EPK – Rivetskull – Trail of Souls – Samsura (2022)
“After self-recording and releasing our debut album during the global pandemic, weâve revisited our songs with professional production that captures the massive sound that fans have come to expect from our live shows.
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 the previously unreleased recording of a cover of Aerosmithâs âKing and Queens.â”
For fans of Dio, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Armored Saint, Deep Purple
Album Title: Trail of Souls – Samsura
Release Date: July 8, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby Â
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
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It would be easy to call RivetSkull a traditional heavy metal band, but theyâre 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, thereâs no denying RivetSkullâs 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: itâs therapy, itâs community, itâs a style â and itâs a movement. And itâs always evolving.
RivetSkull has created a modern sound thatâs as unique as each memberâs influences, from punk to country, from alternative to funk. Listening to RivetSkull, itâs easy to envision the bandâs live show: Chad McMurrayâs clean vocals soaring over a sea of bobbing bodies in black band t-shirts, Mark X. Plogâs boundary-defying guitar ascending over raised beers and outstretched metal horns, Michael Robsonâs emphatic drums and Mark Hopkinsâ booming bass rattling the bones beneath black jeans and denim vests.
Like good metal â youâll feel it in your core as much as youâll 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.
Album and Live Band Line Up:
Chad McMurray – Vocals
Mark X. Plog – Guitar
Mark Hopkins – Bass
Michael Robson – Drums
Discography:
2022- Trail of Souls: Samsara
2020 – Trail of Souls
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The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY) explained:
CM: Itâs got an epic, yet nostalgic feel. Lyrically, I write from the heart about things people can relate to, nothing is contrived. Weâre not trying to write a certain kind of song and weâre not trying to portray a certain image. Weâre not trying to be a tough, brutal band. Weâre just normal guys who like metal, much like it was in the 70s – 80s. I donât know, maybe we need to bring cod pieces back?
Track by track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY) explained:
1. Crash and Burn
ââCrash and Burnâ is about the pitfalls of relationships. Though you can try to stay clear of danger, sometimes you canât help but fall into the same traps. The new recording and production conveys the drive and momentum a song about recklessness should be swimming in. Â We think we got there with this song and all the others on the album.â
2. Forever
We originally wrote âForeverâ in 2019 when the world was, once again in a strange place and the US was becoming more and more divided thanks to religion and politics. One year later we would all forever be changed by Covid. Then again in 2022 with more war in the Ukraine, inflation and more political and religious agendas driving yet more distance between all of us. âForeverâ refers to the repeating cycle of lifeâs ups and downs and changes that we forever have to face and come to terms while navigating the waters to get there.
3. Mystified
âMystifiedâ has to do with fears of stepping out of your comfort zone and sometimes itâs easier to simply take solace by getting high and letting your mind wander to another place. Â A journey of finding your way out of the dark and into the light.
4. Another Way To Heaven
Another Way To Heaven deals with a number of things. Is there life after death? Is there really a heaven or god? They want to explore other worlds and if there is really a heaven, Â is dying the only way to get there? Now the ending takes a bit of turn and delves into the impact just one person can have. Known as the âfatherâ of the atomic bomb Robert Oppenheimerâs quote taken from Hindu scripture The Bhagavad-Gita, âNow I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds,â makes an appearance and literally means the world-destroying time.
5. Narcissus
âNarcissusâ touches on world leaders who convince others to do their bidding regardless of cost. Shining light on the repercussions and madness of blindly following narcissists in leadership by speaking from the narcissist’s twisted point of view.
6. Trail Of Souls
Itâs easy to become star-struck or think youâre better than someone else. Particularly people close to you. A reminder to not be blinded by the stars in your eyes or forget those that helped you get where you are.
7. Itâs Not Enough
Life, however long it may be, is constantly changing and evolving. From birth, youth, adulthood and death, many reinventions happen throughout its course. Do we ever have enough? How much is enough?
8. Kings and Queens (Aerosmith cover)
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 âKings and Queens.â 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. Weâre proud of how it all came together.â
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BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:
1. Recorded at London Bridge Studio (Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Queensrÿche) and produced by Matt Hyde (Slayer, Deftones, Seether).
2. Chad McMurarry trained with Maestro David Kyle weekly for 7 years.
3. Trail of Souls: Samsara album artwork by rock poster artist Justin Hampton (Ween, Pearl Jam, Kiss)
[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]
Album Title: Trail of Souls – Samsura
Release Date: July 8, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: CD Baby Â
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. Itâs Not Enough (4:02)
8. Kings and Queens (Aerosmith cover) (5:16)
Album Length: 37:54
Album Recording Credits:
⢠All songs performed by: RivetSkull
⢠All songs written by: RivetSkull: Chad McMurray, Mark X. Plog, Mark Hopkins, Michael Robson (except âKings and Queens, Written by Aerosmith with String Arrangement and Programming by Chad McMurray)
⢠Produced by: Matt Hyde
⢠Mixed by: Matt Hyde
⢠Mastered by: Matt Hyde
⢠Album Artwork by: Justin Hampton
⢠ Member of ASCAP and BMI – Mark X. Plog and Mark Hopkins: BMI; Chad McMurray, Michael Robson: ASCAP
Album and Live Band Line Up:
Chad McMurray – Vocals
Mark X. Plog – Guitar
Mark Hopkins – Bass
Michael Robson – Drums
