D.I.Y. Do It Yourself: a term that once meant having the guts to take the world head-on. Over time, these three words have almost become panache a means of touting a band as having the ability and drive to push their music and their profile to the utmost of means. Yet few bands truly understand the power of such a movement.


A gutsy rock quintet bursting out of Edmonton, Alberta, it’s no wonder exit303 has become one of the city’s most innovative and respected bands. They know differently. Celebrating their fourth year with the release of their independent sophomore effort ''into the circle'', exit303—guitarist/lead vocalist Jay Holterhus, guitarist/lead vocalist Dean Park, keyboardist Cam Ambrose, bassist Michael Ricketts and drummer Todd Chisholm—prove that D.I.Y. still exists—nay, thrives in Canada.


Entirely self-recorded and produced, this album is quickly garnering the attention of a stunned industry. Infectious melodies are intricately wrapped with lush harmonies that are only equaled by their ability to pull out a searing riff just as you’re wondering if they can get any sweeter. You couldn’t get them out of your head if you tried.


“Self-producing is more often than naught a bad idea, but every so often, it yields something special" says Ambrose. "We originally met with producer Nick Blagona (Foo Fighters, Tea Party), yet we knew where we wanted to go with the album ourselves. We figured that we would give it a shot. ”


It was obviously the right choice. With ''into the circle'' garnering major label interest and increasing radio play across the country, the band’s D.I.Y. mentality has proved to be nothing but beneficial. The debut single “All I Wanted” has already hit the commerical radio charts and continues to gain momentum with fans and industry alike. Proud yet humble, Ambrose
downplays the band’s accomplishments, stating that the real work is still ahead of them.


“There’s much to lose from letting your achievements get the best of you,” he warns. “We’re certainly proud of what we’ve done, but there’s a long road ahead of us. You have to expect 110% from everything you do all of the time. We want to have great product out there, a stellar live show and while we know how to do it, that doesn’t mean we just sit back and let it happen. You can’t let anything slip or expect everyone else to pick up the slack. We’re creating our own destiny...we make it happen (because) we’re going for a career in music. We’ve got momentum and we’re going to keep it strong by getting in your face as much as possible."