Hailing from Asbury Park, NJ, the Cold Seas is primarily the brainchild of guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter, Chad Sabo, who started out solo, posting his folky demos to Facebook and SoundCloud. Through a friend, his music caught the attention of Roc Nation, which in 2014 signed him to a publishing deal and immediately picked up one of his songs, “Never Ending,” for Rihanna to record on her album Anti. Sabo also produced the recording. He then set about putting together a band, recruiting players he had met through the local gig circuit: guitarist Erik Rudic, bassist Matt Castoral, and drummer Nash Breen.
Christening themselves the Cold Seas, the quartet played their first show at Asbury Park’s Wonderbar in December 2014. They released their debut EP, Afterglow, the following year — three tracks of spacy, somewhat psychedelic indie rock with a vaguely retro feel. They toured with fellow Jerseyites, Armor for Sleep, and early in 2017 released their debut single, “Catacombs,” revealing a more synthetic, synth-heavy direction.
The Cold Seas are an alternative/dark pop/rock band. As mentioned above, the band formed in late 2014 shortly after moving to New Jersey’s historic shore town, Asbury Park. Since then, they have toured with fellow NJ rock group, Armor for Sleep and played alongside Deadmau5 and D.R.A.M. at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, NY. The Cold Seas’ recently released their self-recorded and self-produced second EP, Bad Dreams, a follow up to the band’s 2015 release, Afterglow.
Their EP opens with “Bad Dreams.” Drum programming leads the way as bass and synthesizers pump into the mainstream of the song’s vision. Synths take over in the verses as Chad croons his way into the listener’s heart. This is a band that utilizes technology to get their musical point across in conjunction with the analog attack. Sabo has excellent insight into songwriting and songwriting attack. As he goes throughout his songwriting, I love the compositional expertise when it comes to the working style. Pieces line up correctly as they meld into each other and move along their pathway. Verses make way for bridges that usher in catchy choruses that last for days.
“Feed Your Headmaster” is up next. This is pure unadulterated dance/ trance/rock music. Sabo and crew concoct a large bevy of joyous noise with this piece. Synthesizers meld with guitars, bass, drums and more as the band delivers a massive sound for the masses. A bit more techno for my taste, “Feed Your Headmaster” still encompasses many fascinating nuances. Verses scream into vicarious bridges and catchy choruses, bringing the listener into a bevy of incredible musical sounds and passages that aren’t usually found in popular music.
“Half Awake” is up next. Blending techno and pop/rock influences, Sabo and crew mix techno and rock ‘n’ roll styles to come up with a bodacious rock-and-roll tune. Combining synthes, drums bass, and guitars, the band mixes sounds with compositional songwriting sense to come up with another super memorable song.
“Lucid” is up next and comes off in the more punk/pop sensibility that Sabo is known for. Vocals are smooth and powerful as drums. Bass, synths, and guitars chug and grind behind Sabo. Compositionally speaking, “Lucid’ is a winner. Verses move into bridges and choruses are memorable for weeks. The song has a solid rhythm all its own and the power of the rhythm section is above all.
The Cold Seas are working on the full-length record as of this writing which should be released sometime in 2018. The band is taking a break from playing but will be at the Saint on Jan. 5, 2018. For more information on the Cold Seas head over to thecoldseas.com to get the latest updates.
Shorefire Recording Studio and Sound Spa Two-day Workshop Experience
Shorefire Recording Studio owner “Joey DeMaio” (Monster Magnet, Bon Jovi, Tyketto, Skid Row, Overkill) and Sound Spa Production’s “Stevie D DeAcutis” (Vanilla Fudge, Carmine and Vinny Appice, Corey Glover, Pat Travers), are teaming up and putting together a compelling workshop opportunity for anyone interested in an up-close view into 40 plus years of substantial format console recording and mixing experience.
The workshop will include two full-day recording sessions.
Day one will be spent at Shorefire Recording Studio’s, one of NJ’s oldest and most respected studios with DeMaio at the helm, tracking a live band from the drum setup to the final vocal take. You will witness DeMaio’s mic selection, preamp choices and the proper use of HW compression at the tracking stage all while using the industry’s most iconic and revered microphones, preamps, compressors, and equalizers including a very rare vintage Hellos recording console.
Day two will be spent at Sound Spa Production’s with Stevie D mixing the session on a fully loaded Rupert Neve 5088 combined with an abundance of outboard gear modern and vintage combined with the power of contemporary day ITB plugins. DeMaio and DeAcutis offer a 360-degree look at how to capture the emotion of a live performance. Learn the inner workings of a recording session and the keys to success and longevity in the studio industry; the workshops will also include extensive Q&A.
The first tracking and mixing workshops are scheduled for the weekend of Jan. 20 and 21, 2018, seating is limiting to five so reserve your spot now!
Please contact Stevie D at 732-549-9055 sdd17aol.com or Joey D at 732-870-1918 shorefirestudios@aol.com.
