S.A.M. (Savage After Midnight)

Formed in 2009, Memphis, Tennessee quintet Savage After Midnight have shown endless amounts of persistence and grit after having been sidetracked by an obligatory name change, a studio fire, scrapped recordings from major producers, a crippling lawsuit they had nothing to do with and an 11th hour record label change.

Evidence of this mentality began long before 2014, when they started recording their passionate, multi-faceted debut, 11:59. Years of trial and error and even more years of being uprooted and returning to square one made Savage After Midnight a more professional band, improving their chemistry and allowing them to fine tune their presentation both live and in the studio. The band’s new five-song EP is an energized, emotional introduction to musicians that desperately want to make a mark, but only on their own terms. 11:59 is both aggressive and poppy, colored by galvanic hard rock passages, a contrast of screamed melodies and soaring hooks, and it’s augmented by electronic segments that give the band a modern edge.

“10 Feet Tall,” the first song the band wrote for the EP, is anthemic and energizing, building from a melodic verse, through a propulsive bridge and into an unforgettable chorus, then peaks and surges before segueing back into the refrain. “Unleash,” the opening cut on the EP, is more heavily treated with electronics, but still driven by a rock pulse, ebbing and flowing between melancholy vocals and contemptuous exhortations without losing its tuneful thrust.

The EP, which was co-produced and re-recorded by Shi Eubank (singer), Chris Brown, John Falls and engineer Alex Prato by their old label, was delayed and eventually the band purchased the rights to the album. Soon after, RED MUSIC expressed interest in releasing 11:59. Empire City signed a new deal and – after a minor complication that involved changing their name to Savage After Midnight (someone else already owned the rights to the Empire City moniker) they celebrated their new deal.

When it came time to make the final mix of songs for 11:59, Savage After Midnight had more than a dozen tracks prepared. That’s when Shi’s business acumen came into play. Instead of settling on releasing a full-length, he negotiated an arrangement to put out an EP called 11:59 and follow six months or so later with a second EP, 12:01.

Shi’s insistence on doing things his way goes along with Savage After Midnight’s overall aesthetic. “We don't give a shit whether everybody likes us or whether they hate us as long as we’re staying true to ourselves.We’re going to keep writing our songs and do what we do and if it works, cool, but have no intention of ever trying to fill anybody’s else’s idea of who we should be. After all this time, we’ve definitely learned who we are.”