Sydney’s Red Sea is a band destined for the national spotlight.
While the group have only been together for a little over a year, their debut EP Battlescar sounds like one turned out by a musically matured and sonically refined act. It’s a rich mix of prog rock, metal and more melodic leanings, mixed by the three-time Grammy-nominated Rick Will and released under the group’s label, GuitarBaby.
The four-piece is currently embarking on their first national tour, supporting labelmates Dirty Wolves. Indeed, when she talks to the BRAG, frontwoman Erica Bowron is in a van en route to the Newcastle leg of the tour.
“We do have an interesting little mix – like Attila [Muhari], the bass player is a hardcore, heavy metal guy from way back,” Bowron says amiably. “Like as a bass player he’s a frontman in his own right. Pete [Kelly], the drummer is also a metalhead, but he has this kind of encyclopaedic knowledge of world music and has classical piano training. And then there’s Simon [Owen], who grew up on the Pixie. He caught AC/DC at a gig in a stadium in Ireland.
“Then you’ve got me, and I’ve been kind of a rock chick, but also I’ve actually got a music theatre background as well,” she continues. “So we’ve got this crazy range, but I think when we come together it’s certainly worked for us. It’s turned into this thing where the entity is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Behind the surging rhythms, ravaging riffs and powerful melodies on Battlescar, there is evidently a band firing on all cylinders. There’s an endearing freshness and a creative energy that can be heard in the five tracks, a passion mirrored in Bowren’s voice when she talks her way through the tracklist.
“’Lose Your Head’, like the big seven-minute-long one: that came together in about 20 minutes,” she says. “It was just crazy. That’s always a great feeling. Like you always kind of know that you’re not trying to force the universe to do something that it doesn’t want to do, I think, when that happens.
Overarching the entire release is Bowron’s immense vocal presence. Each track has an emotional weight that grips and ceases to let go. “For me a track like ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ is really personal,” says Bowron.
“It’s about addiction and, again, trying to work through that. I’ve had two family members take their own lives through addiction, but I think it’s something that absolutely everyone can relate to. You know, we’re all addicted to something, even if it’s bloody alcohol or sugar, or whatever.”
As far as the current tour is concerned, Red Sea have the makings of a riveting live act. Only adding to the excitement is the freshness of the new tracks and the newly-charted musical ground they represent.
“We love ‘Lose Your Head’ and ‘Caravan’ live,” says Bowron. “We hopefully want to get a moshpit going. We just can’t wait to play them for people. When you’re actually playing live and you’re connecting with crowds, it’s bloody brilliant. That’s what it’s all about really.”
Red Sea perform at The GuitarBaby showcase, withDirty Wolves, Simple Stone and James Davies, atSydney Opera House on Saturday September 18; andBattlescar out now through GuitarBaby.
