TIDAL WAVE
"Volume Tree" (Ripple Music;
2026)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Tidal Wave's awesome "Volume Tree" reminds me a whole hell of lot of Ronnie James Dio era Black Sabbath but not in a photocopy sort of way. The sound is close enough that the mighty guitar chords, the epic vocals and the jackhammering rhythm section has the flavor of something you might expect on "Mob Rules," but the music still manages to maintain a personality of its own.
Tracks like the lumbering "The Orb" and "Earth" crush through the space between your ears like a T-Rex stomping a Jeep flat, while other tracks (mostly toward the latter part of the album) like "Sideburns" and the galloping "Manuscript 512" turn up the heat a bit, daring you not to put horns in the air and bang your head like the old days.
Multiple listen-throughs to this album only accentuate the tracks, their haunting melodies searing themselves into you brain.
I don't know what I expected from Tidal Wave and "Volume Tree," but the (mostly) hard rock sound wormed itself into my brain quickly enough. The only exception was the closing song, "Skitliv," (which apparently translates to "shitty life" in Swedish), takes a step away from the previous tracks and has a different sound and vibe than the rest of the album. Not a bad song, mind you, just ... different.
For more information, check out https://tidalwaveswe.bandcamp.com/.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
| Our writers choose
which products we review on RoughEdge.com, and we may earn an affiliate commission when you buy something through our website. Thanks, by the way! |
Copyright © 2026 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
