A local band featuring an Oakland University student is making some big noise.

Opening for major bands like Godsmack, Skillet and Buckcherry, percussive music major Jon Genautis and his heavy metal band, The Oath Lies Here, have been working their way into the mainstream.

Genautis plays alongside his bandmates Keith Wright, Tobin Soave, Ben Bejune and Nigel Fisher. Together, the five of them rock and scream on their journey to becoming a household name.

The band was formed in 2013 when Genautis started a side project from another band he was playing with at the time. After creating music that they found suitable, the musicians decided to make it official.

“When we started to write some good material, we really put our energy into it, and a few months later we had a lineup to play gigs,” Genautis, the band’s drummer, said. “We originally formed the band to grow as musicians and to create a unique sound. We never would have thought we would come this far.”

Like many other bands, the group started off by doing small gigs around the area. They invited friends and shared their music on social media sites. Through word-of-mouth, the group started getting attention and making headway into the mainstream.

“What has worked best for us recently is just playing shows with larger audiences,” Wright, the band’s vocalist, said. “After a good show, we have had people come up to us and buy our merchandise, music and even ask for autographs.”

The band has created a music video for its song “No More, No More,” and they have another one on the way. Aside from their three-song EP, they have another album in the works.

This past summer, the ensemble played to their largest crowd yet. They were signed onto the Rockstar Uproar Festival Tour and played for a full audience at DTE.

“We played a killer show and got the audience clapping, fist pumping, and moshing,” Genautis said. “Consequently, we gained a lot of new fans. We took pictures with them and even signed some autographs. It was probably one of the most exhilarating moments of my life.”

The Oath Lies Here has material that can be viewed on their Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram pages.