Rock music should be built to last. Since its genesis, the genre has been all about longevity not a “flavor of the month” or a “flash in the pan.” Whether you go back to the seventies or nineties pillars, the goal was to create something that can be lived with for a lifetime. It still can be that way.
Akron, Ohio’s Red Sun Rising—Mike Protich [vocals/guitar], Ryan Williams [guitar], Tyler Valendza [guitar], Ricky Miller [bass/vocals], and Pat Gerasia [drums]. —proudly carry on that tradition with their full-length debut, Polyester Zeal [Razor & Tie].
“It’s not today’s rock, but it’s a new alternative,” declares singer and guitarist Mike Protich. “We want to uphold the foundation with subtle nuances of what’s familiar. It’s fresh because we’re telling our story through that framework.”
Sharing that story has been the goal since first breaking onto the scene in 2012. Akron is no stranger to rock ‘n’ roll, serving as home to everybody from Black Keys and Devo to Chrissie Hynde. That buzzing industrial landscape remains fertile ground for musicians to this day.
“A lot of people don’t realize that Akron’s a really cool, artsy community,” says Mike. “There’s great food, local beers, and culture. Because it’s somewhat off the national grid, there’s a real tightknit music scene. We spawned off of that. There are a lot of factories around and the grit seeps into the music too.”
The work ethic is another trait Red Sun Rising embrace. Through tireless gigging, they built up an impressive local fan base, soon attracting the attention of multiple labels. Razor & Tie rushed to Akron in the Fall of 2014 and signed the band following a sold out hometown show.
“I guess we played well that night,” chuckles Mike.
The band headed to Los Angeles shortly after to cut Polyester Zeal with celebrated producer Bob Marlette [Black Sabbath, Shinedown, Seether]. They managed to siphon the pure, potent, powerful guitar chemistry, towering vocals, and muscular rhythms into the record’s 11 tracks with all of the “grit” intact.