With a lineup that sports several members that are still in high school, it would be easy to dismiss Ephrata, PA’s TEXAS IN JULY as a novelty act. To do so, however, would be a disservice to a band that is every bit as talented as many artists who have honed their craft for years.

In fact, in the year since the release of their 2008 debut EP, Salt of the Earth, TEXAS has created a growing buzz for themselves with their exciting groove-oriented take on modern metalcore, resulting in impressive sales (of a digital-only EP), packed tour dates, and a massive internet buzz leading up to the release of their debut full-length, I Am (In stores September 15 th on CI Records).

When the band uploaded the first preview track of I Am to their myspace page, the epic stand-out “Elements”, the song was played more than 10,000 times in the first day – an impressive number for a band who, at that point, had yet to leave for their first tour. In the following weeks, as the band traveled from town to town, they found people showing up and singing along to a track from a record that had yet to be released.

A quick search on YouTube will reveal guitarists and drummers playing along with songs from Salt of the Earth, trying to show that they can “keep up”. That’s some heady stuff for a high school student to process, but so far, says guitarist Logan Maurer, TIJ have managed to keep their feet planted firmly on the ground.

“The key word in our band is ‘humble,’” he explains. “We want everybody to know that anyone could do this. We want them to know that we are just like them and that we simply stuck with our dreams. We try to stay humble and let the fans know that we love them and that without them, we wouldn’t be where we are.”

Produced by Carson Slovak of CENTURY (Prosthetic Records), I Am shows the maturation of a band already mature beyond their years. Armed with a prodigious chops and a song-writing prowess that belies their ages, I Am represents a band that is ready for national attention. From the brutal churning rhythms of “Elements” to the mathy angular guitar riffs of their hometown anthem, “Lancaster”, to the brutal “Satellites” (featuring GWEN STACY vocalist Geoff Jenkins), TEXAS IN JULY display an acumen for songcraft that comes only with dedication, commitment, and maybe a little help from above.

“The fact is,” Maurer continues, “Without God, none of us would have the ability to do anything that we do. He has blessed us in so many ways, so this is almost our way to return the favor.”