Sonar Lights

Most of all, I love Sonar Lights for claiming “Fort Worth” instead of “Dallas,” which is unusual for bands of this hard-rocking, metallic stripe. I guess when reaching for the stars, bands think movers and shakers will notice “Dallas” way more easily than “Fort Worth” on promo sheets. And for another reason, cock rock is unnecessarily maligned. Sure, it’s associated with tough white guys, but that musicianship has to count for something. Right?

Sonar Lights does cock rock one better by standing for something. Good. Percolating beneath original audio of George Orwell reading his famous quote about dictatorships, the trio’s thundering, Tool-esque riffage and rhythms conjure a hellscape, maybe/possibly one where the religiously righteous “law and order” contingent has assumed total control. The black-and-white art accompanying “Brink of Failure” by Basilisk Studios is of several silhouetted figures in front videoing Lady Liberty as she is consumed by smoke. - Anthony Mariani, Fort Worth Weekly

By Linda Blackwell Simmons - July 10, 2019

George Miadis is the songwriter and frontman of Sonar Lights, a Fort Worth-based hard rock group whose powerhouse stage presence carries the audience from a simmer to a boil with explosive force. The band recently returned from the Midwest, where they wrapped up the final leg of their latest tour. Currently, the trio, including Ian Frazier on drums and percussion and Darren Wise on bass, is working on its third album, At the Edge of the World. The band recently released the first single from the upcoming LP, and they plan on dropping a new tune every couple of months until the album comes out in the winter.

Miadis’ love of music came early. Born in Boston, he grew up in Athens, Greece (his parents’ homeland). Early on, he learned to play the guitar while also mastering other instruments such as the bouzouki, oud, and cumbus. At age 12, he enrolled in the National Conservatory in Athens for classical guitar and music theory. While Miadis was still a teenager, his guitar teacher invited him to join his Latin-style musical ensemble as a rhythm guitarist. The teenage prodigy began to open for a number of Greek bands, expanding his name recognition at a young age. Later, Miadis moved to Belgium, where he studied classical guitar and jazz drums at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, performing in venues across Belgium, France, Germany, and Holland.

In 2006, Miadis made the move to Dallas to study sound engineering at the Mediatech Institute. Recording musicians made finding bandmates easy. Miadis soon met Roy Oteo, a drummer who had trained with a marching band, and, along with Daniel Schmuck and Artel Vincent, formed an early version of Sonar Lights in 2011. The group released its debut album, Here We Are, in 2012. The second, Babelonia, dropped in 2017.

Mediatech is also where Miadis met Tim Kimsey, a Grammy-winning sound engineer. Kimsey was so impressed with Sonar Lights, he agreed to produce Babelonia. The album received national and international attention, including garnering airplay on stations in Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, and South Africa.

The group later narrowed to a power trio with new members on bass and drums. Wise came on board in 2016 after seeing Sonar Lights perform in Denton, just at a time when the previous bass player was leaving. Frazier met the group in 2015 while performing with another band and became Sonar’s third drummer.

The group’s style is high-density hard rock, with electrifying resonance and pristine vocal harmonies. Their main influences hark back to early heavy metal/rock pioneers like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin combined with late-’70s/early-’80s prog-rock. Their dynamic tempo shifts are punctuated by lush guitar tones – rhythmic textures intertwine with melodic lead lines and often Middle-Eastern/Asian-tinged vocals.

The first single from their upcoming album was picked up by 25 (and counting) worldwide radio stations. The release is the band’s interpretation of “The Four Horsemen” by Aphrodite’s Child, a Greek prog band that peaked in the ’70s. The vocalist of Aphrodite’s Child was Demis Roussos, Miadis’ mentor in his early years of singing. When Roussos passed away in 2015, Miadis decided to perform a tribute to him. “The Four Horsemen,” with its mystical lyrics and complex chords, builds from a mild tempo to a magnetic cadence.

“With the singles, we focus on one song for a couple of months,” Miadis said. “This brings more creative ideas and more careful production and overall quality. Plus, disc jockeys tend to play the song more frequently when they know the next single is coming out soon.”

Over the years, Sonar Lights has shared the stage with rock luminaries such as The B-52s, Candlebox, Cowboy Mouth, Los Lonely Boys, Mutemath, Rigor Mortis, The Toadies, and Wishbone Ash. The band has also earned working sponsorships with major music manufacturers such as PRS Guitars and Bogner Amplification.

“One of the highlights of our band’s time together is the experience of touring in China and performing at both the 2013 and 2014 Midi Festival, China’s largest music festival,” Miadis said.

