Mind Control (Tantric album)
Encyclopedia
Mind Control is the fourth album by American post-grunge
band Tantric
and was released on August 4, 2009. It is the band's second album under Silent Majority Group
and was produced by Brett Hestla
, marking Tantric's departure from mainstay producer Toby Wright
. Mind Control retains the band's 2008 lineup with the exception of drummer Kevin Miller who was replaced by Richie Monica.
, Tantric announced that they were recording a new album entitled Mind Control. The band's fourth album would be produced by Brett Hestla
, former touring bassist for Creed
, and initially given a July 21 release date.
Singer Hugo Ferreira
noted that Mind Control was more collaborative than previous releases and called it "really, really heavy for Tantric, twice as heavy as the last record at least." However, as all Tantric band members live in different cities across the United States, Mind Control was written piecemeal. The band would send each other compositions via email for others to build on. In an interview with The Flint Journal, Hugo Ferreira discussed the album's production:
Ferreira also elaborated on performing for the US military
in Korea
and the meaning behind Mind Control and its title track:
Within a few months of sharing and developing songs separately, the bandmates had written nearly thirty songs. They finally reconvened for one week in a secluded studio in Poconos to perform the songs together and refine them. Bassist Erik Leonhardt explained how the album developed further with the band together:
With Mind Control having been released merely a year after Tantric's prior album, Ferreira justified the hastiness by explaining "We had the material written. We didn't want to be off the radar. We were off the radar from 2004-2008 and we didn't want people to have to wait for us. It's already not a very loyal business, so if you're not constantly at it you can be easily forgotten."
, being introduced to radio in August. After two weeks, it entered the Top 40 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart. The music video
for "Mind Control" was shot in Nashville with director Mason Dixon, who previously directed "Down and Out
." It debuted nationwide via MTV2
’s Unleashed on August 4.
Tantric's first tour for Mind Control was scheduled from August to September 2009 with guests Aranda
and Vayden.
meets Alice in Chains
with an E-Bow
. However, there is no E-BOW used on the album. Tantric has an actual violin player in the band. "
.
Post-grunge
Post-grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged in the mid-1990s as a derivative of grunge, using the sounds and aesthetic of grunge, but with a more commercially acceptable tone...
band Tantric
Tantric (band)
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...
and was released on August 4, 2009. It is the band's second album under Silent Majority Group
Silent Majority Group
Silent Majority Group is a record label founded in 2006 by artist manager Jeff Hanson that concentrates on finding up-and-coming rock bands such as Framing Hanley, as well as providing a home for established acts such as Candlebox and Tantric. The label also provides artist and producer management...
and was produced by Brett Hestla
Brett Hestla
Brett Hestla, is an American guitarist, bassist, vocalist and record producer.-Music career:In the late 1990s Hestla's band Virgos Merlot was signed to Atlantic Records. After their first release, Signs of a Vacant Soul, he became the touring bassist for Creed after the departure of Brian Marshall...
, marking Tantric's departure from mainstay producer Toby Wright
Toby Wright
Toby Wright is a record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with artists such as Alice in Chains, Metallica, Sevendust and Korn. He is currently in Nashville, Tennessee working on Kara Clark's latest Ep.-Producer:...
. Mind Control retains the band's 2008 lineup with the exception of drummer Kevin Miller who was replaced by Richie Monica.
Background and recording
On March 9, 2009 via MySpaceMySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, Tantric announced that they were recording a new album entitled Mind Control. The band's fourth album would be produced by Brett Hestla
Brett Hestla
Brett Hestla, is an American guitarist, bassist, vocalist and record producer.-Music career:In the late 1990s Hestla's band Virgos Merlot was signed to Atlantic Records. After their first release, Signs of a Vacant Soul, he became the touring bassist for Creed after the departure of Brian Marshall...
, former touring bassist for Creed
Creed (band)
Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an...
, and initially given a July 21 release date.
