Members of Deadstream partook in separate local bands during the 1980s: Flynn and Rokas played in Tuesday’s Child, while Haupt, owner of the Rock Box music store in Southgate, and Smith were in Hogue Project. As grunge exploded in the early to mid ’90s, metal music declined and the foursome gradually fell out of the music scene.

But it was the night before Thanksgiving in 1998 that brought the guys together at a mutual friend’s house, which led to a conversation about music and how much they missed playing in bands. After the holidays, the quartet decided to get together and jam on some Dio, Led Zeppelin and Rush songs — soon enough, the band started writing originals, nine of which appear on the band’s new self-titled debut record.