Tantric set to Mind Control TC

Sept. 12, 2010

Tantric Set to “Mind Control” TC
by Kristi Kates
Alternative heavy-rock band Tantric’s latest album, Mind Control is
still slowly accelerating and gathering fans -- even though the disc
was released back in 2009, which is technically ‘ancient history’ in
the record industry.
That’s not a concern for this determined band. Tantric, steadily
touring behind the set (as well as their previous three albums), are
simply glad to be promoting their latest collection of tunes, which
features a gas-mask-bedecked album cover and an artistic sensibility
that stretches their music beyond what’s expected of their genre.

MIND CONTROL
“It was really cool to build a record around the pictures that are
associated with Mind Control,” Tantric vocalist Hugo Ferreira said in
a recent interview with LiveDaily. “The single ‘Mind Control’ was a
good culmination of the whole record.”
Recorded with Creed’s Brett Hestla on production duties and released
in August of last year (Ferreira toured with Hestla back when Creed
was, shall we say, busier), Mind Control was written by the band as a
whole, although Ferreira is regularly referred to as the one who spurs
the majority of the band’s song ideas. Their new songs are among the
band’s heaviest to date, and even include sprinklings of rap (“Kick
Back”), both acoustic and electric guitars, and the band’s latest
addition, a rock violinist.
The post-grunge feel is enhanced by Hestla’s production, harkening
back to the ‘90s, which offers a return to the band’s roots, to some
degree.

NEWER DAYS
Formed out of the remnants of similar alt-rock band Days of the New,
Tantric began their resuscitated life in 1999 as C-14 (the
abbreviation for radiocarbon), but changed their name to Tantric upon
signing with Maverick Records.
Their first three albums - 2001’s Tantric, 2004’s After We Go, and
2008’s The End Begins, all made respectable showings on the rock
charts; meanwhile, the band itself went through a number of what
seemed like never-ending personnel changes.
Today, Ferreira - the only remaining member of Tantric’s original
lineup - is working with a quartet of more dedicated bandmates,
including Dramagods guitarist Joe Pessia, bassist Erik Leonhardt,
electric violinist Marcus Ratzenboeck, and former Fuel drummer Kevin
Miller. Stepping away from Maverick, they’ve signed with the Silent
Majority Group record label, and are still deciding what to do with an
in-between, shelved set of previously unreleased songs, Tantric III,
that was slated to be an album earlier on, before all of the band’s
member changes and label difficulties began.
But for now, the road is clear, and the tour bus ready to go, in spite
of all the previous difficulties. The band is currently planning a
European tour, and Ferreira has often said that they hope to return
overseas to play for the U.S. troops again, as well.
But first, the focus is on their current slate of dates, including
their upcoming show in Traverse City - during which the Kentucky band
will play plenty of old material as well as tunes from Mind Control -
so get ready to alt-rock.

Tantric will be performing at Ground Zero in Traverse City on Sept.
18, with opening acts Burn Halo and Adema. Tickets are $10.