Red Tide was formed in 1992 by guitarist/vocalist Jeff Wu, bassist Jeff Bennett, and drummer Justin Foley. Originally they started out primarily as a thrash metal band. In those early high school days they released 3 demos of pure hardcore/thrash metal. Red Tide went on to play the Simsbury High School Battle of the Bands in which they won 1st place. Noted as the first "real" metal band to play the event and the first band to play their own material vs covers.