When not on the road, Miadis gigs as a recording engineer and producer for other artists. He also frequently plays solo gigs, performing originals and covers. He recently mesmerized the crowd at a TCU-area house party with covers of John Lennon and others. This year marks his 10th as a Fort Worth resident.

“I moved here from Dallas because I think Fort Worth has a cooler music scene,” he said. - Fort Worth Weekly

Hailing from Texas, Sonar Lights is a rock trio with a lineup of powerful musicians: George Miadis, Vocals and Guitar; Darren Wise on Bass; and Doug McKenna, Drums. The band is on the rise in both the national and international music arena. In China, they made a splash at the Enter the Snake tour and played to huge crowds at China’s largest rock festival, the Midi Festival and again during their Year of the Horse tour. Their new anticipate CD, 'Babelonia' was release this month and it doesn't disappoint!

The first tack is "Wake Up" and it does what it promises - it wakes you up with a sound that is huge. This head-banging, monster rock song is what good rock is all about. The intro is all instrumental at a little over a minute setting up the stage with a melodic guitar and bass riffs, held together by hard-hitting drums, that set up a pattern throughout the song. It grinds, grooves, and pulses through your body. George Miadis enter in with vocals that lay above the thick track with ease, "You buy, comply. To fit into this void that takes your life." About four minutes into the track the band breaks into an instrumental jam with guitar and bass, in conversion, echoing each other's motifs, and giving all they've got. "Wake Up" is about the virtual world's ego and how that ego sucks you into it's void.

"Through the Eyes of a Son" is up next with a slightly more mellow introduction, a nice guitar pattern that plays a theme which is repeated throughout the song. With "Through the Eyes of a Son" the band proves their versatility using elements of nursery rhyme - "Hush now pretty baby don’t you cry. Momma's gonna love ya and dad will try." This melodic rock song has a strong, catchy chorus, "I wanna see the world through your eyes. Figure a way out. I wanna find out if there is a choice. I wanna see this life through your eyes. Keep me moving on." Hints of hope are offered, "There’s nothing that can’t be undone." The ending is haunting as single notes are played out.

The third track, "Take the Money and Run," showcases Doug McKenna's percussive chops with an impressive drum solo, almost a minute in length, that will blast you out of the room by the time it's finished. Enter in a thick and nicely distorted guitar and the foundation is set. "You better run. You better hide. "Cause I'm back in town." This is a song about forgetting the rules and Sonar Lights knows all about forgetting the rules; they push the boundaries in every song, offering up more sound than three people possibly can with sections that don't stick to convention, but jam out instead.
"Take the Money and Run" is followed by "Rock is Dead." The lyrics talk about losing your soul to the shiny bubble, to material worship. You say that “change is copy what’s on the radio”You must be joking when youTurn around, smile and tell me:“Rock is dead.” Miadis delivers an emotive and passionate performance, almost a plea for an end to humanity's mediocrity. As in all the tracks, Darren Wise owns the bass.

Mid-way through the CD, is "Interlude," an instrumental track that will grab you with it's intensity and beautiful violin-like phrases. Placed perfectly on the album, "Interlude" provides a moment to reflect. "Out of Time Out of Mind" gets back to business with a hard-rocking song about love and struggle. "You took my heart, you want my soul now." The chorus is strong and the guitar solo wails. Following is "Don't You Fade Way" which opens with a progressive guitar lick and a mellow vocal, "Close your eyes, imagine you can fly." The song's message is, "Make a stand, or else our hopes will die in fear."

The last track, and my favorite on the album, is "Reset." "Reset" starts with a melodic and muted chordal intro that softly pulses under the first verse. Miadis sings, "I had a dream last night. That I had an eagle's eyes. Watching for broken souls. In the circus of this world." It's very moving. In the last verse he answers with, "I had a dream last night that there was no hope in sight. Debt was too high to pay. No matter how hard we tried…" The chorus is phenomenal, sung with passion above the mix; Miadis is engaging and inviting and the melody is highly memorable. "If only we could reset the whole game.

