Fresh Talent: Redline

"It has some tracks that were written shortly after the band first started back in 2003. It's pretty much a time capsule of where we've been musically so far. The band's sound continues to evolve and no doubt the next record will be even more interesting and varied than this one."

Distorted guitars (courtesy of Craig Broadbridge), loud drums (Richard Yong) and heavy bass (Nick Gregory) are the high revving engine for Redline's distinctive rock metal exhaust noise. Chris Yong is still best known as (one of) Tadpole's former guitarist, but here in his own band takes vocalist and driving duties. None have had any formal music study he says, they are just passionate about music and their instruments and have picked things up along the way.

"We're not a full-blown metal band but we're too heavy to be a straight rock band. We like writing music that has energy, melody, and big grooves!"

When Chris split from Tadpole his brother Richard was over in the UK but came back to Auckland to officially form the band six months later. They've opened for Evanescence and Disturbed and played tour support for some top locals like Blindspott and The Bleeders, learning that they are just as comfortable playing on the big stages as the regular ones. Filming their first music video for Time After Time (a Best Independent Video nominee at the 2005 Juice TV Music Awards) rates as the first major achievement for the band.

"The amount of effort and planning it took to pull it off was immense but it was made all the more worthwhile when we did a video release show in Auckland and sold it out."

Now in 2008 they have a 7-track, self-funded and self-released mini album to promote. Recorded at York St and The Lab, Paul Matthews (Blindspott, Stylus, Opshop, Take The Willing) produced it, with Chris co-producing parts. Kenny MacDonald (credits with Texas and The Proclaimers) mixed it at The Macs Room in Auckland. "We were unsure initially, given the artists he's worked with prior, how it would sound. Safe to say, we think he did an absolutely amazing job on this record! Pelle Henricsson, who was involved with producing Blindspott's second record and Take The Willing's latest, handled the mastering in Sweden."

Redline have also got a few connections in the UK and are looking at relocating there towards the end of this year, all going according to plan.