These Teens Just Scored A Record Deal, & They’re Not In High School, Yet

For many, the seventh grade was the age of braces, note passing, and atrocious productions of Our Town. But, the members of the Brooklyn metal group Unlocking the Truth are skipping their awkward phase, and spending their early teens playing the Barclays Center and being featured in Rolling Stone. Oh, and signing a $1.8-million deal with Sony Records. No biggie.

Malcolm Brickhouse (guitar) and Jarad Dawkins (drums) founded the group a couple of years ago, and performed at several music festivals before deciding they needed a bassist. Rather than hold auditions, they simply taught their best friend Alec Atkins how to play. The band received its big break via a viral YouTube video, which featured the trio playing in Times Square (it garnered over 1.5 million views).

Naturally, all three are thrilled by the news. But, they're already used to the attention. After all, they've already opened for Guns 'N' Roses, and they're spending their summer on the Warped Tour.

Sounds way better than your average minimum-wage summer gig. (New York Magazine)