Shawn Zeilenga (born May 7, 1985) - Bass Guitar Tyler Kent (born March 29, 1985) - Drums, Backing Vocals Tim Leensvaart (born September 27, 1980) - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals Troy Weiss (born November 29, 1980) - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals

Cradle was established in 1999, featuring Troy Weiss as the frontman and Kevin Heath on drums. Troy, who frequently composed music, found himself dissatisfied with the sound lacking a dedicated vocalist, prompting him to take on the role himself. The early stages were challenging; after mastering the complexities of singing while playing, the duo faced the significant issue of a sparse sound and an incomplete lineup. They recorded the track "Cradle" without bass or vocals, relying solely on Troy's rhythm guitar and Kevin's drumming. Frustrated with the situation, Troy invited Tim Leensvaart to join as an additional guitarist.

Tim's transition into the band was met with difficulties, as the founding members had already composed much of the material for their debut album, Burnt Around the Edges. Nevertheless, Tim quickly adapted, and since then, much of Cradle's music has emerged from the collaboration between Troy and Tim. As Tim developed his lead guitar skills, he significantly contributed to the band's sound, becoming the driving force behind many memorable riffs. However, the band still needed a bass guitarist to complete the lineup, which was addressed with the arrival of Tyler Kent.

Tyler joined Cradle in early 2000 and immediately became an integral part of the band, not only taking on the role of bassist but also stepping in as a backing vocalist. He notably contributed the primary riff to the song "Blindsight." Shortly after Tyler's arrival, Alex Schodrof joined as a third guitarist, co-writing several tracks, including the blues-influenced "Bound." However, Alex left the band after only two performances to pursue other musical interests. Similarly, Kevin Heath departed to follow his aspirations in baseball.

Faced with the loss of a drummer and a guitarist, Cradle underwent a period of introspection. Tyler, realizing his strengths as a drummer were greater than those as a bassist, took over Kevin's position in the rhythm section. After extensive practice, he resumed his role in backing vocals while delivering his signature double-bass drumming.

During 2000 and 2001, Cradle operated as a three-piece. Even while recording Burnt Around the Edges, they functioned without a dedicated bass player, with Troy, Tim, and Tyler all contributing to the bass parts in the demo. It was during this recording process that they met Shawn Zeilenga, who had never played bass guitar before. This did not deter Shawn, who joined the band in late 2001, although he was too late to contribute to the album. His first performance came in February 2002, where he learned all the songs in a single overnight session with Tim. Shawn's contributions would not go unnoticed, as he took on all the bass guitar work for the band’s subsequent album, Hard to Swallow.

With the lineup finally solidified, Cradle spent their summer performing live and channeling their energies into new material. By the end of summer, they had enough content for a new studio recording, culminating in their six-song demo Hard to Swallow. Throughout the winter of 2002 and into spring 2003, the band worked on refining their sound, resulting in a recording that surpassed Burnt Around the Edges both stylistically and musically. The band prepared for the finished album, set to be available at live shows and on their website during the summer. Until then, Cradle remained committed to performing as frequently as possible for their audience.