August of 2004 found SEVENDUST guitarist Clint Lowery forging an all new band unit entitled DARK BLUE in league with well known players ex-VIRGOS MERLOT/VIRGOS guitarist/vocalist Brett Hestla, Troy McLawhorn of DOUBLE DRIVE on second guitar, Corey Lowery from STEREOMUD, LIFE OF AGONY, SW1TCHED and STUCK MOJO on bass with Will Hunt of the TOMMY LEE band and SKRAPE on drums. SEVENDUST soon got back onto the road but on 14th December, in the midst of a US tour, Clint Lowery walked out citing "personal issues", prioritising DARK BLUE.

The band signed to Warner Bros. Records in January 2005 but later that month switched band title to DARK NEW DAY. They would announce their live debut on Saturday, 19th February at Wills Pub in Orlando, Florida, to be sharing the stage with a reunited SKRAPE, but then withdrew from the gig. DARK NEW DAY partnered with CHEVELLE for touring in the USA throughout April and May. The band united with SEETHER for US gigs throughout July and August. The album 'Twelve Year Silence', arriving in June, sold over 12,000 copies in its first week of US sales to land at no. 103 on the Billboard charts.

In April 2006 Will Hunt temporarily subbed for MÖTLEY CRÜE, deputising for an injured TOMMY LEE.

Clint Lowery initiated a solo project entitled HELLO DEMONS...MEET SKELETONS, playing a first show on 20th December 2008 at the Three Bears Café in Marietta, Georgia. That September, Lowery had released a mainly acoustic, six song EP entitled 'Chills'. Lowery's SEVENDUST colleague Morgan Rose accompanied him on drums for concerts.