An Interview with Sparrows Eat Crows

An album release from Sparrows Eat Crows delivers a massive record that runs the gamut of heavy rock and all its influences, wasting very little time getting you pulled in and delivering heavy tones, riffs, and multiple vocal approaches that let this album come through bursting at the seams with character and a unique edginess.

Red Tide Rising starts off with a track that really hits hard called "Falling Knives". You automatically get hooked by the riff and even just the grittiness of the distortion and guitar tone as a whole, but this track has an amazing energy to it and reminds me of bands like Deftones where you have this ultra-heavy tonality, but it isn't metal exactly.

The track borders on alternative rock, metal, grunge, and more, all with this dark edginess in its underbelly, and I love how this track works so well as an introduction to the album, simply because you are getting some staples that you will hear throughout the rest of the record.

The grunge elements come from songs like "Dumptruck" with a huge and almost thrashing feel, open chords, and this forward-moving flow and progression that lets everything focus more on the vocals for times.

This is very cinematic to me. It's got that full body and super Lush soundscape, and the songs are insanely memorable and just incredibly sonically driving.

That guitar tone is just ferocious throughout this whole thing, and I love how they bring in a slew of different influences as the record unfolds.

The drumming on this record is absolutely stellar. It's alive. But it also has an element of looseness that lets the songs feel like they're alive and breathing.

I feel like the drumming is a huge part of the driving force that pushes these songs through the roof in terms of getting to that next level energy and flow.

That late 90s and early 2000s underground alternative rock and grunge sound is nailed throughout this entire record and it comes through like a sucker punch to the gut.

One of the things that really hits me hard about this release is the energy level throughout its course. It's almost like a lot of these songs were recorded live on the floor to an extent, so that everyone involved could be there, in the moment, feeding off of each other's energies the entire time.

Now, I wasn't there, so I'm not sure how they did it, but even if I'm wrong about the whole live on the floor aspect, listening to this record makes you want to go see them perform it live in your face.

If they can capture this kind of energy and aesthetic on record so well, then seeing them perform it live would be awesome.

They definitely portray that element of face-melting sonic presence that lets you know that seeing a live show will just be everything you'd expect.

The vocals are important here because there are different kinds of approaches. There is screaming that is almost reminiscent of death metal in a sense, but not over the top. There's a lot of melodic singing, and that's done with a lot of output. They're belting, and a lot of times they have these great effects like chorus or reverb that have a bit of depth to the songs, and that brings me back to some of that cinematic soundscape that this gives me at times.

There is a little bit of vastness in the undertone of this record, but it still hits super hard.

There are just layers to the songs. Layers of texture, melody, emotion at times, and tonality.

There are more than a few surprises around its corners, and if you're someone who grew up listening to super heavy rock in the late 90s or early 2000s, this is going to grab you right up.

There's an aesthetic to this record that really holds true, and these guys are amazing at feeding into those influences that let them become who they are today.

Everything about this record gave me little bouts of nostalgia, and it was so refreshing to hear a band pull this off so seamlessly and with such gusto.

This is also a record you want to listen to all the way through. Listening to one or two tracks may give you an idea of some of the Staples that you can hear throughout the record, as I mentioned earlier, but it will not give you the full spectrum of what the album has to offer as a whole.

This is a great experience and escape if listened to from start to finish.

I certainly feel like that's how it was meant to be heard.

With the release of such a massive and heavy-handed album, we wanted to have a chat with Sparrows Eat Crows to find out where this all came from and what might be coming up next for the band.

Here's what went down.

Buzz Slayers: Let's talk about Red Tide Rising! This is a massive album  with vast and anthemic alt-rock feel and plenty of heaviness! Where did this album come from?  

The album is a relentless collection of killer tracks—some old, some new—that we've honed over the years leading up to its release. With the addition of our bassist/producer, we meticulously sharpened every song to ensure they carried the massive Sparrows sound and our own unmistakable voice.

The album’s theme is best captured in the title track, Red Tide Rising—a rallying cry to stand up and fight for what you love and believe in. It embodies everything we are as a band, delivering our signature brutal sound in its purest, most unapologetic form. 

Buzz Slayers: I'm hearing a few different approaches to this record! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

For me, it’s always been bands like Alice in Chains, Deftones, Helmet, Silverchair, and Nine Inch Nails—though every day I discover new music that sparks inspiration. Our bassist is a huge Tool fan, and our drummer at the time was deep into Mudvayne, so the album’s sound is a fusion of all these influences, shaped by our collective love of big riffs and massive grooves. 

Buzz Slayers: Did you record this at a home setup, or at a big studio?

Sparrows Eat Crows has always been a self-contained creative unit, handling every aspect of the creative process ourselves. But for this album, we recorded the drums at ES Audio Recording Studios in LA—which was an incredible experience. Everything else was tracked either here at Sparrows HQ or at our bassist’s home.

Our bass player Ben also did a killer job producing and mixing the whole album. We got it mastered at Whitecloud Audio, where Harrison did a stellar job.

Buzz Slayers: Do you guys write songs together, or are there a few main songwriters that bring ideas back to the rest?

For this album, I brought the raw skeletons of the songs to the band, and from there, everyone took ownership of their parts. Working closely with our bassist—who stepped into his producer role—the songs evolved and transformed, taking on new life until they became the tracks that now live on the album.

Now that this album is out, and with the new band lineup, we write songs together. They may start as an idea from me or Ben, but each member adds their creative stamp, shaping it into a Sparrows song. 

Buzz Slayers: How did this all start for you as a band?

Sparrows Eat Crows began in New Zealand as a group of musicians jamming in a room with some beers, simply fueled by a love for heavy music and fat riffs. After a few lineup changes and more than a decade of settling in the States, it has finally grown into what I always envisioned it to be.

This album carries pieces of that journey—moments from different eras that have now been fully realized and released as they were always meant to be.

Buzz Slayers: Are you performing live right now? 

Yes! We dropped our album late last year at the Viper Room in Hollywood and played a few other awesome shows. Now that our new beast of a drummer Omar is fully settled in, we've written an entire album’s worth of new songs—and we’re ready to destroy the stage and bring the new music out into the world.

Buzz Slayers: Now that this is out, what's next for you as a band?

Red Tide Rising was our calling card to the world—a statement of who we are and what we do. Moving forward, our next steps are clear: get the new album recorded and take it to the stage, bringing Sparrows Eat Crows’ music and art to an even wider audience. 

Buzz Slayers: Who's in all your headphones right now?

I have a huge variety of musical interests. One moment, I might be listening to Norma Jean, Bleed From Within, Architects, or Sunk Loto, and the next, I’m immersed in cinematic scores and soundtracks—everything in between. There’s so much incredible music out there to be inspired by."

Buzz Slayers: What would you tell people they can expect on this release?

If someone’s into big, fat, chunky riffs,  Ball swinging groove-heavy rhythms, and haunting melodies with a touch of 2000s nostalgia, then Red Tide Rising is definitely worth a listen. 

Buzz Slayers: Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music? 

"A huge thank you to our fans—past, present, and future—for supporting our music and art. You make all of this possible, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Strap in and join us for this wild ride, because we’re only just getting started!" 

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