In 2009 the California alt-rock trio Sublime with Rome assembled to extend the ska-punk heritage of Sublime. Bassist Eric Wilson, a founding member of the earlier band, anchored the lineup alongside frontman Rome Ramirez; the group first concentrated on live renditions of the classic repertoire and later devoted the ensuing decade to original material, issuing the 2015 album Sirens under its own name.
Bradley Nowell’s death in 1996 had dissolved the original Sublime, prompting surviving members Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh to form the Long Beach Dub All-Stars; they returned to the Sublime songbook in 2009 with a refreshed roster that incorporated singer-guitarist Rome Ramirez. The pair had performed several initial shows that year simply billed as Sublime, yet legal complications with Nowell’s estate led to the official adoption of the name Sublime with Rome in 2010, followed by an extensive cross-country U.S. tour.
Fueled by Ramen issued the band’s debut album, Yours Truly, in 2011. Gaugh exited in 2015 and was replaced by Josh Freese—previously associated with NIN, the Vandals, and Devo—who performed on that year’s Sirens; the sophomore release climbed outside the Billboard 200’s top thirty while entering the top five on multiple additional charts. In 2017, shortly before a major North American tour with the Offspring and the Menzingers, former Tribal Seeds drummer Carlos Verdugo succeeded Freese. Working with producer Rob Cavallo, whose résumé includes Green Day and My Chemical Romance, at Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, the trio tracked its third album, whose lead single “Wicked Heart” appeared in July 2018.