Singer Hugo Ferreira
Hugo Ferreira
Hugo Ferreira is a Portuguese-American African-born rock musician and singer-songwriter for the band Tantric.-Biography:...
noted that Mind Control was more collaborative than previous releases and called it "really, really heavy for Tantric, twice as heavy as the last record at least." However, as all Tantric band members live in different cities across the United States, Mind Control was written piecemeal. The band would send each other compositions via email for others to build on. In an interview with The Flint Journal, Hugo Ferreira discussed the album's production:
- "It was all like via e-mail. Basically Joe would send me a guitar riffRIFFThe Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
on the e-mail and I would dump it into my home studio and kind of slice it up and put it together, and maybe add a chorus. It was put together like a puzzle. But with the instrumentation, I think that the guys, in my mind, really stepped up to the plate and gave me a lot of great stuff to work with. I never really wrote a record like this. But, to me, I think it's the best one we've ever done. It was crazy because it was really effortless. It's great."
Ferreira also elaborated on performing for the US military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and the meaning behind Mind Control and its title track:
- "This record is a lot darker than anything we have ever done. Basically, I wrote the song about the media kind of controlling people's opinions and thoughts and stuff like that. Just from being on the side of the viewer of me watching television and seeing the news and flying out to Korea and talking with troops out there and getting their take on it and being completely different. That's what the song was about. The song, even musically, and with the video we already shot, it sets up the whole tone of the record. I thought it would be a cool name."
Within a few months of sharing and developing songs separately, the bandmates had written nearly thirty songs. They finally reconvened for one week in a secluded studio in Poconos to perform the songs together and refine them. Bassist Erik Leonhardt explained how the album developed further with the band together:
- "We had written the whole record over the computer, so a lot of it changed once we got into the studio. When you have everyone in the same room the ideas start changing. ‘What if we do this? What if we do that?’ We definitely went heavier on this record, too. I think it has a lot to do with having all new members. This is the new band, full on and writing together. We never said ‘let’s write a heavier record,’ this is just what happened."
With Mind Control having been released merely a year after Tantric's prior album, Ferreira justified the hastiness by explaining "We had the material written. We didn't want to be off the radar. We were off the radar from 2004-2008 and we didn't want people to have to wait for us. It's already not a very loyal business, so if you're not constantly at it you can be easily forgotten."
Touring and promotion
The album's title track served as its lead singleLead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, being introduced to radio in August. After two weeks, it entered the Top 40 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Mind Control" was shot in Nashville with director Mason Dixon, who previously directed "Down and Out
The End Begins
The End Begins is the third studio album from Louisville, KY-based band Tantric. It is the first one recorded without the band's original members Todd Whitener, Matt Taul, and Jesse Vest...
." It debuted nationwide via MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
’s Unleashed on August 4.
Tantric's first tour for Mind Control was scheduled from August to September 2009 with guests Aranda
Aranda
-Places and events:*Aranda de Duero, a Spanish town located in Burgos province, the site of the Council of Aranda*Aranda , see Comarcas of Aragon*Aranda, Australian Capital Territory, a Canberra suburb named after the Arrernte people...
and Vayden.
Critical reception
Mind Control gained largely positive feedback from critics. Michael Mueller of Guitar Edge gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars. Praising guitarist Joe Pessia's acoustic performances on "The Past is the Past" and "What are You Waiting for," he declared that one of the two "is almost certain to be a radio smash." Mueller also considered the song "Let's Start" "Rob ZombieRob Zombie
Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
meets Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
with an E-Bow
E-Bow
The EBow or ebow is a hand-held, battery-powered electronic device for playing the electric guitar, invented by Greg Heet in 1969...
. However, there is no E-BOW used on the album. Tantric has an actual violin player in the band. "
Track listing
All lyrics written by Hugo FerreiraHugo Ferreira
Hugo Ferreira is a Portuguese-American African-born rock musician and singer-songwriter for the band Tantric.-Biography:...
.
Personnel
- Hugo FerreiraHugo FerreiraHugo Ferreira is a Portuguese-American African-born rock musician and singer-songwriter for the band Tantric.-Biography:...
- lead vocals and keyboard - Joe Pessia - guitar
- Erik Leonhardt - bass and vocals
- Marcus Ratzenboeck - violin
- Richie Monica - drums