BLACK TIDE

For BLACK TIDE, evolution is a big part of growing up.

On Post Mortem, the band’s second album for DGC/Interscope, the Miami quartet has developed and deepened its sound, creating a collection of dangerously hypnotic hard rock.

BLACK TIDE began a non-stop rollercoaster of touring since its debut Light From Above dropped in 2008, and it certainly fostered growth on album number two. During that whirlwind of shows, the band participated in the first-ever Rockstar Mayhem Festival alongside Slipknot and Disturbed in 2008, toured the U.S. with Avenged Sevenfold, played the main stage at Ozzfest 2008 and lit up the stage on Warped Tour 2009. Overseas, the group shared stages with legends such as Iron Maiden and Metallica. Meanwhile, Rolling Stone featured BLACK TIDE as one of the "Best Rookies of 2008" and Kerrang! lauded the band as "Best International Newcomer," while numerous video games—from Rock Band to NHL 09—featured BLACK TIDE tunes. The four members, all in their teens at the time, continued to collectively and personally grow as musicians, paving the way for this second album.

The band—Gabriel Garcia (Guitar, Vocals), Steven Spence (Drums), Austin Diaz (Guitar), Zakk Sandler (Bass)—has preserved the raw edge that made Light From Above so impactful, while sonically sharpening everything with flourishes of prog and just the right dose of melody.

The new material showcases the band's creative expansion, and the members of BLACK TIDE collectively worked on writing the album together over the past two years, honing their skills. First single “That Fire" burns with an acoustic intro and a syncopated polyrhythmic groove while "Bury Me" breaks down with a mathematical madness as hard-hitting riffs crisscross and careen violently. Then there's "Ashes," which packs a pummeling punch, and "Walking Dead Man," a barn-burner of a track that Steven actually wrote on guitar. "Let It Out" resounds with that powerful punk spirit prevalent since day one for BLACK TIDE.

One trip outside the box is "Into the Sky." The poignant acoustic cut shows just how versatile, yet potent BLACK TIDE can be. Garcia reveals, "That song is for anybody who has ever lost somebody. Every lyric on this album means something, and I really want fans to listen closely because it gets deep and real."

BLACK TIDE's sophomore offering has been in the making since October 2009. The band retreated to a Kansas studio with producer Josh Wilbur [Lamb of God] to pen the demos that would eventually become Post Mortem. After intense pre-production, they hit a New York studio with Wilbur and GGGarth Richardson [Rage Against the Machine, Mudvayne] in May 2010 and worked towards crafting this cohesive and dynamic second outing.

The addition of Austin Diaz also encouraged further evolution. He officially entered the fold on Mayhem 2008, but Post Mortem marks his first time writing with the band. Classically trained with years of music school under his belt, Diaz’s elegant thrashing brings a calculated refinement to Post Mortem. Zakk Sandler explains, "Given his classical influences, Austin's writing is different, but it's a huge factor of our style now. His ability to collaborate with Gabe is incredible. They've locked in great and written some of our most intricate music together."

Sandler sums up where the band is at best. "This is a new horizon for BLACK TIDE. Nobody told us what we had to be. This is what we love, and it covers the spectrum. This album has some of the heaviest music we've ever done and some of the softest. Here are our fucking songs. We don't want to make the same record over and over again; we want to progress as musicians and writers. We're going to continue to do that. This really is BLACK TIDE."

Garcia concludes, "We have an original sound on this record, and it's only going to get better. I want people to listen to this album forever. I want them to come to the shows and feel it. That's what I love in music—when it really moves you."