What It Is to Burn is the debut album by American rock band Finch. It was released on March 12, 2002, through MCA and Drive-Thru Records. After finalizing their line-up, Finch signed to Drive-Thru. Recording for the album took place between June and September 2001 with producer Mark Trombino. A music video for "Letters to You" was released in January 2003. The title-track "What Is It to Burn" was released as the lead single in January 2003, followed by the single "Letters to You" in April of that year. "New Beginnings"/"What It Is to Burn" was released as the third and final single on a double A-side in August 2003. "Letters to You" charted at number 39 on the UK Singles Chart, while "What It Is to Burn" charted within the top 40 of the US Alternative Songs and Mainstream Rock charts.
Initial accompanying tours for promotion consisted of several stints in the United States and the United Kingdom with the likes of Moth, the Starting Line and New Found Glory. The band later appeared on the 2002 Warped Tour and at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. What It Is to Burn is primarily a pop punk and emo release, that was also classed as hardcore punk and post-hardcore. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, being found as an enjoyable listen by many.
On the US Billboard 200, What It Is to Burn charted at number 99, while it reached number 177 on the UK Albums Chart. As of October 2007, the album has sold over 400,000 copies worldwide. It has since been viewed as a landmark release for the emo and post-hardcore scenes. Finch embarked on a celebratory 10th anniversary tour in 2013 across the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
Background and production
Finch originally formed under the name Numb, with Nate Barcalow on vocals, Alex Linares on guitar, Derek Doherty on bass and Alex Pappas on drums. The members, who had met each other through mutual friends, had all been in a prior band, the HIVs, which had broken up after writing two songs. Guitarist Randy Strohmeyer was invited to join Finch after they saw him play with his band Evita Fresh. Strohmeyer became friends with Drive-Thru Records' owner Richard Reines, following a fan letter he had sent in a few years earlier about the Rx Bandits. Strohmeyer had suggested that the label check out his former band, which they showed no interest in. When he mentioned this to the other members of Finch, they were enthusiastic about potentially signing with the label. Richard offered the band a chance to perform for Drive-Thru Records and subsequently invited his sister, and co-label owner, Stefanie Reines to the performance. The pair were impressed by the performance and signed Finch afterwards, though they did not sign a contract for another 11 months.
Pre-production and demos were done at DML Studios in Escondido, California, in February and April 2001. Finch began recording What It Is to Burn in June of that year at Big Fish Studios in Encinitas, California, with producer Mark Trombino. Strohmeyer was a fan of Trombino's production work, while Pappas enjoyed Bleed American (2001) by Jimmy Eat World, which Trombino produced. The Reines' sent Finch's demos to Trombino, who was interested in producing them. The band started tracking guitars for the album in July 2001.
Strohmeyer used Fender guitars and Marshall amplifiers, while Linares used ESP guitars and Mesa amplifiers. Trombino with the guitar effects on What It is to Burn. Recording continued throughout 2001, going into August and September. Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw performs guest vocals on "Grey Matter" and "Project Mayhem". Doherty, Linares and Strohmeyer first met Palumbo at a Deftones show, and later when they played with Earth Crisis, and kept in contact with him. While they were recording for the album, the band asked Palumbo if he wanted to participate, prompting in him flying out to the band. Trombino completed programming before he mixed the recordings at The Robot Factory in Los Angeles, California; Stephen Marcussen mastered the tracks at Marcussen Mastering.