The groundwork for Echo Son was laid in 2006 when Chicago scene veterans Alex Clark (guitar) and Chris King (drums) began writing music with bassist and Indiana transplant Ian Palmer. The arrival of former Emisis singer Brynn Robinson completed the lineup in late 2007. Robinson's scorching, Ian Astbury-meets-Chris Cornell wail were the perfect foil for the churning, twisting musical passages the trio had been creating. The end result incorporated elements of progressive rock, '90s alternative, and metal. This unique mixture is evident in the three songs on the group's self-titled demo, which only hints at the intensity, tunefulness and experimentation of Echo Son's newest material. The band spent 2008 delivering electrifying live performances in Chicago and outlying areas, as well as teaming up with eight other bands to form Chicago Noise Machine, a consortium of local groups pooling resources to promote concerts and support one another. The debut Chicago Noise Machine concert sold out the legendary Cubby Bear in Wrigleyville. In early 2009, the band recorded a 4-song EP, "Novella," with noted producer Niko Bolas (Neil Young, Bryan Adams, Kiss) at Nashville's famed Blackbird studios. The band was a mainstage performer at Chicago's I AM Fest in June 2009, an independent art and music festival held at the historic Congress Theater.