Contender first came together around the turn of the century when they realized that their tastes in punk rock were quite different considering they were all ardent fans of the genre. They decided to form a band and started writing and playing out almost immediately. They recorded the Scenic Overlook EP in 2001, but soon after, their tour was cut short. A fire destroyed their van and their equipment, so they came home, regrouped, and recorded Awaywithwords for Negative Progression Records. The album was released in the summer of 2002. ~ Bradley Torreano