Ohsawa, Ontario, Canada

Cauterize first rocked their way out of Oshawa, Ontario, in 2003. Led by vocalist/guitarist Jesse Smith, the group of lifelong pals also included guitarist Josh Slater, bassist Jason Bone, and drummer Matt Worobec. They certainly weren't the only bunch of freshly minted yung'uns plying punk-pop goodness on the mall-going masses (see their countrymen in Sum 41). But Smith and his cronies deserved credit for being honest about their primary influences (Green Day), and acknowledging that their rookie status made energetic, committed live performances that much more important. To that end, they made waves with an opening slot on Evanescence's 2003 tour, supporting their debut LP, So Far From Real, which was issued by Wind-Up that August. Cauterize continued touring through year's end, appearing with Three Days Grace and Hoobastank. ~ Johnny Loftus