14 tracks · 66 min
What It Is to Burn is the debut album by American rock band Finch. After finalising their line-up, Finch signed to independent label Drive-Thru Records. Recording for their debut last between June and September 2001 with producer Mark Trombino. A music video for "Letters to You" appeared in January 2003, prior to What It Is to Burn being released in March jointly through MCA and Drive-Thru Records. Initial touring consisted of several stints in the US and UK with the likes of Moth, the Starting Line and New Found Glory, and appearing on the 2002 Warped Tour and at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. The album's title-track was released as radio single in January 2003, followed by "Letters to You" in April. Double A-sided single "New Beginnings"/"What It Is to Burn" was released in August.
What It Is to Burn is primarily a pop punk/emo release, that is also classed as hardcore punk and post-hardcore. It received a positive reaction from music critics, with many finding it an enjoyable listen. The album charted at number 99 on the Billboard 200 in the US and at number 177 in the UK. As of October 2007, album sales had stood at over 400,000 copies. "Letters to You" charted in the UK top 40 singles chart, while "What It Is to Burn" charted within the top 40 on the Alternative Songs and Mainstream Rock charts. The album has since been viewed as a landmark release for the emo/post-hardcore scene. The band went on a celebratory 10th anniversary tour for the album in 2013 through the US, Europe, Japan and Australia.
