Brett Hestla, is an American guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

ist, bass

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

ist, vocalist and record producer

Record producer

A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

.

Music career

In the late 1990s Hestla's band Virgos Merlot

Virgos Merlot

Virgos Merlot was an American hard rock band formed in 1998. Prior to the formation of Virgos Merlot, many of the band members were in the group The Devine, which later disbanded...

 was signed to Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

. After their first release, Signs of a Vacant Soul

Signs of a Vacant Soul

Signs of a Vacant Soul is Virgos Merlot's first and only album. It was released on March 2, 1999 by Atlantic Records. The album's only single, "Gain," had moderate radio play and reached #40 on the U.S...

, he became the touring bassist for Creed

Creed (band)

Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an...

 after the departure of Brian Marshall

Brian Marshall

Brian Aubrey Marshall is an American musician and songwriter best known as the bassist and co-founder of the rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He also co-owns a bed and breakfast called Mango Moon in Costa Rica.-Early life:...

. When Creed disbanded in 2004 he began a career as a record producer

Record producer

A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

, forming the independent label Silent Majority in Orlando, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

 and working with bands such as Framing Hanley

Framing Hanley

Framing Hanley is an American rock band from White House, Tennessee, formed in 2005. They released their first studio album in August 2007 entitled The Moment. They are best known for their song "Hear Me Now" and their cover of "Lollipop", originally by Lil Wayne...

, Transmit Now

Transmit Now

Transmit Now is an alternative/pop-rock band based out of Orlando, Florida. The band's first live performance was on July 10, 2008 at the Van's Warped Tour 2008, the result of winning an online "Battle of the Bands" event. Soon after, Transmit Now went on to win the popular vote in MTV's "I Want My...

, Faktion

Faktion

-History:Faktion formed in 2002 as a four-piece group after the band members met at the University of North Texas. Originally, guitarist Marshal Dutton was the band's vocalist, but frontman Ryan Gibbs was recruited and the band became a five-piece group....

, Tantric

Tantric (band)

Tantric is a rock band from Louisville, Kentucky. The group has released four studio albums since 2001; although, their last two albums only retain Tantric's original singer, Hugo Ferreira...

, Refuse The Fall, Bad Axis, and Seven Day Sonnet

Seven Day Sonnet

Seven Day Sonnet is an American progressive rock group from Chicago, Illinois. In 2009 Seven Day Sonnet's debut album release "Reprisal" produced by Brett Hestla of Dark New Day and Creed was released. In 2010 they signed with California label BigTime Records. In 2011 their single release 'Hapless'...

.

In 2005 Hestla became the lead vocalist of Dark New Day

Dark New Day

Dark New Day is an American hard rock supergroup formed in 2004 featuring Brett Hestla of Virgos Merlot, Troy McLawhorn of DoubleDrive, Clint Lowery of Sevendust, Corey Lowery of Stereomud and Stuck Mojo, and Will Hunt of Skrape...

. Dark New Day released their first full length, Twelve Year Silence

Twelve Year Silence

Twelve Year Silence is Dark New Day's first album. It was released on June 14, 2005 by Warner Bros. Records. The first single, "Brother", received moderate airplay on radio, and has proven to be a surprise hit. It also appeared on the Xbox 360 Custom Mix. The song "Pieces" was in the soundtrack for...

, in 2005. Their single "Brother" reached #7 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock charts.