The last lineup consisted of drummer David Kennedy, vocalist and bandleader Josh Scogin, and guitarists Brandon Henderson and Stephen Harrison.

They built a reputation around their powerful live performances, with Scogin's lyrics covering topics like materialism, personal struggle, current events, politics, and Christian themes.

The Chariot was formed by Josh Scogin almost immediately after leaving his previous band Norma Jean, a metalcore group based in Douglasville, Georgia.

Later that year, following Norma Jean's set at Furnace Fest, Scogin shocked the audience and his unaware bandmates by announcing his departure.

[5] Scogin returned to Douglasville in 2003 and started the Chariot with other musicians in the area; the first lineup included guitarists Keller Harbin and Tony "Taco" Medina, bassist Joshua Beiser, and drummer Jeff Carter.

In September 2005, The Chariot began a 27-city tour at Poughkeepsie, New York with High on Fire, Every Time I Die, and The Red Chord.

[14] In June 2006, Beiser and Harbin stepped down and were replaced by bassist Dan Eaton and guitarist Jon Terry respectively.

[15] The Chariot embarked on the Youngbloods II Tour in fall with Solid State labelmates August Burns Red, Destroy The Runner, and Inhale Exhale.

[19] Hayley Williams of Paramore made a guest performance on the track "Then Came To Kill" as did Aaron Weiss of mewithoutYou when he played the harmonica on "Forgive Me Nashville";[18] Scogin had been friends with both artists for many years.

[23] The lineup underwent another drastic change in mid-2008, as Jake Ryan, Dan Eaton and Jon Terry all decided to step down.

[24] Ryan and Eaton went on to form the indie pop band Queens Club and were signed to Tooth & Nail Records.

[27] The Chariot performed on the Scream the Prayer Tour with Haste the Day, Sleeping Giant, Oh, Sleeper, and Project 86 that summer.

[28] Beginning late November, The Chariot and a group of hand picked artists, including Horse the Band supported Norma Jean who headlined the nationwide Explosions 2009 Tour.

In June 2012, longtime bassist Jon (KC Wolf) Kindler left the band to return to college.

Stephen Harrison became the guitarist of The Fever 333, a supergroup formed by Jason Aalon Butler two months after the disbanding of his former band letlive.

[35][36] In 2018, David Kennedy joined former The Chariot members, Bryan Taylor and Jon Terrey, forming The Threats.

[37] In 2020, Scogin stated that The Chariot would never reunite in a preplanned way; specifically mentioning that he would rather spontaneously perform with the band members again than plan the event.

[40] Journalists have frequently referred to the music as "chaotic";[4][28][41] Allmusic writer Alex Henderson described it as a "dense, clobbering sledgehammer",[39] while Brian Shultz of Alternative Press called it "manically pounding, distortion-soaked exercises of catharsis".

[1][3][43] However, the music generally defies genre standards like melodic/abrasive dynamics and harmonizing vocals; it wouldn't leave room for the "nonstop firestorm of exploding drums, heaving guitars, and visceral shrieking," as Allmusic writer Corey Apar put it.

[46] In interviews, Josh Scogin has described the band as "heavy punk rock", doing away with genres and subgenres, and has also debunked many of these labels.

[19] When tasked to describe their set on the Scream the Prayer Tour in HM Magazine, Corey Erb wrote: The best word I can find is destruction.

There's a frantic mix of bodies flailing, limbs flying, strings bending [..] Scogin threw his microphone twice, the guitarist climbed up on the stack of amps and hung from the rafters twice, and the set ended with the band piling up amps, drums, mic stands, lights and instruments in the middle of the stage and scraping their guitar strings across the edges of the pile.

[44] For example, the track "Yellow Dress: Locked Knees" from Everything... contains the Spanish lyrics "Jesus, yo quiero que este mundo te conozca.