Downthesun, an American nu metal band from Kansas City, Missouri, was formed in 1999 by bassist Lance "Kuk" Collier and keyboardist Nathan Church. The group gained initial traction as openers for Slipknot, leading to a meeting with Slipknot percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan, who introduced them to drummer Danny Spain and vocalist Anthony "Satone" Stevens. Downthesun signed to Slipknot's short-lived record label, Maggot Corps., in October 2001. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2002, reaching number 37 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and selling 50,000 copies worldwide. The band toured extensively, including the H82K2 Tour with Slayer and In Flames in August to September 2002 and tours with Soulfly and Slipknot. In February 2003, several lineup changes led to the band's breakup in 2004. Downthesun briefly reunited in 2010 but went on an indefinite hiatus in October 2011.
