Tantric (band)
| Tantric | |
|---|---|
 Tantric performing in Fort Wayne, Indiana on September 11, 2009. |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
| Genres | Post-grunge Hard rock |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels | Maverick Records (1999–2006) Silent Majority Group (2007–present) |
| Associated acts | Days of the New, Hurtsmile |
| Website | www.myspace.com/tantric |
| Members | |
| Hugo Ferreira Joe Pessia Erik Leonhardt Marcus Ratzenboeck Richie Monica |
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Tantric is a rock band from Louisville, Kentucky. The group has released four studio albums since 2001; although, their last two albums only retain Tantric's original singer, Hugo Ferreira. Having previously recorded albums for Maverick Records, including their platinum–selling debut, they are currently under Silent Majority Group.
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[edit] History
In November 1998, after months of canceled concerts and internal band conflict, Days of the New frontman Travis Meeks moved on to work with a new band under the same name. His fellow bandmates, guitarist Todd Whitener, bassist Jesse Vest, and drummer Matt Taul, would move on to work with Hugo Ferreira. In early 1999, they spoke with Massachusetts native Hugo Ferreira about starting a new project. The former Days of the New bandmates had previously met Ferreira, formerly of Merge, during a tour and admired his distinct baritone voice. By March that year, the four had their first practice together upon Ferreira's move to Nashville. They began under the name C-14, a short name for radiocarbon but soon renamed the band to Tantric. With the help of friends in Louisville radio, the band quickly gained local exposure.[1]
[edit] Tantric
By late 2000, Tantric's demo caught the attention of Maverick Records who signed them that same year. The band quickly began recording their self–titled debut with producer Toby Wright in Nashville. Released in February 2001, Tantric debuted at #193 on the Billboard 200 and eventually went platinum, largely on the strength of the single "Breakdown" as well as extensive touring with the likes of Kid Rock and Creed. Follow–up singles "Astounded" and a remixed version of "Mourning" also fared well.
Tantric continued touring in 2002 before starting the recording of their sophomore effort in April that year. In June, Tantric contributed the song "Cross the Line" to the NASCAR: Crank It Up compilation album.[2]
[edit] After We Go
After a frustrating recording session and pressure from the label, Tantric's second album, After We Go, again produced by Wright, was released in February 2004, preceded by the single "Hey Now." Described as heavier than their first record, After We Go debuted at #56 on the Billboard 200. Unfortunately, the album did not match the success of their debut, in part due to the poor reception of follow–up singles, the title track "After We Go" and their cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain." Nevertheless, Tantric soldiered on, touring with 3 Doors Down and Shinedown for much of 2004.
[edit] Tantric III
In 2005, bassist Jesse Vest left the group, wishing to spend more time with his family. He was replaced by Bruce LaFrance through mutual friend and touring band member Kevin McCreery. With Elliott Blakey in the producer's chair, Tantric worked on the follow-up to After We Go, tentatively titled Tantric III, and scheduled for a May 2006 release. The band finished over a dozen songs for the album such as "People," "Worth Waiting For," "Stay With You," "Locked Out," and Whitener's lead singing performance, "July." Complications arose in March 2006, when Tantric parted ways with Maverick Records, which itself was collapsing.
In 2007, Matt Taul was arrested on drug-related charges, which would further complicate the band's obtaining a new label. Finally, on May 8, 2007, the release of three songs from Tantric III on the band's MySpace was largely overshadowed by Todd Whitener's farewell announcement on the band's website, which cited a feeling of stagnation that caused him to grow tired of the band's struggle to succeed. Ferreira later said in interviews that Whitener, as well as other members of the band had grown frustrated with the band's record label complications. Taul was sent to prison in later months, but has since been released. Bruce LaFrance was working with Whitener on a side project, Interchange and Ferreira's State Of The Art project which eventually became the new Tantric. LaFrance opted out of State Of The Art staying on with Whitener.
