Cave In have evolved drastically since that tour. From their beginnings as a hardcore/metal band to their current – dare we say it? – emo-type sound, the band are making waves in the rock arena. They’ve toured with Sparta and Jimmy Eat World, and were hand-picked by the Foo Fighters to join them on their arena tour of the U.K. in November. Cave In just wrapped up a monthlong tour of Europe.

The band’s major label debut, Antenna, hits the stores March 18 and finds Cave In gaining more comparisons to Radiohead than Metallica.

The common denominator for Cave In and Piebald back in 1997 was that both bands had albums on the Hydra Head Records label. For Massachusetts-based Piebald, it was their full-length debut, When Life Hands You Lemons.

Speaking of lemons, just when things were getting going, the band was forced off a planned excursion with Dashboard Confessional late last summer. Lead singer Travis Shettel had developed vocal cord problems, which resulted in surgery and doctor-ordered silence for two weeks. That’s what happens when you’re onstage for one year.

He’s since mended and the band have been out gigging since the beginning of the year. They have a couple of dates in March, before linking up with Cave In.