Fever 333 (or the Fever 333) is an American rock band formed in Inglewood,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, in July 2017. The band was founded by former

Letlive Letlive, stylized letlive., is an American Rock music, rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band's final lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jason Aalon Butler (son of Aalon Butler, vocalist, and guitarist of the soul group Aalon), guitaris ...

vocalist

Jason Aalon Butler Jason Aalon Alexander Butler (born July 17, 1986) is an American musician and political activist from Inglewood, California. He is best known as the lead singer of the post-hardcore band Letlive. He is currently part of the rapcore band Fever ...

, former the Chariot guitarist Stephen Harrison and Night Verses drummer Aric Improta. The band's debut extended play (EP), '' Made an America'', was released on March 23, 2018. The group is signed to

Roadrunner Records Roadrunner Records is a Dutch–American record label focused on Heavy metal music, heavy metal and hard rock music. Founded in the Netherlands in 1980, it is now a division of Warner Music Group and is based in New York City. Formerly seen as ...

and 333 Wreckords. Their first LP '' Strength in Numb333rs'' was released a year later and its second EP ''Wrong Generation'' was released in 2020. Fever 333 released their second studio album, ''Darker White'', on October 4, 2024.

Career

2017–2019: Formation, ''Made an America'' and ''Strength in Numb333rs''

Prior to the disbandment of

, Jason Aalon Butler had met Travis Barker by chance, and decided to spend Super Bowl Sunday with him and John Feldmann. The trio spent the day discussing

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

and afro-punk, which developed into building a concept together of what Butler described as "something a little dangerous that was subservice: musically and in ethos". By the time Letlive had broken up, Butler got in contact with Stephen Harrison, whose band the Chariot had disbanded a few years prior. Butler and Harrison discussed black people's participation in rock music. Fever 333 performed an impromptu pop-up show in a U-Haul truck in the parking lot of the bakery Randy's Donuts in

Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city had a population of 107,762. ...

on July 4, 2017. The band performed three brand new unreleased tracks. Fever 333 members

, Stephen Harrison, and Aric Improta hinted at the musical project and the show days prior to the midday performance. Butler posted a statement upon the announcement of the formation of Fever 333 in an

Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...

post. "To those of you who want change, here is an offering to start that conversation. I've had a lot of people asking me what I'll be doing in the future—here is a taste of that." Butler continued, "I love art. I love being a musician. I love progress. And I am no stranger to pushing back if I feel it is necessary. This will be an exhibition of all the things I love w/ like minded people for whom I care deeply. To all the tired, frustrated, and brave, come join us." The band released its debut single, "We're Coming In", accompanied by a music video, which premiered on ''

Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political r ...

'' on August 25, 2017. On August 29, the band released another track, titled "Hunting Season", which features an uncredited guest appearance from Travis Barker. At the band's first headlining club show on August 31, 2017, and second concert overall, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker made a surprise appearance performing on the song "Hunting Season" at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood. On November 3, 2017, the band released the song "Walking in My Shoes". On March 23, 2018, Fever 333 released their debut extended play (EP), '' Made an America'', without any prior announcement, on

. Nathan Pike, Harrison's stepbrother and manager of 333 Wreckords, assisted with the US marketing efforts of the EP. On May 23, 2018, the band released a stand-alone single, "Trigger", regarding the topic of

gun violence in the United States Gun violence is a term of political, economic and sociological interest referring to the tens of thousands of annual firearms-related deaths and injuries occurring in the United States. In 2016, a U.S. male aged 15–24 was 70 times more likely ...

, accompanied by its music video. On September 28, 2018, the band released an official remix to their song "Made an America", featuring Barker and rapper Vic Mensa. A music video for the remix was also released on the band's official

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

channel. Directed by Brandon Dermer, the black and white video sees vocalist Jason Butler performing in a warehouse, where he is joined by Mensa and Barker. In November 2018, the band was confirmed to serve as main support to

Bring Me the Horizon Bring Me the Horizon are a British Rock music, rock band, formed in Sheffield, England in 2004. The group currently consists of lead vocalist Oli Sykes, drummer Matt Nicholls, guitarist Lee Malia and bassist Matt Kean (musician), Matt Kean. T ...

on their United Kingdom and European arena tour later in the year. On November 9, 2018, the band released the single "Burn It" along with announcing details of their debut album, '' Strength in Numb333rs'', which was released on January 18, 2019. On December 7, 2018, the band received a

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

nomination in Best Rock Performance for "Made an America". On May 29, 2019, they were featured on the song " Scary Mask", a single by

Poppy A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, '' Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug ...

. Its accompanying music video was directed by Titanic Sinclair. On November 3, 2019, the band released a new song called "Kingdom" on

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...

