Being in a rock band means facing many challenges -- having no money, being out on the road, partying incessantly.

But for the members of Envy on the Coast, they had to face an even bigger challenge.

Having a piano in the band.

"Having a piano in your band doesn't get you much credibility with the hardcore bands in Long Island," Ryan Hunter, lead singer and guitar player for Envy on the Coast, said.

Hailing from Long Island, New York -- home to such bands as Taking Back Sunday and Glassjaw -- the band quickly learned it would take serious dedication to get past the formulaic rock acts that plagued its local music scene.

"We don't say, 'Lets write a pop song,' or 'Let's write a Swedish, death metal song.' We just write and keep an open mind to whatever comes," Hunter said.

Having an open mind to different types of music is important for the band. Since the band is influenced by music from The Beatles, Billy Joel, Queen, Thrice and Third Eye Blind, it's difficult to write the band off as just another cookie-cutter pop rock act.

Like most bands, Hunter is hesitant to label the group under any certain genre of music.

"Each song is so personal that it's hard for me to come up with an overall sound," Hunter said. "I usually just tell people to listen to it and then describe it for me."

It is not just the music that is personal to Hunter. His lyrics deal personally with moral dilemmas he faced back in high school and most importantly respecting women.

"We have a huge thing with respecting girls. Nobody in my band goes around and hooks up with random chicks. We hate to see that. It's something that's themed in our songs, and we all agree on it," Hunter said.

On Sunday, Nov. 19, Envy on the Coast will be making its first trip to State College to play with Angels and Airwaves, featuring Tom DeLonge, former front man of Blink-182.

To say the band members are excited for their upcoming tour with DeLonge is an understatement.

"We're stoked as hell. Sal [Bossio] and Jeremy [Velardi] used to have a pop punk band when they were 12 or 13, and they loved Tom DeLonge," Hunter said. "We hear he's an awesome guy. We're stoked to meet him."

With only one self-titled EP to its name, Envy on the Coast is no stranger to big shows with packed audiences. Touring with 30 Seconds to Mars and Head Automatica has given the group plenty of experience on the road.

"Our first bigger tour was with 30 Seconds to Mars. There were 2,500 kids a night. It was pretty crazy because 300 kids is a big show for us. But we definitely know what to expect now," Hunter said.

While the band has never been to State College for a show, Hunter already has some pre-conceived notions about Happy Valley.

"I hear [Penn State] is a tough school to get into. My drummer [Dan Gluszak] wanted to go there and got rejected, and he's really smart. But we're stoked to play there," he said.

In addition to an upcoming tour with Angels and Airwaves, the band is excited for the official release of its self-titled EP.

"We are proud of the EP but most of the songs were written two years ago, when we had no money and no one was helping us. It took us so long to get on our feet with the EP," Hunter said.

While Envy on the Coast has faced some difficulties, Hunter and the rest of his band mates are always grateful.

"We're a very fortunate band. I've known lots of bands that have had to overcome bigger things than we have. We are super fortunate to be in the position we are. Despite whatever challenges we faced, I'll take them. It was worth every second," Hunter said.