In a brand new interview with Finland’s Chaoszine, POWER TRIP guitarist Blake Ibanez spoke concerning the Texas thrashers’ current return to the dwell stage for his or her first full performances for the reason that tragic passing of frontman Riley Gale.
POWER TRIP‘s longtime pal and collaborator Seth Gilmore has stepped in for Gale to deal with vocals for the band. Gilmore is embedded in Texas’s hardcore and punk communities and is nicely generally known as the vocalist of SKOURGE and because the frontman of Dallas thrash metallic band FUGITIVE, which he based in 2021 alongside Ibanez.
Requested if Gilmore‘s addition to POWER TRIP has sparked an curiosity in placing out new music, Ibanez mentioned (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “After every little thing occurred in 2020, we had been searching for one thing to do. Me and [drummer Chris] Ulsh, we completed up some music we had been writing, the music we had written for the POWER TRIP album. We went and recorded a bunch of stuff and simply sort of sat on it and we had been, like, ‘Perhaps somebody will sing on this in the future.’ And it finally did not actually occur. However after that kind of bought shelved, that is when all these items sort of occurred with Seth and us enjoying once more.”
He continued: “Proper now, we’re simply having fun with being again on stage collectively. We performed 5 – 6 reveals. Now we’re out right here [on a European tour] with PANTERA, which we did not count on to tour or to get invited to do something like this. So to have the ability to be afforded a chance like this after not even having the ability to step on stage for years is wonderful. We’re very lucky. So, we’re simply making an attempt to take pleasure in being again collectively and enjoying once more. And who is aware of? I imply, I believe sooner or later clearly we’ll wanna return to all that stuff and possibly take into account doing one thing with it. However I believe proper now, we have simply been sort of approaching each step like, ‘How does this really feel? How does this really feel?’ And to date every little thing’s been good.
“The whole lot that we have carried out has been step-by-step and never pressured,” Blake added. “So, we took 4 years, principally, to determine if we needed to play once more and till the appropriate scenario arose, we did not. And we would not have carried out it if it wasn’t proper or if it did not really feel proper or if it wasn’t carried out the appropriate method in our eyes. So, we’re gonna apply that to every little thing we do. So if we determine to work on new music and it sounds actually good and it really works and it looks like POWER TRIP and all that, then possibly we’ll do this. However we simply wanna do issues the appropriate method and do it our method. And I’ve confidence that we’ll make all of the these selections the appropriate method. Once more, we’re not making an attempt to leap into one other section proper now. We’re making an attempt to play all of the songs that we wrote up to now and honor what we did, clearly, with Riley, and proceed to play the songs. We missed enjoying these songs. They’re nice. And we love what he did and every little thing that we did in that that entire period. So we’re not operating away from that anytime quickly. We’re simply making an attempt to take pleasure in enjoying the songs once more and fascinated with all of the reminiscences. Once we’re collectively now, we simply discuss excursions we did, issues we did, humorous reminiscences and occasions we had collectively. And we may do this for a very long time.”
Final yr, Blake advised Sh!t Speak Opinions about Gilmore‘s addition to POWER TRIP: “He is a pure. He is been on stage a very long time. As soon as we had carried out all this FUGITIVE stuff and we had carried out these final couple of recordings, his voice is killing it and he actually feels good on stage. And I believe I sort of requested him earlier than we even began FUGITIVE if he needed to fiddle and possibly check out or toss stuff down on one in every of these… We had been engaged on a POWER TRIP document that we recorded all of the music to. And I believe on the time — it was throughout COVID — and he was kind of, like, ‘Ehhh…’ It was slightly quickly after every little thing had occurred — it was in all probability a yr after every little thing went down — nevertheless it was nonetheless slightly quickly, slightly contemporary. And I do not know if he actually had the boldness stage but to really feel like he may strategy that the appropriate method. I do not blame him, ‘trigger it was slightly quickly and it was a bizarre time.”
