Metallers lose label, members, push on

He doesn’t sound bummed, even though he probably has a right to be.

“This band’s probably been through more tough times than good times so far,” says David Diaz, guitarist for equally melodic and caustic Vegas metallers This Romantic Tragedy.

He chuckles a little bit at the thought, seemingly more amused than annoyed by any setbacks.

In the past year, This Romantic Tragedy, a top local live draw, has split with its previous bassist and guitarist, parted ways with its label and undergone a management change. This after the group released its promising most recent disc “Reborn” last spring on Tragic Hero Records.

“It didn’t really get as much of a push as we wanted from the label,” Diaz says of “Reborn.” “We love the record; it just hasn’t reached the amount of people that we wanted it to.”

Still, the group is moving forward, recruiting new members and currently penning their next album, with a hometown show Friday at the Sanctuary.

“We’re going to just keep pushing it,” Diaz says. “It’s all we can do, really.”

If This Romantic Tragedy is currently undergoing a period of transition, so are some of their peers in the Vegas metal ranks – and for a similar reason. Recently, the California-based BlkHeart Group, a label and management company, folded, affecting not only This Romantic Tragedy, who were managed by BlkHeart, but also local heavy hitters Molotov Solution, who had a record deal with them, and Destruction of a Rose, who also worked with the group.

“We had to get stuff back in order with BlkHeart not being able to book stuff for us anymore,” says Destruction of a Rose guitarist/singer Nick Rose of how the demise of the company impacted his band. “We started doing everything ourselves.”

Like This Romantic Tragedy, the group underwent lineup changes, recruiting a new singer and bassist. The band recently self-released a bruising EP, “It’s Alive,” and is trying to make the most of their current free agent status.

“I love it,” Rose says. “We write what we want. We have no deadlines for anything, no one’s breathing down our necks. We feel like a weight has been lifted off our shoulders.”

The group plans on heading out on tour with Dallas’ Seeker in a few weeks and is also putting together their next full-length.

And so, while things may be changing significantly among some of Vegas’ most popular metal bands, plenty is remaining the same.

“We’re not ready to pack it in quite yet,” Rose says. “If we keep busting our butts, there’s no reason why we can’t keep doing what we love.”

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.