Black Tide

Black Tide

Black Tide live at the Reading Festival
Background information
Also known as Radio
Origin Miami, Florida, United States
Genres Heavy metal, speed metal
Years active 2004–present
Labels Interscope
Website blacktidemusic.com
Members
Gabriel Garcia
Zakk Sandler
Steven Spence
Austin Diaz
Past members
Raul Garcia
Alex Nuñez
Winder Marin

Black Tide is an American heavy metal band from Miami, Florida. Formed in 2004, the band is currently signed to Interscope Records. The band is currently composed of Gabriel Garcia (vocals and lead guitar), Austin Diaz (rhythm guitar and vocals), Zachary Sandler (bass and vocals), and Steven Spence (drums, percussion). The current line-up has toured with many bands, including Avenged Sevenfold, All That Remains, Bullet for My Valentine, Disturbed, Slipknot, Trivium, Escape the Fate, Bring Me the Horizon, Mindless Self Indulgence and many more. They released their debut album, Light from Above, on March 18, 2008, through Interscope Records.

Contents

History

Formation and signing to Interscope Records (2004–2007)

Black Tide was founded in Miami, Florida in 2004 under the name Radio by guitarist Gabriel Garcia and his older brother Raul Garcia. Raul recruited second guitarist Alex Nuñez. At the time, Gabriel Garcia was 11 years old and Nuñez was just 13 years old.[1] Garcia and Nuñez recruited bassist Zachary Sandler and drummer Steven Spence, after Raul's departure from the group.[1] This completed the band's lineup. The band started playing local shows, eventually gaining the attention of record labels due to the members' young age and talent. Winder Marin, the former drummer was dropped and a replacement was brought in to keep the young image of the band. In 2005, Black Tide signed a demo deal with Atlantic Records [1] as Radio. The deal lasted for only a year, before the band was spotted by a record executive for EMI, who notified Interscope Records of the band. By mid 2007, now named Black Tide, they were signed to Interscope.[1] They're influenced by classic metal acts such as Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth,AC/DC and Pantera.

Light from Above (2007–2008)

The band started touring and gained a position on the second stage of Ozzfest, but were kicked off the tour because the stage was sponsored by Jägermeister and all of the members of Black Tide were under the legal drinking age.[2] Although the band was no longer appearing on the second stage, Black Tide was able to be the opening act on the main stage in some areas, opening for Lordi, Static-X, Lamb of God, and Ozzy Osbourne.[2] After Ozzfest, the band toured with Avenged Sevenfold and All That Remains.[3][4] They are well known partly due to their age. They are all under the age of 21, two members are still in High School, and the lead singer is still 17.

In early 2007, half a year before playing Ozzfest, Black Tide entered the studio in Chicago, Illinois with producer Johnny K. The band recorded 12 new tracks which included a cover of Metallica's first written song, "Hit the Lights", which originally appeared on Kill 'Em All.[5] The resulting album, Light From Above, was released on March 18, 2008. The album was critically praised, with Dan Epstein of Revolver Magazine saying "Listening to the debut album from Miami's Black Tide is a little like stumbling across a cool late-80s metal record you'd completely forgotten about. A very promising debut" and Scott Alisoglu of Blabbermouth.net stating the album contains "Big, sometimes pop-based, melodies meets crunchy, guitar-driven metal that falls somewhere between thrash/traditional metal and the dirtier end of '80s glam/hair metal."[6][7] Light From Above debuted at number 73 on the Billboard 200, with 11,400 copies sold in its first week of sales.[8] Black Tide has also won the Kerrang! Award for Best Newcomer.

On March 27, 2008, the band performed on the late-night show Jimmy Kimmel Live on the ABC television network in the United States and Citytv in Canada.[9] In the summer of 2008, shortly before the Mayhem Festival guitarist Alex Nuñez left the band and was replaced by Austin Diaz. Austin "Panix" Diaz subsequently left his former hardcore/d-beat band The Panix for Black Tide. In an odd turn of events Alex Nuñez joined The Panix and is currently an active member. The band proceeded to tour on the Mayhem Festival, playing all around the U.S. The band opened for Bullet For My Valentine on their European tour in November 2008, alongside Lacuna Coil and Bleeding Through. Black Tide also supported Bullet for My Valentine on their US tour in September.[10] The band toured on the Kerrang! Relentless Energy Drink Tour with Mindless Self Indulgence, Dir en grey, Bring Me the Horizon and In Case of Fire. They have started performing "Prowler," an Iron Maiden cover, on this tour, which was formally recorded for Kerrang! Magazine's Iron Maiden Tribute CD, Maiden Heaven.

