Band born in valley on brink of releasing first full CD

rick wait/special to viewMembers of the band This Romantic Tragedy, from left, Mark Neuhardt, Chad Dague, Kyle Huender, Sean Neumann, David Diaz and Evan Ellis, plan to release their first full-length CD, "Reborn," in March. The band, which was formed in 2007 in Las Vegas, hopes 2011 will be its year to break through into the national music scene. Advertisement

This Romantic Tragedy is looking forward to what 2011 will bring, namely, more tours and a new CD.

The band plans to release its first full-length CD titled "Reborn" on March 5 in a show at the Area 702 Indoor Skatepark & Skate Shop, 3040 Simmons St., Suite 104, in North Las Vegas along with Eyes Like Diamonds, And She Whispered and Blessed by a Burden.

This Romantic Tragedy was formed in 2007 by guitarists David Diaz and Kyle Huender, who are credited with writing most of the group's songs. The band also features Chad Dague and Sean Neumann on vocals, Evan Ellis on bass and Mark Neuhardt on drums.

The band's "electro-metal rock" songs revolve around conspiracy theories, deception, government corruption and social injustice. Its influences are from bands such as Blink 182, Tool and A Perfect Circle, with a touch of The Doors.

"We're not trying to be like other bands," said Diaz. "We're kind of like hippies, in a way. We're all about finding your true will and inner happiness."

The band recorded its first demo, "Atherlie," in 2007 at a studio in Boulder City. To cut costs and be able to spend more time creating the sound they wanted, they self-recorded their second demo, "Like Drama, Like Karma," in 2008 on a home computer.

"Trust In Fear" was recorded in 2009 with well-known producer Cory Spotts at BLUElight Audio Studio in Phoenix.

Songs placed on the Internet garnered tens of thousands of hits. That led to the band finding a manager, getting signed and setting up gigs on a nationwide tour.

The latest tour is scheduled to take the band to California, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Indiana, with a nationwide tour planned in the coming months in support of "Reborn."

Getting to that point included some bumps in the road.

The band's first tour was in 2009. The tight quarters of six guys traveling cross-country in a van led to arguments. Conflicts led to two members leaving the band and the lead singer being fired in the middle of the tour.

"It took nearly six months to find another singer," said Peter Huender, the band's publicist.

The singer they chose, Neumann, is the only member who doesn't reside in Southern Nevada. He lives in Royal Oak, Mich.

The band lost its manager, Stewart Teggart, who died of a heart attack in December 2009. The band credits Teggart with launching This Romantic Tragedy from having only an online presence to being signed to the independent label Tragic Hero and becoming a touring band.

This Romantic Tragedy still had more drama ahead.

While in Weehawken, N.J., this past fall to record songs, the band was put up in a house for a month. It sounded good until members arrived to learn that the house had no furniture and no heat. The guys made do by pulling out the van's bunk mattresses and burying themselves under blankets.

"It got pretty freezing," Dague said.

"After all the turmoil now behind them, the band really hopes to make up for lost time and expects 2011 will be their busiest and, hopefully, breakthrough year," Huender said.

Besides on the Internet and iTunes, the band can be heard on local radio shows, including 107.9 FM's Area 107 with Local Show Joe and KOMP 92.3 FM's The HomeGrown Show.

For more information on the band, visit thisromantictragedy.com.

Contact Summerlin and Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.