Tiles

TILES is a progressive hard rock band from Detroit, Michigan featuring Mark Evans (drums), Chris Herin (guitar), Paul Rarick (vocals), and Jeff Whittle (bass). The band formed in 1993 and is signed to InsideOut Music/SPV in North America and Europe. Over the years TILES has developed a style that blends the adventure of progressive rock with an aggressive hard rock edge. Along with lyrics that reflect upon the “human condition,” TILES continues to cultivate a sound that rewards the attentive music enthusiast. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull calls TILES "…maturing well-formed music-makers for the new age of inventive guitar-based rock” and “Fly Paper” as “Tiles’ best CD yet! Sharp, precise vocals tell tales and set scenes - thundering drums and bass lines connect weaving melodies: strong stuff from a band who must soon find long-deserved success."
Released in January 2008, “Fly Paper” is the fifth and most recent recording from TILES. Noted producer Terry Brown (Rush, Fates Warning, Cutting Crew, Alannah Myles...) has fashioned a polished-yet-tangible sonic experience that instantly engages the listener. “Fly Paper” finds TILES embracing a renewed sense of collaboration to craft an immediate collection of songs featuring the intricacies of progressive rock blended with deep rhythmic grooves and dense arrangements.
Artist Hugh Syme has rendered “Fly Paper’s” overall theme of human vulnerability with a simple-yet-disquieting paper airplane floating over a cityscape – representing an obvious sense of threat while maintaining the whimsical notion that the plane is only paper. “Fly Paper” features an impressive roster of special guests including Alannah Myles on vocals, Kim Mitchell (Max Webster) and Alex Lifeson (Rush) on guitar; Hugh Syme ..boards; Matthew Parmenter (Discipline) keyboards and vocals; and Sonya Mastick on percussion.
TILES released their fourth CD “Window Dressing” in the summer of 2004. Produced, engineered and mixed by Terry Brown, “Window Dressing” received high marks worldwide for its experimental blend of epic song cycles and dark garage rock aesthetics – and was nominated for a 2005 Detroit Music Award. The CD features the design and artwork of award winning artist Hugh Syme and was issued with a bonus “live bootleg” CD from the band’s 1999 European tour with Dream Theater.
TILES’ third CD, "Presents of Mind," was released worldwide in the summer of 1999. Bolstered by positive reviews, airplay and strong word-of-mouth, "Presents of Mind" solidified the band’s place in the consciousness of the progressive underground and generated an invitation from Dream Theater to open their November 1999 European tour. Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy offered his endorsement: ‘I love this CD! The entire disc is full of great musicianship and great songwriting with catchy hooks.’
TILES followed their debut with "Fence the Clear" in 1997, which saw the band bringing in noted producer Terry Brown during the final mixing stage. The disc was again well-received by fans and reviews were positive with "Fence the Clear" scoring 94/100 in Aardschok (Holland); 5/6 in SCREAM (Norway); earning HM Magazine's "Pick of the Litter" award (US); and culminating with the Detroit Free Press naming TILES "Detroit's leading progressive rock band."
TILES first reached the international music scene in the summer of 1995 when Polydor released "tiles" throughout Europe on their Dream Circle label. Sales were strong with the help of excellent reviews from Aardschok (91/100), SCREAM (6/6) and Rock Hard (Germany) (8/10) among others. Teichiku Records revised the artwork and released the disc in Japan with BURRN! Magazine rating "tiles" an 88/100 and saying "...(tiles is) a wonderful album with a very high level of technique and a great melodic sense." The CD entered the BURRN! chart at 47. The first three TILES CDs have been re-mastered with bonus tracks and expanded packaging and reissued as Special Editions in 2004.