Surfacing

Turning the spotlight on musicians making a commercial breakthrough.

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“Extreme Behavior”

Hinder

Universal Republic

Artist info: The album title is appropriate because Hinder, a hard-rock band from Oklahoma, toys with themes of drugs and sex. Not exactly a new concept, but Hinder pushes the envelope with nudity in the group’s video for “Get Stoned,” a provocative CD cover and its flamboyant front man, Austin Winkler. Winkler milks every Steven Tylerism he can and for the album’s second video, “Lips of an Angel,” he smooches with Canadian actress Emmanuelle Chriqui, who plays the “other” woman.

Back story: The Oklahoma City quintet reached the Top 10 of the national sales chart this week, a year after its latest album was released. Members pooled their money in 2004 for demos that became a self-released CD, “Far From Close.” It sold 5,000 copies through the Web and live shows. Universal Records execs heard the music online, signed the band and released album No. 2, “Extreme Behavior,” last September. Since then, it has seen a slow, steady growth fueled by constant touring and successful videos.

Influences: Aerosmith, Rolling Stones, Bad Company, Guns N’ Roses.

Trivia: “It should all be a big party,” says Winkler of the band’s outlook. “And with us, it is.”

- CASEY DOLAN