VEER is a hard rock band based in the historic and charming Maryland capital of Annapolis, but their dark and aggressive sound would suggest roots in nearby Baltimore instead. Formed in 2016, the band consists of brothers Ronald (vocals and guitar) and Jon (drums) Malfi, Ryan Fowler (lead guitar), and Christian Mathis (bass). They hit their stride in 2018 with the release of their debut album Apocalyptic, Baby, which quickly made the Amazon Top 100 Rock Albums list. That same year, they won a Maryland Music Award for Best Rock Band, then went on to win Best Rock Song for their 2017 debut single, “Come Clean,” by the World Songwriting Awards, an international organization that promotes and recognizes songwriting in various genres throughout 129 countries around the globe. Their riveting live performances have earned them a loyal following in the mid-Atlantic region, where they’ve had the pleasure of opening for such acts as Buckcherry, Sponge, Fuel, Puddle of Mudd, Trapt and 40 Below Summer.

This past December they released their latest single “Red Tide“, which will be included on their forthcoming album Soft Machines, due out later this year. The song has a moody grunge undercurrent that – to my ears at least – gives it somewhat of an early Pearl Jam or Soundgarden vibe. The instrumentals are all fantastic, starting with layers of fairly intense gnarly guitars over a fuzz-coated shimmery riff that serves as the basis for the song’s ominous melody. Christian lays down a throbbing bass line in perfect accompaniment with Ryan’s moody riff, while Jon fervently attacks his drum kit, pounding out the powerful rhythm with impeccable timing. Ryan’s blistering guitar solo in the bridge is quite good too.

Ronald told me that the song is about “the repetitive nature of human beings, continually making the same mistakes over and over—be it in society in general or our personal lives.” His raw, impassioned vocals convey a strong sense of exasperation as he bitterly wails the refrain “I’ve been here before“. I really like “Red Tide”, and think it’s VEER’s best song yet. Have a listen, and let me know what you think.

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Stream their music:  Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube