Posted: April 20th, 2008
Contributed By: Nick

	Purchase @ Amazon.com Release Date: April 22, 2008 via Silent Majority/ILG
	Tantric is: Hugo Ferreira (Vocals) Joe Pessia (Guitar) Erik Leonhardt (Bass) Marcus Ratzenboeck (Violin) Kevin Miller (Drums)

Overview: When Mr. Days of the New Travis Meeks axed his then band-mates after a successful debut record, he was probably unaware that the departed trio already had a formidable future calling their names. Jesse Vest, Todd Whitener, and Matt Taul’s new weapon?-an esteemed vocalist named Hugo Ferreira, whose addition to the Days of the New throwaways birthed Tantric. It didn’t take long for labels to take notice of the new band, and Maverick Records took the band under its wing right before the ball dropped on 2000. The quintet teamed up with producer Toby Wright who produced the band’s self-titled debut which hit in 2001. Fueled by the breakout “Breakdown”, the album went on to reach platinum status. Tantric decided to buddy up once again with Toby Wright for their sophomore effort, with ‘After You Go‘ finding its way to stores in early 2004. The record failed to sell nearly as well as its predecessor, and Jesse Vest was the first to bolt the group in 2005. Maverick clung to Tantric until 2006 when it was the label’s turn to swing the axe. The band persisted and began laying down demos for a third opus, when in 2007, Todd Whitener very ceremoniously announced his departure from the group. Not long after, Matt Taul scrammed, leaving Ferreira to pick up the pieces. Not letting Tantric die, he found a new band, as well as a new label in Jeff Hanson’s Silent Majority Group. After several years of turbulent times, Hugo and company are ready to launch Tantric for a third time with ‘The End Begins‘. Listen for the album’s first single “Down and Out” currently impacting rock outlets.

The Good: ‘The End Begins‘ earns the stripes of its tongue-in-cheek title in act one scene one, as Tantric shows no signs of rust with “Regret”, a surprisingly darker side of the band that assures the listener the core of their music hasn’t faded and quickly gets you excited about the quintet’s return. I was skeptical when I saw Tantric had adopted a full-time violinist, but any qualms should be alleviated with the first single “Down and Out”, a brisk and flawless demonstration of violin courtesy of Marcus Ratzenboeck and one of many rabbits Tantric pulls out of their respective hat as ‘The End Begins‘ chugs along. Candlebox fans will bask in the glory of Kevin Martin’s cameo in “The One”, where his and Hugo’s pipes join forces with a fluttering piano embellishment to give the song a dualistic nature all its own. Tantric strip down for the organic and earthy “Love Song”, guided by one hell of a raw funky pattern to provide added versatility and allowing the song’s already lush chorus to stand further in the center of the stage where it belongs. “Wishing” is one of the most effervescent tunes on ‘The End Begins‘, as sweeping acoustic verses team up with the ever-so slight rumble of its choruses for a lesson in dynamic proficiency. The true ballad “Something More” is beautiful and poignant enough to stand alone and glisten under a disco ball, and is arguably one of Tantric’s finest hours; Lifehouse, take a note. ‘The End Begins‘ returns to push down on the gas pedal with the dashing and somewhat reckless abandon of “Lucky One”, a fun tirade that Tantric manages and tames with razor sharp precision. The title track, although gentle, is as robust as it is honest, while the scrappy and rugged “Monopoly” is smoothed out as each second ticks by, culminating in its placid, breathtaking bridge, the biggest curveball Tantric hurls on ‘The End Begins‘. The acoustic debutant of “Why Don’t You” takes hold of you and sucks you in, allowing you to experience the album’s most wholesome song. The unflinching shrewdness Tantric pumps into “Why Don’t You” arrives at its zenith during the bridge, where bongos and careful vocal work by Ferreria cap off another gold medal moment for the band. ‘The End Begins‘ begins its end with “Lay”, fittingly enough the song most reminiscent of Tantric’s previous albums, sending the album out with a firm and stern reminder of Tantric’s identity and longevity.

The Bad: ‘The End Begins‘ has very few flaws in its system, but it might be tough to harness that at first listen. This album takes a good bit of time to grow on you before you really absorb what Tantric accomplished with their third installment; I was only able to be just and fair in writing a review after almost twelve listens front to back, wearing out the songs as quickly as they were starting to take effect. The most disappointing part of ‘The End Begins‘ is the cold shoulder Tantric throws to the signature acoustic guitar roots of its previous two efforts, instead choosing to plug in and add a violin to siphon some of the electric guitar’s heat; ironically, the absence of acoustic guitar blueprints is what makes ‘The End Begins‘ tough to cozy up with in the first place. The biggest retardant to Tantric’s sound on ‘The End Begins‘ is the inability for the band’s heavier songs to really make their presence known; although, songs such as “Wishing” and “Monopoly” have some extra meat on their bones, their bite fails to pierce as many layers this time around in comparison to other “heavy” songs in Tantric’s catalogue.

Bottomline: ‘The End Begins‘ is a brand spankin’ new Tantric, and you will definitely hear a brand spankin’ new Tantric. While this might sound like a disclaimer, their latest is an extremely brave and studious leap forward for a band over the past few years that, on paper, seemed to be taking giant steps back. I am most surprised at just how well Tantric managed to adapt to present times with ‘The End Begins‘, as if the band were only tucked away for a few short months. However, if I had just one thing with which to praise Tantric for their work on ‘The End Begins‘ it would be their preparedness, like the band rigorously studied and did their homework before deciding ‘The End Begins‘ was ready to be heard and the group was ready to return. My advice-be patient with ‘The End Begins‘ and you will be rewarded for your diligence; just ask Tantric.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10