Whatever Happened To...#22: Red Sun Rising

 Red Sun Rising was an up-and-coming group that had a few trendy radio songs over the last 15 years or so. I was impressed by a bit of their set at Northern Invasion in WI a few summers ago. I didn't get to see them play again, and with their band members now split into other groups, I might not get the chance to hear them in concert again. 

The group began in 2006. Guitarist Ryan Williams and lead singer Mike Priotich were high school classmates and happened to strike up a conversation about music one day. A year later, Red Sun Rising was born and the band started playing concerts in and around Akron, OH. Second guitarist Tyler Valendza joined the group in 2011.

Red Sun Rising released a self-titled album in 2010 and a follow-up, Making of Kings, in 2011 independently. Self-issued EPs The Fix and Into Forever would follow in 2012 and 2013, respectively. They signed with Razor & Tie Records in 2014 and their first major label release, Polyester Zeal, debuted in August 2015. By then, Dave McGarry had replaced Valendza. Ricky Miller had also joined the group as a bass guitarist and Pat Gerasia was now the group's drummer. Songs such as "Amnesia," "The Otherside" and "Emotionless" were top ten radio hits that propelled them to the national rock forefront. 

A second major label effort, Thread, was released in 2018, along with an EP entitled Peel in 2019. In December 2020, Red Sun Rising announced that they would be taking an indefinite hiatus. Since then, Gerasia, McGarry, and Priotich launched a new group called The Violent. They are releasing new music under that moniker and touring on a somewhat regular basis. Williams is involved in his new band, New Monarch, which has also been recording songs. 

With the side projects taking off, it seems unlikely that Red Sun Rising will return to prominence any time soon. I wish all of the group members the very best, whether the band that started it all for them resumes or not. I'm thankful that I was along for the ride, at least for a little while anyway.

Well, that's all for this weekend. Next time, I'll discuss Slip Twister, a great local band that doesn't play very much anymore. Until then, have a very happy and safe holiday weekend!