Times haven’t always been easy for Orange County-based hardcore punks Death by Stereo. But after 15 years, dozens of domestic and international tours, numerous member changes and a fistful of albums, the band has definitely showed staying power.

With its sixth studio album Black Sheep of the American Dream ready to drop in April – and a new label to back it, Viking Funeral Records, founded by Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge – DBS is currently on a European tour with Agnostic Front that kicked off last week in Germany. The group is slated to perform at several late-summer festivals and is working on packing in as many shows as possible between now and then to support the new release.

Back home, the quintet – vocalist Efrem Schulz, guitarists Dan Palmer and J.P. Gericke, drummer Mike Cambra and bassist Paul Miner – has been nominated in the best metal category for a third year in a row at the coming OC Music Awards. Though they lost to good friends Atreyu in 2010 and Avenged Sevenfold last year, Death by Stereo remains hopeful the third time really will be the charm. They’ve even been practicing a little speech should they finally score the honor during the March 3 ceremony at City National Grove of Anaheim.

“It gets more and more exciting every time, especially when we don’t win every time,” Palmer says, leans against an old beat-up car in his driveway. “But we’re going to win this time and we want to say: ‘Thank you, Orange County.’ That’s our acceptance speech.”

“I don’t know what I would say, I’ve never won an award before,” Schulz (pictured) adds as he fidgets with his hands, unable to stand still for more than two seconds at a time. “I’d probably (just) say thank you.”

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