their touring years behind "In Due Time." The 50 photographs he took of the band remain among the collection's most viewed, drawing 37,613 views from visitors over the years, a testament to both Wayne's eye for capturing raw live energy and the enduring fascination fans still hold for a band that refused to stay submerged for good.