Can we reset the whole game? I can't answer this question, but I can say that bands like "Sonar Lights" are paving the way - musically, lyrically, and politically - with songs that urge us to not only open our ears, but open our minds, to play outside the rules and to "Wake Up" which is exactly what is called for in our times. Sonar Lights, 'Babelonia,' can be purchases on iTunes. To learn more about the band, visit their website. - Noteworthy Music Reviews

'Sonar Lights is a rock group with a huge sound from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Featuring only 3 members, George Miadis, vocal and guitars, Darren Wis, bass, and Doug McKenna, drums, Sonar Lights knows how to take their musicianship to a powerful level. Sonar Lights has a heavy, rocking sound mixed with influences from the late 70's-early 80's progressive rock, which is delivered through powerful vocal melodies and fearless musicianship. Sonar Lights has hit high marks internationally with China's Enter The Snake, the Midi Festival (China's largest rock festival) and their China Year Of The Horse tour. One of their newest songs, “Reset,” showcases the bands talent through memorable melodies, jamming instrumentals and more.

“Reset” is a ballad filled with emotion and stellar musicianship. The song is arranged for acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums and bass. The song begins with only acoustic guitar, a slightly dampened sound, throughout the first verse, that sets the intensity. "I had a dream last night/ That I had an eagle’s eyes/ Watching for broken souls/ In the circus of this world." The duo between the slightly muted guitar and the lead vocals, accentuate the well-written melody, making it a memorable opening that draws listeners in.

Entering the pre-chorus, the band moves into full gear with electric guitar, bass and drums creating a huge, tight wall of sound that provides a great build up to the chorus. As the chorus arrives, one thing is very clear - Sonar Lights has it all. The band's lead singer, George Miadis, has the "it" factor. He is the type of rock singer that most bands would kill to have; he knows how to let go when required and how to hold back to build momentum. The vocals portray excellent tone, dynamic and control. That said, the band's instrumental talent equals that of their vocal talent - simply stellar. There is plenty of musicianship to sink your teeth into with emotional, crying and beautifully crafted guitar solos backed by a tight rhythm section. “Reset” is 8:20 long featuring two instrumental sections showcasing the musicianship and creativity of the band, utilizing many layers of guitar and faint vocals in the background. It is impressive.

"Reset" reflects on the violence in the world and the band's desire for there to be a “reset.” In the pre-chorus the lyrics paint this desire,“Globe was turning/Yearning, yearning/Never learning how to love.” As time moves on, the world keeps struggling to attain peace in the chorus as he sings, “Oceans blood red/Raindrops of pain/Numbers in place of fallen names/If only we could/Reset the whole game/The songs of true happiness would only remain,” commenting on the violence of war and how he yearns for peace. Sonar Lights delivers a complete package: it is rare to find the real deal, a band that not only has great vocals and musicianship, but also offer lyrics that have depth. - Indie Spoonful - Song/Single Reviews

Fort Worth-based heavy-rock band Sonar Lights is making even more noise than it expected to with its second independent effort, “Babelonia,” released in January.

Both the album and its lead single, “Wake Up,” have been staples on college radio charts since February and have also been getting attention in the United Kingdom and in Australia...

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/entertainment/music/article152237697.html#storylink=cpy - Star-Telegram

There are certain phrases that need to be used carefully, like “heavy rock”. Far too often, it conjures painful images of bands like Nickelback and Staind. While there is a definite “heaviness” to Sonar Lights (shown above), the band’s sound is diametrically opposed to that… “music”, if you will. There are certainly hints of 90’s alt-rock in the band, such as Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. More important to note, however, is that the harmonies and melodies of all band members sync together to form a truly intriguing rock sound that is heavy, without being standard “heavy rock” fare. You can listen to the debut of their song, “Wake Up”, below. - Ghost Of Blind Lemon

On a typical Thursday night at Capital Bar in Arlington, Sonar Lights played in front of a less than flattering small crowd. It was disappointing to see a band that I felt played some very good music, have that music wasted on an empty house. Sonar Lights is an “alternative rock” band with a sound I can’t quite put my finger on. I use the term alternative, loosely because it covers such a wide array of sounds. Not only did Sonar Lights play a number of their own original music, but also sprinkled in a very wide range of covers as well. It might have been the variety of covers from Foo Fighters, Elton John, Rolling Stones, etc that made it so difficult to think of a comparable popular band to associate them with. I think it was the difficulty to connect them with any one style that drew me too them so much. Sonar Lights is made up of the basic three band members: lead guitarists/lead vocals, bass guitarist/back up vocals, and drummer/back up vocals. One of the things I really liked about their show was it was not dominated by any one band member. Throughout the night each member got to showcase their own respective skills in various songs, whether it was changing leads, solos, or a simple jam session type of section pulled out of a song. Not only did they perform as a group but the guitarist played some songs solo while the others took a break, but instead of coming back on after he was done with his solo songs, they came back on stage after a couple songs and worked their way back into the song the guitarist was already playing. I had never seen the band come back together like that out of a solo song so seamlessly. That was probably my favorite part of the show being that it seemed like such a unique way to bring the band back together as a whole to finish the show. Overall I was very pleased with the show and, as always, with the venue. I just wish there would have been more people there to see the show. I think Sonar Lights is definitely worth seeing.
- The Scene

