In 2012, Gutt auditioned for the second season of the American singing competition series The X Factor. It took some time, but we found our guy." The X Factor Season 2 Founding member Dean DeLeo said: "We wanted someone who would not only do our earlier songs justice, but would also write new songs and carve out a different path forward with us. Gutt's first single with the band is "Meadow". The following day, however, a representative for the band denied this rumor, saying that "the band has been rehearsing with several singers over the past few weeks" and "they haven't made a decision yet." Almost a year later, on November 14, 2017, Stone Temple Pilots officially announced Gutt as their new lead singer, and played their first concert with him that same night at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. On November 16, 2016, Entertainment Tonight reported that Stone Temple Pilots had recruited Gutt to be their new lead singer, replacing Chester Bennington, who had left the band one year earlier. On October 31, 2016, Rival City released "Fading Out / What's Going On", a double single produced by Kevin Churko. On November 29, 2016, it was announced that Gary Pittel and Cyamak Ashtiani left the band, Gene Lenardo (ex- Filter, Device) was to take guitar duties, and that Rival City Heights was renamed to Rival City. Before the tour Brandon Brown left the band and was replaced with Evanescence's Will Hunt on drums. On February 19, 2016, Rival City Heights released the debut single "Take It Back" and from February to March 2016, played a tour with Trapt to promote it. In late 2015, Rival City Heights toured the Middle East (Jordan,Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon) and India for a series of concerts in association with the Princess Alia Foundation.
In December 2014, Gutt released "A Detroit Christmas" as a solo artist. On May 3, 2014, Rival City Heights played the debut show at the Masonic Temple in Detroit. In January 2014, Gutt revealed members of his new alternative rock band Rival City Heights: BWNN/Punch bandmate Gary Pittel (guitar), ex- Dry Cell bandmate Brandon Brown (drums), Cyamak Ashtiani (guitar) and KC Jenkins (bass). Gutt also appears on Solystic's songs "Carry On", "Open Letter" and "Almost Dead". Gutt, Pittel, and Hutchinson also perform live as a cover band, Punch. In 2013, it was re-released under Gutt's name on iTunes and included the song "Stay", which was previously known as the album's B-side. Seven new songs were recorded, and a full-length album named Humanity was released in 2009. In 2008, they won 89X & TNTs Battle of the Bands in Michigan and received $10,000 and studio time to record a new EP. In 2007, BWNN released a five-track self-titled EP. The band also included Aaron Hutchinson (drums), Justin "Antic" Hackman (keyboards), Mike Guy and later Ben Lula (bass). In 2005 (when Dry Cell went on hiatus), Gutt and his friend, guitarist Gary Pittel, formed Band with No Name (abbreviated as BWNN). In Acrylic, Band with No Name, and Punch Īfter parting ways with Dry Cell in 2004, Gutt recorded eight demo songs with a band named Acrylic.
In 2012, it was said on Gutt's official website that Dry Cell is now defunct. The band had no news on their MySpace page since 2010. It contains previously released demos from 2003, 20, B-sides from Disconnected and one previously unreleased song, "So Alive". In early 2010 a compilation The Dry Cell Collection was released.
The band went on a brief hiatus from 2005 to 2007, but in 2008 reunited with same members. Gutt left the band in 2004 and Dave Wasierski replaced him as lead vocalist. The band released a studio album titled Disconnected in 2002. Gutt became the lead vocalist for Dry Cell by joining the rock band Beyond Control which consisted of members Danny Hartwell, Judd Gruenbaum, and Brandon Brown. Lyrics from the Dragonfly song "Sugarpill" were later used for a Dry Cell song "New Revolution". The latter was recorded by Gutt with the band of the same name which featured Steve Mazur of Our Lady Peace on guitar.
In 2012, two early extended plays featuring Gutt on vocals were made downloadable for free through his official site: a three-track 1992–1995 compilation (named Nautical Star by fans for its cover) and a four-track Dragonfly (1997). Innerfaith wrote and performed original songs, ultimately winning the "Blue Water Area Battle of the Bands" in Marysville, Michigan. He was the frontman of Innerfaith, which he formed with friends Matt Brooks on bass, Jeff Sankuer on drums, and guitarist Patrick Sankuer.
Gutt's prominent band during his high school years was Innerfaith. He attended schools in both Algonac and Marine City, graduating from Marine City High School in 1994. Clair County, located in southeast Michigan, throughout most of his childhood years.