Charlotte, North Carolina’s TIDALWAVE want to rock fans in a way that can only be attained by evoking the greats of the ’90’s. No, I’m not talking grunge or the second coming of boy bands and bubblegum pop. I’m talkin’ alt-rock, post-rock, guitar-rock….whatever! Think late ’90’s and Chevelle, Taproot, deftones. Get it now?
But are these guys a nostalgia act, though? Far from it. Let’s call TIDALWAVE “Old souls drenched in modernity”, okay?
On their debut EP, TIDALWAVE deliver the goods in spades and in some very clever ways, too. “Find Myself” might start with your typical guitar/drum barrage but skip to the catchy chorus or the Helmet riffage that creeps in around the 1:45 mark and you have an instantly memorable opener. “Rx” is a little more straightforward in the Chevelle school of riff rawk but works immensely within the framework of the EP. “Endings”, however, is massive. It’s got the riffs, some subtle Middle Eastern tinges, and sees vocalist Dean’s whispered growls leading to an all out guitar assault tempered with lush melodies. Climaxing with the start/stop staccato of “Solace”, TIDALWAVE offer up enough coherent diversity on their debut EP to keep even the staunchest of listeners intrigued until the end.
The TIDALWAVE EP is available now. Get yours over on Bandcamp and for more on TIDALWAVE, be sure to head over here.