Since first going to Tree’s after it’s re-opening I’ve liked the club, mainly because they always managed to assemble such killer line-ups of local talent. But so far this year those local shows have been lacking, nay, non-existent. Sure they’ve gotten a local band or two on some of their bigger shows bills, but that’s been about it. That is until tonight. And some thanks for this show should go to Sevendust, who had to cancel their tour, which was originally going to be making a stop here this night.

I got there a little late, and the first band, Sonar Lights, was already on stage rocking. But I still caught the majority of their set. And what I heard and saw was a band filled with talent, and if they just had the fan base out supporting them, they could’ve easily been headlining. They die mostly originals, such as “Help Me”, “Mr. KnowItAll”, and the show closer “Game”, all from their debut EP. But they even did a great cover of a Beatles song, with much more of a rock sound to it. These guys really blow me away, and while they said this was their first time at Tree’s, it certainly will not be their last.
- tumblr.

George Miadis is a self-described up-and-coming musician who is all about the Fort Worth area. You can find him playing familiar tunes at the Potbelly Sandwich Shop on 3058 S. University Drive or performing with his band at the Aardvark at 2905 W. Berry Street -both in the 109- as well as at other well-known bars in Fort Worth.

“We like to play here better than Dallas,” George said.

George grew up and developed his musical talent in Greece until the age of 18 when he continued his passion in Belgium. His plan was to settle in the United States and Texas fit his criteria. He wanted to attend the MediaTech Institute in Irving, Texas, where he studied music production and sound engineering.

“I like it here,” George said. “It’s quite similar to our temperament [in Greece]. People are warm, friendly, [and] nice.”

Although George loves to entertain at Potbelly, his main project is his band, Sonar Lights. He met all of his band members by chance through school productions and as fellow classmates.

“Usually you hear stories like ‘oh we went to high school together,’ but I came from Greece four years ago,” George said.

He describes his band as having a “heavy rock alternative sound.” He explains that their music is not a typical heavy metal band that some people find distasteful. The band incorporates melody and leaves out the screaming you usually hear with this type of music. George adds the lyrics and the melody because his main purpose is to have his audience relate to the band’s music.

“Our lyrics are not too political, but we want to state something,” George said. “We want to talk about problems and things that matter.”

And of course, he wants his fans to “groove” to the music and says his favorite part about performing is seeing fans sing along.

His musical influences as a child were Pink Floyd, Queen, Foo Fighters, along with several others. He was self-taught starting at the age of 10 and never stopped.

“When you have the music in you, you just want to explore more sounds,” George said.

George has about eight guitars and treats them as though they were his own children. Aside from his beloved guitars, he plays several eastern instruments from his Greek heritage that give his independent music an original folk sound that you don’t hear very much today.
“George adds to Potbelly’s homey charm,” said Jill Pollock, a regular at Potbelly. “His music takes me away from the stress of school and life in general, at least during my lunch break.”

Heather Martinez, general manager of Potbelly said, “He brings in a lot of regulars for us who call in and ask if George is playing.”

George has a strong passion toward his music through his band as well as his own creations. Separate from his band, George has been signed to do an independent label. This acoustic project will focus on incorporating Greek instruments to demonstrate his eastern background and to allow for a more rich tone.

“It’s magical,” George said.

The members of Sonar Lights are excited to announce their album is scheduled to be released in the spring.

Stay tuned for future live performances of Sonar Lights that will be posted on the 109 calendar. Until then, George wants you to take your lunch break at Potbelly on Mondays and Tuesdays to enjoy some live entertainment. - The 109

Sonar Lights recently released their first EP, now available on iTunes. You can catch Sonar Lights' next performance on December 10 at Tomcats in Fort Worth. - Pegasusnews.com

