RIVAL WAVES
Marc Schulz | Joel De La Garza | Dave McLeod | Erik Salinas
There is a particular kind of fury that can only be born in Texas. It rises slowly, builds patiently, then lands like a freight train you should have seen coming from a mile away. That’s the sound of Rival Waves.
After nearly a decade of honing it in rehearsal rooms and on the stages of Austin’s most storied venues, the band has never sounded more like themselves, or more like the future.
Founded in 2016 by singer, drummer, and sonic architect Joel De La Garza, Rival Waves was never meant to play by anyone else’s rules. Anchored by guitarists Marc Schulz and Erik Salinas and bassist Dave McLeod, the band forged a sound that drew immediate comparisons to Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, and Fugazi without ever sounding beholden to any of them. Their 2018 debut EP, Transducer, announced the arrival of a band with something urgent to say — and the chops to say it.
Tracked live right before COVID hit, with all five members (including former drummer Paul Pinon) scattered throughout the studio feeding off each other in real time, the record crackled with the energy of a band who had been waiting years to say everything at once.
“To be melodic, heartfelt, and dangerous,” Smith noted, “there’s a level of edge in that that might just rattle people.” A Meaningless Chaos rattled plenty. The near sold-out release show at 3Ten ACL Live felt less like a concert than a victory lap — and the world has since agreed, the album accumulating over 500,000 streams and earning airplay from Austin to Australia, the UK, South America, and beyond.
If A Meaningless Chaos was the moment Rival Waves announced themselves to the world, then 2024 and 2025 were the years they refused to let the world forget. Their next two singles — “Time’s Up,” and “SLANT,” — each surpassed 100,000 streams, expanded the band’s footprint, and built on the momentum established by A Meaningless Chaos
.
Meanwhile, 2025’s “New Fear” reached even greater heights, generating over 200,000 streams, landing in hundreds of playlists, and pushing the band’s total stream count well past 1.4 million.
The songs carried the same anthemic charge and socially conscious edge that defined the album, but with a sharper clarity of purpose — the sound of a band that had found its footing and was only now beginning to run.
Now, in 2026, Rival Waves are doing something unexpected — and doing it entirely on their own terms. Due this June, the Sweetest Betrayal EP marks a more reflective, but no less powerful turn. With De La Garza stepping behind the board to produce and mix the project at Studio Lunar in Austin and assuming drum duties in the studio, the EP carries a creative self-sufficiency that feels very much by design.
Together, the four songs represent a broader creative palette for the band, painted with darker, more introspective strokes. The EP doesn’t abandon the noise — it’s kind of what Rival Waves does best — but its lyrics turn inward in a way that makes them, paradoxically, more universally resonant.
These are songs about the interior life, about the private chaos that doesn’t make the news but haunts you just the same. And that, it turns out, is only the beginning of the next chapter.
A decade in, still headquartered in Austin, still driven by the same restless creative hunger that produced Transducer in a burst of DIY energy, Rival Waves are a band in full stride. The waves, as it turns out, are only getting bigger.
FAQs
What genre is Rival Waves?
Rival Waves is an alternative rock band blending elements of alt-rock, grunge revival, punk and modern rock. Their sound draws comparisons to Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, Royal Blood, and Pearl Jam.
When did Rival Waves form?
Rival Waves formed in Austin, Texas in 2016.
Where is Rival Waves from?
Rival Waves is from Austin, Texas, where they have performed at some of the city’s most legendary venues, including Stubb’s, Mohawk, Empire Control Room, Parish, and 3TEN at Austin City Limits Live.
Who are the members of Rival Waves?
The current lineup of Rival Waves is Joel De La Garza (vocals, drums), Marc Schulz (guitar), Erik Salinas (guitar), and Dave McCleod (bass).
Who produced A Meaningless Chaos?
A Meaningless Chaos was produced by Grammy-nominated producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith known for his work with …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Gary Clark Jr., Jet, The Toadies, and Jackie Venson. The album was recorded at The Bubble Recording Studio in Austin, Texas.
What bands are similar to Rival Waves?
Fans of Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, Royal Blood, and Pearl Jam consistently find a lot to love in Rival Waves. The band shares those artists’ combination of melodic hooks, raw guitar energy, and purposeful lyricism.
How do I book Rival Waves for a show?
For booking inquiries, contact Frank Heron at frankheronbooking@gmail.com
Where can I stream Rival Waves music?
Rival Waves music is available on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Bandcamp, and SoundCloud. Their discography includes TRANSDUCER EP (2018), A Meaningless Chaos (2023), The NAMI EP (2024), and New Fear (2025).
NICE THINGS PEOPLE SAY:
punk pop rock (Rival Waves)...it’s all damn good.
