TANTRUM

Tantrum are:
Mark Reid – vocals
Baz Fitzsimmons – guitars
Micah Snow – guitars
Chris Horne – bass
Mark Riches – drums

discography:
2016 Rough Cuts EP
2018 Melt It Down Full-length
2021 Apocalypse Single
2022 Worlds End EP
2022 Audition Tape (Mark Reid August 2021) Demo
2022 Sweatshop Santa Single
2023 Sands of Time Single
2023 Another Life Full-length
2023 Santa Time – Christmas EP 2023 EP
2024 The Darkest of Times Single
2024 Tornado of Souls Single
2024 W.A.I.L. Single
2024 No Place for the Damned Full-length

Tantrum is a Glasgow-based old-school metal band with a modern slant, combining classic guitar-driven riffs and driving rhythms with strong lyrical themes and solid vocal harmonies.
Formed by drummer Billy Angus in 2014, Tantrum released the ‘Rough Cuts‘ EP in 2016, with the debut album ‘Melt it Down‘ following in 2018.
Immediately prior to COVID hitting the UK, Tantrum parted company with vocalist Steven Swanson, using the lockdown period to search for a replacement.
After a 24-year absence from the music scene, current vocalist Mark Reid joined the ranks in September, 2021.
During the recording of what was slated to be the second album, guitarist Steve Waddell left to pursue a solo career and it was decided that the four completed tracks would be released an EP, entitled ‘Worlds End‘.
Some thirty-eight days and myriad applicants later, Tantrum welcomed Baz Fitzsimmons to the ranks alongside long-standing guitarist Stoo Condie.
Known for his work with Syth, Baz brought his own style of playing while still maintaining the tight, twin-guitar cannonade that Tantrum have become known for.
After the departure of bassist Ritchie Davison, the band asked temporary bassist Micah Snow—who Baz had played with in Farseer—to join the band on a full-time basis, and work soon began on the writing and recording of the second album.
With the recording of the album now complete, but still prior to its release, both Billy and Stoo decided that it was time for them to move on, with Billy retiring from playing and Stoo taking a well-earned sabbatical.
The band’s second album, ‘Another Life‘, was released on July 28th 2023 with the debut single, ‘Sands of Time‘ receiving excellent reviews and boasting more than 25,000 Spotify streams as of August 23rd.
Rather than begin the search for a guitarist to replace Stoo, it was clear that the best candidate for the position was already in the band—Micah.
A virtuoso guitarist at heart who had only taken up the mantle of bassist out of necessity, Micah didn’t take much persuading and so the hunt was now on for a drummer and bassist to complete the lineup for the next evolution of Tantrum.
In order to fill their bass-player-sized hole made by Micah’s jump to guitar, Tantrum once again opted to use a temporary bassist while they auditioned for the full-time replacement, this time turning to Chris Horne, a friend of Mark’s who had offered to swap his trusty guitar for a bass to help out.
As before, Chris took the decision to make this a permanent position, much to the delight of the others.
Rather than stagnate while looking for the perfect drummer, Tantrum took the decision to place vocalist Mark—already an experienced drummer on his solo projects and session for others—behind the kit to allow them to continue moving forward and record their traditional Christmas EP without any loss of momentum.
In early January 2024, Tantrum embarked on a search for the perfect drummer to complete the lineup for the next phase of their musical journey.
The auditions attracted numerous talented musicians, ultimately leading to the selection of Mark Riches as their new drummer.
Riches, renowned for his drumming prowess from his time with MacTallica, expressed his enthusiasm for joining Tantrum, stating,
“Having been recommended to audition for Tantrum by my longtime friend Tony McShane of MacTallica, I spent an evening listening to their latest album ‘Another Life’ and fell in love. It’s exactly what I was looking for musically.”
Tantrum are excited about the energy and expertise Mark Riches brings to the band and believes that his addition will further elevate their sound.
Recording for the third album is already underway, more than half of which was written during the mixing and mastering process of last year’s ‘Another Life‘.
The second evolution of Tantrum has begun.
In August 2024 TANTRUM released hard-hitting new single ‘W.A.I.L. (When All Is Lost)’.
This powerful track, taken from their upcoming album ‘No Place For The Damned‘, addresses the often overlooked issue of homelessness and society’s attitudes towards those living on the streets.
‘W.A.I.L.’ showcases TANTRUM’s signature blend of crushing riffs and thought-provoking lyrics.
The song delves into the struggle for compassion and understanding faced by those who have lost everything, challenging listeners to confront their own preconceptions about homelessness.
Vocalist Mark Reid, who penned both the music and lyrics for ‘W.A.I.L.‘, says:
“This song is a call for empathy. It’s about looking beyond the surface and recognising the humanity in everyone, regardless of their circumstances.”
The single is being released as a double A-side, paired with TANTRUM’s explosive cover of Iron Maiden’s classic ‘Aces High’ which is exclusive to the CD version of the single and won’t be available on streaming platforms.
‘W.A.I.L.‘ serves as a powerful preview of TANTRUM’s third album, ‘No Place For The Damned‘, which was released on August 30th, 2024.
Early reviews of ‘No Place For The Damned‘ have been overwhelmingly positive, with critics praising TANTRUM’s musical evolution.
These glowing critiques highlight the current lineup’s ability to push the envelope while maintaining the band’s core sound, showcasing TANTRUM’s growth while cementing their position as innovators in the modern metal scene.
Bassist and producer Chris Horne reflects on the band’s progression:
“We’ve really challenged ourselves with this album, and the response has been incredible. It feels like we’ve hit a new stride creatively, and that’s resonating with both critics and fans.”
TANTRUM continues to push boundaries with their evolved sound and songwriting prowess, cementing their place as one of the most exciting acts in modern metal.
‘W.A.I.L.‘ is sure to become a fan favourite and a staple of the band’s electrifying live shows.