[edit] The End Begins
Disappointed but headstrong, Hugo Ferreira began searching for new bandmates. He enlisted former Fuel drummer Kevin Miller and, through mutual friend Nuno Bettencourt, Dramagods bassist/ShredKing Joe Pessia. Erik Leonhardt would become bassist and Marcus Ratzenboeck rounded out the new Tantric lineup with the electric violin. Shortly thereafter, the band announced their deal with the independent label Silent Majority Group and their new management company JHMP.
Because Ferreira remained the only original member, Tantric III had been shelved. Ferreira has said the reasoning for this, other than the logical label complications, was he did not want to produce an album under the Tantric name that was partially written by Whitener and Taul.[3] With the indefinite shelving of "T3," Ferreira and his new mates recorded 10 new songs, in addition to a totally revamped version of "The One," featuring Kevin Martin of Candlebox, and finally released Tantric's third album, The End Begins, on April 22, 2008. Its lead single, "Down and Out," gained radio success and strongly exhibited the band's new violinist.
[edit] Mind Control
After touring in support of The End Begins, drummer Kevin Miller departed and was replaced by Richie Monica. On March 9, 2009, Tantric announced the recording of their fourth album. Mind Control was released on August 4, 2009 and marked the dismissal of producer Toby Wright in favor of former touring Creed bassist Brett Hestla.
[edit] Musical style
Tantric is often categorized as post-grunge and is known for its emphasis on acoustic guitar, distorted electric guitar, and multi-layered vocal harmonies. However, due to their heaviness, the band also fit in well during the early 2000s peak of alternative/nu metal. In their early career, Tantric was frequently compared to Days of the New, from which its original guitarist, bassist, and drummer derived. However, the group also gained strong comparison - and in some cases, criticism - to grunge forerunners Alice in Chains. This is by no means coincidence; famed record producer Toby Wright, who handled Tantric's first three albums, also produced two Alice in Chains albums as well as the solo debut of their principal songwriter, Jerry Cantrell. Wright is known for emphasizing multi-tracked vocal harmonies and other characteristics demonstrated in both bands.
However, since the departure of all but Tantric's vocalist from the original lineup, as well as the inclusion of electric violinist Marcus Ratzenboeck, the band's musical approach has evolved. Songs predating Ratzenboeck's inclusion in Tantric have since been performed live with violin, and the altered backing band has provided a shift in musical direction.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Album details |
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| Tantric |
After We Go
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The End Begins
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Mind Control
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[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [4] |
US Alt. [4] |
US Main. [4] |
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| 2001 | "Breakdown" | 106 | 4 | 1 | Tantric | ||||||||||
| "Astounded" | — | 30 | 7 | ||||||||||||
| 2002 | "Mourning" | — | 22 | 18 | |||||||||||
| 2004 | "Hey Now" | — | — | 8 | After We Go | ||||||||||
| "The Chain" | — | — | 36 | ||||||||||||
| "After We Go" | — | — | 30 | ||||||||||||
| 2008 | "Down and Out" | — | 34 | 8 | The End Begins | ||||||||||
| "Fall Down" | — | — | 34 | ||||||||||||
| 2009 | "Mind Control" | — | — | 22 | Mind Control | ||||||||||
| "Coming Undone" | — | — | 31 | ||||||||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or have yet to chart. | |||||||||||||||
[edit] See also
- Live in the X Lounge - a charity album to which Tantric contributed live performances.
- Tantric Live private performance in Orlando 6/30/08
[edit] References
- ^ 7 Questions With Tantric MTV.com (2001). Retrieved on 12-15-10.
- ^ Quigley, Lauren Slipknot, Staind Gear Up For NASCAR Comp MTV.com (April 5, 2002). Retrieved on 12-16-10.
- ^ "Hugo Ferreira Interview on Type 3 Media". http://www.type3media.com/interviews/hugoferreirainterview20080222.html. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
- ^ a b c "Artist Chart History". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=430384&model.vnuAlbumId=1110111. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
[edit] External links
- Tantric at MySpace
- Tantric at Purevolume
- Tantric at the Open Directory Project
- Check out Tantric's LIVE performance at WJRR.com from Monday, June 30, 2008!
- Hugo interview on MT
- Interview with Marcus Ratzenboeck on IronCityRocks.com
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