SUBTERRA
From UnderGround to Unforgetable
The Story of Subterra
Originally forming in Draper, Utah in 2019, Subterra, was made up of entirely different members under the name Radial Jam, though Joshua Jackson was still the head of the band. Several years later, he met Chris Manuel on January 19th, 2022. Though neither were very skilled at the time, they impressed each other and Joshua had made Chris a permanent member of the band. Shortly after, the band changed their name to Schauk for a brief period of time. After a year, they had gone from a three piece band to a full five piece and were ready to perform. In 2023 with a lineup of rookie performers, the band hit the ground running. Under their new name, the UnderGround, the outfit had already secured a lineup of shows to perform. They began by opening for larger bands around Salt Lake City, with their first ever show taking place at The Beehive on January 18th, 2023.
The UnderGround name came from the constant state of the band being both physically and metaphorically underground over the course of the previous year. Their practice studio and first three (and current) recording studios had all been located in basements while they performed in the underground music scene of Salt Lake City. After several months of being called The UnderGround, Chris Manuel thought of the idea to change once more to get rid of the "high school band name" while in the car with Joshua Jackson on their way to watch a local band. Mistakenly thinking that Metallica was Latin for metal, Chris took inspiration and found that Subterra was Latin for underground or subterranean. The new name was something that the two could see posted on boards and poster walls, so it stuck. Today, Joshua is the only true original member of the band, with he and Chris as the only original members under the banner of Subterra.
Following a brief hiatus after several members of the band left, Subterra had gone to recruit new members in the summer of 2023. Hannah Jacobson joined the band in September of 2023 and was tasked with learning every single song of their set in less than a month. After successfully doing so and performing live with the band at the end of the month, she had impressed Joshua enough to earn her place as a new permanent member.
During their first year of gigging, Subterra was an up-and-coming alternative rock band based out of Salt Lake City. The outfit, currently composed of Joshua Jackson on guitar, Christian Manuel on lead guitar, Hannah Jacobson on drums, Ian Hadlock on bass, and Six on lead vocals, has been playing all over the greater Salt Lake City area and has even played outside of their home state of Utah. Combining their unique styles and diverse backgrounds, Subterra's music had originally been a unique blend of alternative rock, pop punk, and classic rock. Their combined talent and wide range of interests allowed the group freedom in how they crafted each song. Each new track they wrote only further solidified their trademark sound and showcased their collective expertise, drive, and passion for music.
​Moving into 2024, the Subterra had shifted their persona and music as they are taking more inspiration from the glory age of Rock and Roll: The 1980's. Inspired by the likes of Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses, Poison, and other gems of the age of rock, Subterra believe they are next in line for greatness and are aiming to revive the golden age of rock while cementing their place in history.
The Band
Who We Are
Ian Hadlock
Hannah Jacobson
"Wake up at noon, eat, drum, eat some more, drum some more, sleep, and repeat. It's safe to say they're my life." The chick drummer and backup vocalist, Hannah Jacobson has been an influential member in the band ever since joining in September of 2023. From a young age, she's seen everything as a challenge, so being told that girls don't play drums was the only reason she needed to commit herself to the instrument and to music as a whole. Now, she's been playing for 9 years. Throughout her time in the band, she's played, sang, and played while singing, helping lead the band to success in their first out of state show. Following the unique styles set by Tool, Metallica, and Iron Maiden, Hannah contributes an aggressive, yet graceful power to each song she crafts. "Okay I'll admit it, I play Overwatch more than I practice, but don't tell the band."
Joshua Jackson
Songwriter, guitarist, drummer, and leader of the band, Joshua Jackson's experience and knowledge of music have always been crucial for the band. His guidance and attitude have formed the direction of Subterra and his entire life has revolved around creating music. He even abandoned his 10 years of drums experience to teach himself guitar because "The band needs another guitarist and I'm a f*ckin' athlete." Joshua's longstanding childhood dream has been to make music his career. Tool is his main musical influence, and his skill and style as a drummer reflects that, and his newfound skill as a guitarist allows him to express his talent in a new and powerful way. Without him, the band would cease to exist. Each member of Subterra shares the following sentiment: "Without Josh, we're absolutely screwed. Like, totally screwed..." (Chris Manuel, 2024).
Chris Manuel
Inspired by his father's musical talent, lead guitarist Chris Manuel taught himself guitar at the age of 13 and has been obsessed with the instrument ever since. Initially beginning with fingerstyle Metallica songs like Nothing Else Matters, Chris developed his own unique style of playing. His unique blend of influences and inspirations helps him to craft heavier sounds for the band, adding power to every note. Chirs is the longest standing member of the band aside from Joshua and is considered an original band member. Abandoning his college education to pursue music, Chris has claimed that he is "a f*ckin idiot, I know" in response to his own decision to drop out. "Wait, I never said I was dropping out. What kind of interview is this? Wait, don't include the f-bomb in my bio, my mom will be reading this. Replace it with 'friggin'' or something." This website's editor has refused Mr. Manuel's request at this time.
"I think music is just like cooking food for someone; it's purely there to make someone happy and I very much like that about what we get to do." Inspired by the likes of Norah Jones, Marcus King, and Gary Clark Jr., Ian Hadlock has been in love with playing music for the previous 5 years. Finding himself less experienced than those around him pushed him to become the best he can be. Starting on guitar for four years, then transferring to bass, Ian has shown his peers and bandmates how flexible and adaptable he is. His jazz and blues inspirations only prove to make him diversely talented, raising his knowledge and understanding of the craft. Despite how recently he learned guitar and bass, he has gained exceptional experience. Playing in bands prior to joining Subterra helped him perfect his skills and shown his true potential. Despite his high skill level, he remains a humble and down to earth musician. "I can't wait to see the band have the ability to travel and share our music. I'm excited to hear what people in far-off places think of us."