Melodic alternative rock / post-hardcore with a pinch of late-90s nostalgia
Full-time Software Engineer by day, music producer by night… once the kids are asleep. Neil Thomas is a busy father of two, with a lifelong passion for music that has culminated in his latest project, CAUSTIC WAVES.
Taking influences from bands such as Incubus, Far, Deftones, Helmet and Finger Eleven, in many ways it’s a return to his formative teenage years in the late-90s / early-00s. Unlike his teenage self, Neil now has the musical experience and confidence to pull it off.
CAUSTIC WAVES was launched in March 2022 with the release of the debut single ‘REGENERATE’. Since then, there have been 3 more single releases – ‘INVISIBLE ENEMY’, ‘IDIOCRACY’ and ‘EVOLUTION’. These singles have received airplay on several stations including EGH Radio, ERB Radio and Amazing Radio. The music videos have been featured on the popular YouTube channels Spaceuntravel and BlankTV, helping the music to reach a wider audience. The songs have also been positively reviewed and featured in various music blogs, which helped establish a growing online following.
Although CAUSTIC WAVES is a new project, Neil has built up his musical experience over the last 20 years. After cutting his teeth as guitarist in alternative metal band KEITEL in the mid-2000s, Neil switched to bass and backing vocals as part of the harmony-driven power-pop band, THE CHINASKIS. With CAUSTIC WAVES, Neil takes elements from all of these genres… thick crunchy rhythm guitars, driving bass, and hook-laden lead vocals backed by layers of harmonies.
The new single ‘BARRIERS’ will be released on 7th October 2022. With an emotional vocal delivery and a strong chorus reminiscent of Biffy Clyro, it’s a 90s-tinged alternative rock song with a post-hardcore groove. The lyrics discuss a fractured relationship that needs healing – to break down the barriers and “reconnect the chains” between them.
The singles released so far are all taken from the forthcoming 6-track debut album. Recording began in April 2020, and over an 18 month period, Neil produced, engineered and mixed the songs at his home studio in Glasgow, Scotland. Once the record was mixed, it was given a final polish by mastering engineer Andrea Gobbi at Carrier Waves Mastering.
