Five years have passed since Blind Melon lost lead singer Shannon Hoon to a drug overdose, abruptly putting an end to one of the most successful bands of the early '90s.

Now, two of the four surviving members — guitarist Christopher Thorn and bassist Brad Smith — are trying to carve their own musical identity separate from their celebrated past. They may be on their way with the band Unified Theory and the release of their self-titled debut album. Also in the band are original Pearl Jam drummer Dave Krusen and impressive newcomer, vocalist and guitarist Chris Shinn.

Once used to filling arenas on their own, the former Blind Melon guys have been opening for current arena favourites Live and Counting Crows. Most recently, Unified Theory are headlining their own tour at smaller clubs. Sipping mochachinos at Toronto's Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Thorn and Smith reflected on a tumultuous decade that has seen them rise, fall and now aim towards the top again.

Blind Melon burst onto the scene in 1993 with the hit "No Rain" off their multi-platinum self-titled debut. Their sophomore effort, Soup, was released in 1995. Although critically acclaimed, it didn't garner the sales of the first album. In the midst of an extensive tour promoting Soup, Hoon lost his battle with drugs. He was 28.

After Hoon's death, Thorn and Smith remained active in music, working on solo projects and producing independent albums for free in their home studios. In 1998, Thorn heard Shinn's voice on a demo tape and right away knew he liked it.

"Chris has an exceptional voice, I was blown away," says Thorn, who met Shinn over sushi in Los Angeles and the chemistry between them was immediately evident. "You have to like people you're working with, we wanted someone with personality and a voice. He's a fun guy and I was completely floored by his songs."

The first session with Smith, Shinn and Thorn was a fruitful one, netting two songs, "Passive" and "Cessna," that both appear on the new album. Eight months later, Krusen, the drummer on Pearl Jam's epic album Ten, joined Unified Theory after touring with Candlebox.

While recording, the band made a conscious effort to stay away from the Blind Melon sound.

"I didn't want to repeat that sound because it would be too painful —  a lot of time had passed between Blind Melon and Unified Theory.  During this time we naturally evolved in our musical influence," states Smith.

"Automatically, working with Chris and Dave, our dynamic is completely different," adds Thorn. The result is an album that is heavier and more guitar-driven than previous Blind Melon albums with an increased emphasis on writing more personal and emotional songs.

"Wither" is a song on the album deals with heroin use. After being asked about whether this is an ode to Hoon, Thorn and Smith are quick to clear the confusion surrounding his death. "Shannon was not a heroin user. He particularly didn't like that drug — many other drugs he liked, heroin was not one of them," says Thorn. "It's been misinformation for a long time. We really didn't do interviews after it happened so there was never an opportunity to correct what people were saying."

"Cocaine [overdose] was the official demise of Shannon," stated Smith.

The recent tour has given the opportunity for the guys to thank their original fans. "It's nice to have Blind Melon fans come out and tell us how much Blind Melon meant to them and how much they miss Shannon," recounts Smith. "On the flipside, we have 16 year old kids coming up to us saying how much they love Unified Theory and they've never heard of Blind Melon."

Starting over from scratch after being in a successful band has given Thorn and Smith more of an appreciation of their past success. "You take it for granted the first time around and hopefully we've learned something from our past experience," commented Thorn.

"But then again here we are, doing it again," added Smith.

In Unified Theory, Smith and Thorn seem to have found the musical satisfaction that has eluded them since the death of their friend. Sad at the loss of Hoon, the guys are happy to be forging their own identity. Gone is the grunge wear that adorned them during the Blind Melon era. They now sport a mature, stylish look with leather jackets having replaced the flannel shirts. Along with the new look is a sense of humility of their past and excitement for the future.