FEATURE: Red Sun Rising

Have you ever played a really satisfying game of Tetris—all the pieces flow, twist, settle and lock together in a tight-fitting end-to-end mosaic that makes the tingle of satisfaction fill your chest because everything is right where it should be? Alright, maybe you haven’t. But you’ll know what I’m talking about when you listen to Red Sun Rising and experience the rippling blend of 90s grunge and modern rock and the sublime scene it paints.

The Ohio-born group’s #1 single, “The Otherside,” is a beautiful introduction to what the band are about. With sound that is gritty and real, igniting the senses with powerful guitar rolls and a melody that’s as heavy as it is light, fiery red soothed by sharp vocal harmonies, it feels like those vocals are encouraging the guitar as much as the guitar is encouraging the vocals. You can’t help but wonder which is playing which. The chorus launches into something otherworldly and raw when frontman Mike Protich both figuratively and literally crawls through mud and declares the arbitrariness of it all, challenging our image of ourselves and the insignificance of our burdens at the end of the day, once we’ve reached the “Other side.”

And as if to defy any of obstacles the universe might throw in the face of the band, they released another solo, “Emotionless,” inspired by a dream of Protich’s that is equally captivating and corrosive and tells the story of a person who can’t be woken, living empty (“emotionless”). The dream had such a heavy effect on Protich that it was put together in twenty minutes, and if that isn’t indication of the band’s passion and dedication, I don’t know what is.

The band are comprised of Mike Protich on lead vocals and guitar, Ryan Williams on guitar, Ricky Miller on bass and backing vocals, Dave McGarry on guitar and backing vocals, and Pat Gerasia on drums. Signed by Razor & Tie and working with Bob Marlette (Black Sabbath, Shinedown, Seether), Polyester Zeal was born. The debut album’s title alone sums up the band’s purpose,juxtaposing the easily accessible and the sought-after—“Obtainable dream,” as Protich calls it. It’s refreshing and near cathartic to listen through headphones where the instrumentals pan across the soundboard in a manner similar to how they’d appear onstage, and such attention to detail only gives the band more credibility and desirability. Perhaps this is why they’ve played with Godsmack, Seether, Sevendust, Nothing More, Pop Evil, Shinedown, and Cheville. They’ve also been featured in Billboard, AXS, Examiner, Alternative Press, Revolver, and Loudwire, to name a few.The only thing that’s left is to actually catch a show.

And you can, because Red Sun Rising are set to kick off a massive tour across North America with bands like Sick Puppies, Disturbed, Korn, Smashing Satellites, and Pop Evil. They’re shows you won’t want to miss, and will walk away from feeling fulfilled—it’s evident from the first utterance of sound that Red Sun Rising aren’t a fleeting band, that they know what they’re doing, that can give you a Nirvana-esque sound you crave while incorporating a catchy alternative rock grind. Difficult to ignore, and fantastically infectious.

 

“The Otherside” official video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1cj2M_Mprw

“Emotionless” official videohttp://bit.ly/1onRPyh

Website: http://redsunrisingmusic.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redsunrisingmusic/timeline

Tour Dates:

March 29 @ Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre in Medicine Hat, AB, Canada

March 30 @ SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary, AB, Canada

March 31 @ The Ranch Roadhouse in Edmonton, AB, Canada

April 1 @ Better Than Fred’s in Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada

April 2 @ O’Brians Event Center in Saskatoon, SK, Canada

April 3 @ The Exchange in Regina, SK, Canada

April 5 @ CROCKS in Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

April 15 @ House of Blues in San Diego, CA w/ Black Stone Cherry

April 16 @ KFMA Day 2016 in Tucson, AZ

April 21 @ BlazeFest, Rotary Ampitheatre in Fresno, CA

April 23 @ WJRR’s 23rd Annual Earth Day Birthday in Orlando, FL

April 26 @ WorkPlay Soundstage in Birmingham, AL*

April 27 @ Club LA in Destin, FL*

April 29 @  WXTB Rockfest, Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL

April 30 @ Welcome to Rockville, Metropolitan in Jacksonville, FL

May 1 @ Fort Rock, JetBlue Park in Fort Meyers, FL

May 3 @ Capone’s in Johnson City, TN*

May 4 @ Revelry Room in Chattanooga, TN*

May 6 @ WNOR/FM99 Radio Show, Farm Bureau Live in Virginia Beach, VA

May 7 @ Carolina Rebellion, Charlote Motor in Concord, NC

May 8 @ The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY*

May 9 @ Gramercy Theatre in New York, NY*

May 11 @ Buffalo Iron Works in Buffalo, NY*

May 12 @ The Machine Shop in Flint, MI*

May 13 @ HOME Bar in Arlington Heights, IL*

May 14 @ KQRC’s Rockfest in Kansas City, MO

May 15 @ Northern Invasion, Somerset Ampitheater in Somerset, WI

May 17 @ The Castle Theatre in Bloomington, IL*

May 18 @ Exit / In in Nashville, TN*

May 20 @ Rock’n Derby in Schaghticoke, NY

May 21 @ MMRBQ in Camden, NJ

May 22 @ Rock On The Range in Columbus, OH

May 27 @ ROCKLAHOMA in Pryor, OK

May 29 @ River City Rockfest, AT&T Cente in San Antonio, TX

July 14 @ Chippewa Rock Fest in Cadott, WI

July 16 @ Rock USA in Oshkosh, WI

Aug. 18 @ Rally On The River in Ironton, OH

* w/ Sick Puppies on THE HARDDRIVE LIVE TOUR