's Rock Show hosted by Daniel P. Carter. The song was released to stream the next day. On December 6, 2019, "Blow me", a single by

The Used The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah, formed in 2000. The group consists of vocalist Bert McCracken, bassist Jeph Howard, drummer Dan Whitesides, and guitarist Joey Bradford. Former members include Quinn Allman, Branden Steinec ...

featuring the vocalist of Fever 333

is published. The Fever 333 - 2019159142109 2019-06-08 Rock am Ring - 0131 - AK8I8030

2020–present: ''Wrong Generation'' and departure of Harrison and Improta

Following the May 25, 2020 murder of George Floyd, the band released ''Long Live the Innocent'' on June 3, a live political demonstration and musical performance. Proceeds were donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund and

Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a Decentralization, decentralized political and social movement that aims to highlight racism, discrimination and Racial inequality in the United States, racial inequality experienced by black people, and to pro ...

. During the performance they debuted the unreleased song "Supremacy", which was officially released on June 8. Fever 333 released the single ''Bite Back'' on October 19, 2020. On October 23, 2020, Fever 333 released their second EP titled, ''Wrong Generation''. On October 3, 2022, drummer Improta and guitarist Harrison announced via separate Instagram posts that they would be leaving the band. Improta stated that the decision was "layered, but ultimately, I'd just rather dedicate my time to projects that operate different than that one." Harrison cited creative differences and that "things were pretty bad internally" as part of their reason for leaving. In April 2024, they would form a new band together, House of Protection. On May 11, 2023, the band announced its new live lineup. Brandon Davis was announced as the new guitarist, April Kae as the new bassist and Thomas Pridgen as the new drummer. This made Fever 333 a quartet, and gave them a dedicated bass player for the first time. Fever 333 released the single ''Hellfire'' on November 9, 2024 in collaboration with Riot Games for ''Arcane'' Season 2.

Musical style

Their music merges elements of

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

and

, which Butler has described as both being "rooted in subversion", citing musical influences such as

Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to Rage) was an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1991. It consisted of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim ...

Public Enemy Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...

and Black Flag. Their lyrics tackle politically and socially conscious themes such as racism, sexism and homophobia. Their music has been categorised as rap rock, rapcore,

rap metal Rap metal is a fusion genre that combines hip hop music, hip hop with heavy metal music, heavy metal. It usually consists of heavy metal guitar riffs, funk metal elements, Rapping, rapped vocals and sometimes turntablism, turntables. History O ...

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term " post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad conste ...

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc) is a punk rock music genre#subtypes, subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots ...

alternative metal Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...

, and

nu metal Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, with a metal umlaut) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop music, hip hop, funk, industrial music, industrial, and grunge. Nu ...

. Some of their songs also feature elements of

trap music Trap music, also known simply as trap, is a subgenre of hip-hop music which originated in the Southern United States, with lyrical references to trap starting in 1991 but the modern sound of trap appearing in 1999. The genre gets its name from t ...

, and subsequently been categorised as trap metal. In article for Afropunk Festival's website, Butler stated that he believes "Punk rock and hip-hop are one-in-the-same. They're always flying the flag of channeling art from discord", echoing a similar sentiment in an article for Colorado Springs Independent, by saying " ever 333's music islike the evolution of guitar-based music. Because currently, hip-hop is really pushing the envelope sonically, as well as ideologically". In a 2019 article for

Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British music webzine and quarterly magazine that primarily covers rock, punk and heavy metal music. Since 2017, the magazine has been published by Wasted Talent Ltd (the same company that owns electronic music publication ...

, writer Mischa Pearlman described their music as "a thrilling combination of

and hip-hop with some of the catchiest melodies you'll hear on any album from this year". In an article for Altcorner.com, writer Elizabeth Birt described them as "a riotous punk act...

hat A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...

have solidified a sturdy brand of protest punk as they take aim at the wrongs in the world but particularly in their homeland of America, not through violence but through angst-filled lyrics".

Political views and activism

The band espouse radical left-wing political views, in opposition to

social inequality Social inequality occurs when resources within a society are distributed unevenly, often as a result of inequitable allocation practices that create distinct unequal patterns based on socially defined categories of people. Differences in acce ...

