RivetSkull’s Cover of Aerosmith’s “Kings and Queens” Off “Trail of Souls: Samsara” Is A Masterful Homage

NEWS RELEASE

Montreal, QC – September 29, 2022

RivetSkull’s Cover of Aerosmith’s “Kings and Queens” Off “Trail of Souls: Samsara” Is A Masterful Homage

L-R – Mark X. Plog (Guitar), Chad McMurray (Vocals), Mark Hopkins (Bass), Michael Robson (Drums)

Photo Credit – Niffer Calderwood

Seattle and Los Angeles-based heavy metal four-piece RivetSkull’s re-imagined full-length album was released on July 8th. “Trail of Souls: Samsara” is a complete re-recording of the band’s self-published 2020 album “Trail of Souls”. After self-recording and releasing their debut album during the global pandemic, RivetSkull revisited their songs with professional production that captures the massive sound that fans have come to expect from their live shows. The second single they released was Aerosmith’s classic “Kings and Queens”, a track they say was inspirational to them and that respect is evident in their musicianship and visually in the accompanying music video. They share their thoughts on the release:

“Aerosmith has always been a crossover band between hard rock and heavy metal. Several of their songs were inspirational to us, but none quite as much as ‘Kings and Queens.’ The original was a masterpiece of drama, intensity, and a showcase of vocal skill. All of the years of listening to that song and growing as musicians are poured into this recording. We’re proud of how it all came together.”

RivetSkull is professional through and through and takes pride in maintaining the old-school video they grew up on. When it comes to seeing them live, they sound like an album. There are no backing tracks. Vocalist Chad McMurray’s 9 years of study with Maestro David Kyle (vocal coach to Geoff Tate, Layne Staley, Ann Wilson) means the vocals come across strong and clear just like the album. RivetSkull is a fairly new band but McMurray, drummer Michael Robson, and guitarist Mark X. Plog have been playing together for 7-8 years now. They have a great rapport musically and onstage, and seasoned bassist Mark Hopkins, who used to own a recording studio, brings a great ear for music.

Recorded at London Bridge Studio (Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Queensrÿche) and produced by Matt Hyde (Slayer, Deftones, Seether), “Trail of Souls: Samsara” promises much more than a sonic retouch of the original.

The reworked collection features new cover artwork and is recommended for fans of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Def Leppard.

The music video for “Kings and Queens” can be seen and heard at https://youtu.be/vC32QZg9_vc

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“Trail of Souls: Samsara” is available on all digital platforms at the following link – https://lnk.to/TrailOfSoulsSamsara​

Music Video – “Crash and Burn” – https://youtu.be/fXibzQQKvJM

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Track Listing:​
1. Crash and Burn (2:49)
2. Forever (5:24)
3. Mystified (3:45)
4. Another Way to Heaven (7:29)
5. Narcissus (5:01)
6. Trail of Souls (4:04)
7. It’s Not Enough (4:02)
8. Kings and Queens (Aerosmith cover) (5:16)
Album Length: 37:54

For more info:​
​http://www.rivetskull.com​
​http://www.facebook.com/rivetskull​
​http://www.twitter.com/rivetskull​
​http://www.instagram.com/rivetskull​

About:
It would be easy to call RivetSkull a traditional heavy metal band, but they’re so much more than that. RivetSkull has taken the very roots of heavy metal and forged it into something new and fresh. Spawned from the same DNA that created the beasts that roamed the dark valleys of Birmingham, the foothills of the Cascades, and the plains of Texas, there’s no denying RivetSkull’s heavy metal heritage. This is hard-hitting music blasted over record store chatter, the buzzing of a tattoo gun, or the revving of a motorcycle engine. But, as any metalhead will tell you, heavy metal is more than just a genre: it’s therapy, it’s community, it’s a style – and it’s a movement. And it’s always evolving.
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RivetSkull has created a modern sound that’s as unique as each member’s influences, from punk to country, from alternative to funk. Listening to RivetSkull, it’s easy to envision the band’s live show: Chad McMurray’s clean vocals soaring over a sea of bobbing bodies in black band t-shirts, Mark X. Plog’s boundary-defying guitar ascending over raised beers and outstretched metal horns, Michael Robson’s emphatic drums and Mark Hopkins’ booming bass rattling the bones beneath black jeans and denim vests. Like good metal – you’ll feel it in your core as much as you’ll hear it in your ears. All of this is brought to you by a dedicated and hard-working band of brothers. They are RivetSkull and they’re bringing the past into the future.

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