Rival Tides "My God Is Fire" Review

Los Angeles based 4 piece Rival Tides has seriously exceeded expectations with their first full-length album, "My God Is Fire." Formed in 2012, the band put out two EPs and has finally released a full album. Produced by Beau Burchell of Saosin, it's a recipe for something incredible.

First off, the singles "All My Friends Are Stoned" and "Vultures!" has truly created some incredible hype, especially with the incredible guitar solo in "Vultures!" While both sound different than anything they've put out before, you can hear the way this band has matured their sound in these two singles alone.

As for the rest of the album, personal favorites "Bread For Thieves" and "Sore Neck" are two incredibly new tracks, with incredible vocals and intense lyricism. Both are definitely on track to be crowd favorite. However, with songs like "Deeper Cut" and "Built You An Altar," you can see how they might fit into previous EPs, while also still sounding different. That's what makes this record so perfect for this band, this is their finished product nearly 7 years in the making.

What they have done with this album genuinely shows all that these four have learned since 2012. Adjusting and fine-tuning your own sound to find where you fit is an important step most bands only do too late. "My God Is Fire" is exciting and fresh, while not straying too far from who they are. Each song tells a different story with the same overall theme, which is to stay honest with yourself and keep your focus on your own life. When living in a city like Los Angeles, it's sometimes hard to not see yourself falling with the crowd. This band definitely fits in their own box, one that they made themselves.

Review by Sam Bass