POST-GRADUATE WORK: The band started in 2013 when the members moved back to Cleveland from college and began writing songs together. "We started writing things really quickly and put out a CD quickly after forming," says Milstein. "Matt Bryson is one of my best friends, and we've been writing music together for a long time. Matt [Devonshire] and Vince [Gillman] added their own twist to it and added value to what we were writing."
A SERIES OF EPS: In 2015, the band released its debut, Oceanus, which it cut locally with producer Steve Perrino. "Steve was great to work with and we've met a lot of people through him," says Milstein. "He helped us build a cool network. He's a good guitarist and a terrific engineer." The band followed Oceanus with another EP, last year's Vulcan. For its new EP, Atlas, the group recruited locally based Jim Wirt (Incubus, Hoobastank and Live). Milstein says Wirt has worked with some of his favorite acts, and he and his bandmates tried to "pick his brain" about producing some of those acts.
WHY YOU SHOULD HEAR THEM: "Control by Fire," the opening track on Atlas, features snarling guitars and vocals that regularly escalate into hoarse screams. Incubus-like tunes such as "Parts of Me" and "Say Goodbye" include intricate guitar work that suggests the band's high level of musicianship. "Our first EP had more metal-oriented stuff, and when we sat down to work on our second CD, we had more of a radio friendly sound. With the new EP, we wanted to split the difference and capture the heavier metal sound as well as catchy chord progressions." Milstein says the band's next goal is to cut a full-length, and it might remaster some of the old songs in the process. The band has been writing new material too and Milstein says it continues to blend metal and rock. "We've played with a lot of metal bands in Cleveland and a lot of rock bands," he says. "We don't want to be pigeonholed in one style and have a bigger audience as a result." For the CD release show at the Foundry, the band will play with several up-and-coming local acts who also have new albums in the works.
WHERE YOU CAN HEAR THEM: titansintime.com.
WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM: Titans in Time performs with Hope for the Hollow, Entendre, Keys & Corridors and the Shadow Division at 7 p.m. on March 11 at the Foundry in Lakewood.