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their use for the purpose of obtaining profit. This socioeconomic system has developed historically through several stages and is defined by ...

and

authoritarianism Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political ''status quo'', and reductions in democracy, separation of powers, civil liberties, and ...

in both their lyrics and activism. The "333" in their name represents the three core principles that the members view the band to stand for: community, charity and change. In 2019 interview for Guestlist.net, Butler stated: They are heavily inspired by the anti-racist, anti-imperialist and

anti-fascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were op ...

views of the

Black Panther Party The Black Panther Party (originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was a Marxism–Leninism, Marxist–Leninist and Black Power movement, black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newto ...

in addition to political activists such as

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

, Angela Davis, James Baldwin and Ta-Nehisi Coates. In a 2019 interview for

, Butler stated that they perceive that " hey arespeaking with the people, not for them". They have also expressed disdain for the American electoral system, with Butler specifically stating that he doesn't believe the majority of politicians to stand for the betterment of the people in general, with voters generally only considered the effects their vote would have on themselves and disregarding those often less fortunate than them. The group perceive their status as a band provides them with a platform to support to project their views to a wider audience and combat social injustice, citing that they are "trying to write the soundtrack to the revolution that we know is about to happen". In an article for Kerrang!, Butler said that:

''Long Live the Innocent''

''Long Live the Innocent'' was a live streamed demonstration and performance by the band on June 3, 2020. It was a response to the murder of George Floyd by police on May 25 of the same year and represented the band's condemnation of both his specific killers, as well as

police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or Public order policing, a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, b ...

and

institutional racism Institutional racism, also known as systemic racism, is a form of institutional discrimination based on Race (human categorization), race or ethnic group and can include policies and practices that exist throughout a whole society or organizati ...

in general. All proceeds were donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund and

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

described the event a representation of solidarity with the communities also protesting Floyd's murder. In one speech that Butler gave during the event, he stated that: Butler also criticised a number of high-profile record labels and streaming services, including

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the ...

Spotify Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...

, Def Jam Recordings,

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...

and

Apple Music Apple Music is an audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users can select music to stream to their device on-demand, or listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the sister internet radio stations Apple Musi ...

, for not using their money to support the black community during this time, despite profiting off of black culture and music.

Imagery

The band's logo is a homage to the logo of the

, an American

anti-racism Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate ...

and revolutionary socialist organisation that Butler has likened the band's practices to, as "black panthers do not strike unless they are pushed into a corner to where they have no way out". The homage was approved by the designer of the Black Panther's logo and their Minister of Culture Emory Douglas. While performing live, Butler often wears a

bulletproof vest A bulletproof vest, also known as a ballistic vest or bullet-resistant vest, is a type of body armor designed to absorb impact and prevent the penetration of firearm projectiles and explosion fragments to the torso. The vest can be either soft ...

with "333" across its chest. According to an article by

, this is intended to represent the American police force's increasing militarisation. Butler also often performs in a

boilersuit A boilersuit (or boiler suit), also known as coveralls, is a loose fitting garment covering the whole body except for the head, hands and feet. Terminology The term ''boilersuit'' is most common in the UK, where the 2023 edition of the ''Oxfo ...

, also featuring the groups iconography, along with a bag over his head, representing the human rights abuses in prisons such as

Guantanamo Bay detention camp The Guantanamo Bay detention camp, also known as GTMO ( ), GITMO ( ), or simply Guantanamo Bay, is a United States military prison within Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB), on the coast of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. It was established in 2002 by p ...

and

Abu Ghraib prison Abu Ghraib prison (, ''Sijn Abū Ghurayb'') was a prison complex in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, located west of Baghdad. Abu Ghraib prison was opened in the 1960s and served as a maximum-security prison. From the 1970s, the prison was used by Saddam Hus ...

Band members

Current members *

– lead vocals, guitars, bass, percussion (2017–present) *Brandon Davis – guitars (2023–present) * April Kae – bass, backing vocals (2023–present) * Thomas Pridgen – drums, percussion (2023–present) Former members *Stephen Harrison – guitars, backing vocals, bass, percussion (2017–2022) *Aric Improta – drums, percussion (2017–2022) File:2023 Rock im Park - Fever 333 - Jason Butler - by 2eight - ZSC6937.jpg, Jason Aalon Butler File:2023 Rock im Park - Fever 333 - Brandon Davis - by 2eight - ZSC6928.jpg, Brandon Davis File:2023 Rock im Park - Fever 333 - April Kae - by 2eight - ZSC6910.jpg, April Kae File:2023 Rock im Park - Fever 333 - Thomas Pridgen - by 2eight - ZSC6918.jpg, Thomas Pridgen Timeline

Discography

Studio albums * '' Strength in Numb333rs'' (2019) * ''Darker White'' (2024)

Accolades

Grammy Awards , - , align="center" ,

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

, "Made an America" , Best Rock Performance , Kerrang! Awards , - , align="center" ,

, "Burn It" , Best Song ,

References

External links

Fever 333
at

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fever 333 2017 establishments in California African-American heavy metal musical groups American rap metal musical groups American alternative metal musical groups Hardcore punk groups from California Musical groups established in 2017 Musicians from Inglewood, California American political music groups Rapcore groups Trap metal musicians