Touring in support of Light from Above and New Album (2009–present)

The band debuted on British television on January 17, 2009, on the BBC show SOUND.

Black Tide were the direct support for Escape The Fate on their 2009 "This War Is Ours" Tour in February and March. Other supporting acts included Attack Attack!, William Control, and Burn Halo.

Black Tide supported Trivium from May 6, 2009 until May 19, 2009 on the Japanese and Australian segment of "Into the Mouth of Hell We Tour".[11]

Black Tide played on the Warped Tour 2009.[12]

The band has recently started performing a new song, titled, "Redefine", at concerts.

On December 6, 2009, while opening up for The All American Rejects and Taking Back Sunday, Black Tide played 3 brand new songs.

It was confirmed in February that Black Tide was in the process of writing songs for their second album. In the May/June 2010 issue of Revolver magazine, it was confirmed that Black Tide has entered the studio with the intention of finishing recording by the end of June for a Fall release. On the band's Facebook profile Zack fimed many different 1-minute films from the studio about the work in the studio.

On July 26, 2010, Black Tide announced that it will go on tour alongside Bullet for my Valentine and Escape the Fate.

Influences

The band's influences are mostly Classical Metal bands like: Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Pantera and Ozzy Osbourne. They have also covered Iron Maiden and Metallica with the songs Prowler and Hit The Lights.

Tours

In other media

The band's singles "Shockwave," "Show Me The Way," and "Warriors of Time" were made available as downloadable content in the rhythm-based video game Rock Band. "Shockwave" is also featured on the video game Skate 2 for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

"Show Me the Way" is in MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, an all vehicle racing game for the PlayStation 3, and has also appeared on Rock Band Unplugged as a master track for PlayStation Portable.

"Warriors of Time" is also featured as the title theme in NHL 09 and is occasionally played during Ice Hockey matches in the NHL.

"Shout" is featured on the soundtrack for the racing game Colin McRae: Dirt 2.

"Warriors of Time", "Shockwave", "Light from Above", "Black Abyss" and "Shout" are featured as downloadable content for the iPod Touch and iPhone music game "Tap Tap Revenge 2".

"Shockwave" is featured as the final song in Guitar Hero: Modern Hits.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Year Released Title Peak positions Album
U.S.
Main
[13]
2008 "Shockwave" 25 Light from Above
"Warriors of Time" —
Shout" —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or have yet to chart.

EPs

Year Album
2007 Black Tide EP
2008 Road Warrior 7"
Music videos

Members

Current members

Former members

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Bienstock, Richard (March 2008). "Youth Gone Wild". Revolver Magazine. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Black Tide members talk about playing this year's Ozzfest". Blabbermouth.net. 2007-08-21. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=79866. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
  3. ↑ "Black Tide preparing for Avenged Sevenfold tour". Blabbermouth.net. 2007-10-12. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=82677. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
  4. ↑ "Black Tide added to All That Remains tour". Blabbermouth.net. 2008-01-29. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=89509. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
  5. ↑ "Black Tide: "Shockwave" EP now available". Blabbermouth.net. 2007-08-24. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=84867. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
  6. ↑ Epstein, Dan (May 2008). "Reviews – Black Tide Light From Above". Revolver Magazine. 
  7. ↑ Alisoglu, Scott. "CD reviews – Light from Above". Blabbermouth.net. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=1376. Retrieved 2008-03-25. 
  8. ↑ "Black Tide debuts on Billboard chart". Blabbermouth.net. 2008-03-26. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=93651. Retrieved 2008-03-27. 
  9. ↑ "Black Tide To Perform On Jimmy Kimmel Live!". Blabbermouth.net. 2008-03-12. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=92770. Retrieved 2008-03-15. 
  10. ↑ http://www.bulletformyvalentine1.com/news.php
  11. ↑ http://www.blacktidemusic.com/news/default.aspx?nid=20442
  12. ↑ http://www.warpedtour.com/warpedtour/bands.asp Warped Tour Band List
  13. ↑ "Black Tide - Artist Chart History". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Singles&model.vnuArtistId=962051&model.vnuAlbumId=1107292. Retrieved 2008-06-10. 

External links

Black Tide
Gabriel Garcia • Austin "Panix" Diaz • Zakk Sandler • Steven Spence
Alex Nuñez • Raul Garcia • Winder Marin
Studio albums
Light from Above • Black Tide
Extended plays
Black Tide EP • Road Warrior
Singles
"Shockwave" • "Warriors of Time" • "Shout" • "Bury Me" • "Honest Eyes"
Related articles
Discography