Written by CAROLINE COLLIER
Wednesday, 19 January 2011 09:56
Sonar Lights frontman George Miadis could have been “the next Elvis Presley” in Greece, said
Sonar Lights bassist Artell Vincent. When drummer Roy Oteo traveled with Miadis to the
frontman’s homeland last summer, he was amazed at all the attention Miadis received. “He was
on all these national TV shows,” Oteo said. “He really could have been an international Greek
folk singer.”
The twentysomething Miadis had mastered the Greek folk hero persona and wanted
something more from music. Four years ago, he departed from Athens for American soil
because here is “the land of opportunity,” he said. “The U.S. is the mother of rock ’n’ roll. What
can I say?”
Now that he’s in Fort Worth, Miadis has switched gears completely by throwing his creative
energy into the radio-friendly hard rock band Sonar Lights.
Miadis initially came to the States to study music production. He chose Texas because of the
reputation of Irving’s MediaTech Institute, which he feels was much better than similar schools
in Boston and Los Angeles.
At MediaTech he met Oteo, and the two started a band, EpiTas, which Oteo calls a “much
softer, mellower” version of Sonar Lights. Eventually they recruited a classmate, guitarist Daniel
Schmidt, who helped push them into their current heaviness.
found Vincent by an online ad that read either “Still Looking” or “Ready to Rock”
(depending on which Sonar Lights member you ask), and by last March, they were ready to hit
the scene full-throttle.
Miadis had the bones of several songs already structured into partial songs, and after a few
months of full-band practice, Schmidt, who is now a full-time producer, recorded the band’s
eponymous debut EP. Now that Sonar Lights have played shows at The Aardvark, Pour House,
and Wildflower Festival, where they opened for Cowboy Mouth and the B-52s, they can claim
with certainty that a live show is an exact replica of what listeners hear on the disc.
“There is no smoke and mirrors,” Oteo said. “Our strengths are full guitar sounds, rhythmic
textures, and melodic vocals over the top. It blends together to make us a powerful rock band.”
Both Miadis and Schmidt are intuitively rhythmic guitar players, and the two constantly trade
tasteful solos on the Sonar Lights EP. Only after Vincent and Oteo fit their parts into the mix
with mathematic precision during the writing process did Miadis feel comfortable enough with
the full expression of the songs to write lyrics.
Crossing over from Greek to English has been more of a challenge than he anticipated. “Most of
the time I think in Greek,” he said. “Sometimes [the translation] is interesting. It makes no
sense, but that’s rock ’n’ roll.”
No matter the language, Miadis tries to hit on experiences that he feels are common to the
human condition. “Hopes and fears, any type of social problems, injustice, even conspiracy” are
among his main messages, but no matter which dark areas he explores lyrically, he tries to
keep the overall vibe of the songs light. “I want to have a positive thought in everything,” he
said. “I want to make people think, then give them options.”
The “think for yourself” mentality was part of what drew Miadis to Texas in the first place. He
expected to find cowboys and shotguns, and though that part didn’t quite meet his expectations,
he has found plenty of opportunity. Instead of working at a boring job, he makes his living
playing in a classic rock cover band, The Back Pages, and by toting his acoustic guitar to local
eateries like Potbelly and Up N Smoke to entertain diners with his vast repertoire of rock songs
sung in a voice that retains a slight Greek accent.
As blessed as he feels to be making a living in America playing the music that he loves, Miadis
moved here to watch his original creative experiment flourish. Sonar Lights is hoping to break
away from the local scene and start building tours as soon as possible. The band will finish work
on its debut full-length album, tentatively titled Wardance, this spring. In the meantime, the guys
are trying to network globally by sending material to internet radio shows and podcasts. They
want to be as big in scope as possible because American rock has a huge global influence, and
no one understands this more than George Miadis. - Fort Worth Weekly

Deep Ellum, grungy and weird. And on this night, a contrast between the prom dressed people posing for pictures and the rest of us. I enjoy seedy and weird. Feel right at home. Deep Ellum is seedy and weird and full of art. Deep Ellum was the perfect backdrop for what was happening in The Door Club, in stunning contrast with the kids in gowns and jackets, the butt kicking base music attempting to permeate the street. The experience in The Door was not a prom dance. It fit in with the omnipresent mural art of Deep Ellum and the weird people with visible war painted tats shuffling down seedy streets. It started with a call to arms. A call to shake off whatever normalcy you may have brought and enter the bowels of Deep Ellum. Sonar Lights began their brief set with "Wake Up!"! Perfectly guiding us through the ledger of reality. It was a most powerful brief set. A set that interrupted the parade of people walking outside the front door. These people felt compelled to enter, to glimpse, to immerse themselves in something primal. It was a calling. It jolted them to a new normal. A normal dictated by Sonar Lights. A normal that fits into Deep Ellum any night of the week. - Mike Stone - Independent Writer