He continued: “At this level, it had been so lengthy. And I believe we might been enjoying collectively. I believe POWER TRIP followers knew who he was. Relating to like what we’re doing, by way of POWER TRIP, I had actually no want to reform the band if we could not do it the way in which we needed to do it, with those who we wanna work with. We come from a scene, so we’re not gonna simply maintain YouTube auditions for a man that appears like Riley, carry him in. It is gonna be somebody that is a pal of ours, that is from our world, that is from our scene. And I simply assume the way in which it labored out — it had been lengthy sufficient since POWER TRIP had performed.”
Relating to what standards he and his POWER TRIP bandmates had for bringing in a brand new vocalist, Blake mentioned: “It is not about filling any footwear. I believe individuals want to grasp that. We’re not even actually a full-time band. We’re simply enjoying some reveals. So it is actually nearly enjoying the songs once more and sort of honoring what we did and celebrating the songs and doing it a unique method. I believe we realized that getting somebody that sounds similar to him would have been actually bizarre and, I believe, not the appropriate factor to do, as a result of that is not proper. And I believe Seth is in the identical household tree vocally, however he is bought his personal sound and his personal supply. And I believe he sings the songs slightly bit otherwise in a method that I believe is extra him. He is his personal individual. And so we needed that.”
Ibanez added: “You’ll be able to’t actually win, ‘trigger some individuals need [us to get someone who] sounds precisely the identical. If we did that, then the identical group of individuals can be criticizing us for getting a lesser model. He is a unique individual; it is not gonna sound the identical. However I actually like what he brings to the songs, and I believe that is the best-case state of affairs for us to play once more.”
In July 2024, POWER TRIP drummer Chris Ulsh advised Steel Hammer about how the choice to return as POWER TRIP happened: “Throughout COVID, we had been nonetheless having bi-weekly or month-to-month Zoom conferences, and at a type of, we simply got here out with it, like, ‘Hey, do you guys wish to preserve enjoying music collectively?’ Everyone clearly nonetheless needed to do this, however we did not actually know if it was going to be POWER TRIP or a unique band or no matter. As these conversations progressed, we realized we needed to maintain doing POWER TRIP, however did not actually know what that will appear to be. Because the COVID restrictions began lifting, Blake and I had been getting collectively, engaged on some new music, simply to maintain busy. We tried out a pair issues, with totally different individuals, simply demoing vocals over it, simply to sort of get a sense for the complete track. However initially nothing actually got here of it. It simply did not come as simply as possibly we might have thought.”
Relating to Gilmore‘s addition to POWER TRIP, Ulsh mentioned: “Yeah, throughout that point, Blake began FUGITIVE with Seth. He was somebody that we reached out to originally, however he wasn’t prepared. Someplace alongside the way in which, I believe he began feeling much more snug filling that function. We determined to check him out at that present in Austin [last December], since FUGITIVE had been enjoying, and one in every of my different bands. So, we simply had everybody get onstage.”
In asserting POWER TRIP‘s return to the dwell stage, surviving members Ibanez, Nick Stewart (guitar, vocals), Chris Whetzel (bass) and Ulsh wrote on social media: “Practically 4 years in the past to the day, unbeknownst to us, we might carry out for the final time as POWER TRIP. It has been a troublesome highway since then, marked by deep ache, grief, and every little thing else that got here with dropping our brother Riley.
“We all know this cannot be undone, and it’ll all the time stay a part of us. We’ve thought deeply about the way forward for POWER TRIP and what all the time comes again to us is that this band was based on resilience, perseverance, and most significantly: a love for the music and for the entire individuals it has introduced us nearer to alongside the way in which.
“We’ll by no means have the phrases to convey our appreciation of the enduring help we have obtained through the years, and we really feel as if the time is true to get again on stage for all of you who’ve been there all through our existence as a band.”
Relating to Gilmore‘s addition to the POWER TRIP lineup, the band mentioned: “It feels proper enjoying our songs with Seth, who’s been a longtime determine in Texas hardcore, and we have had the pleasure of watching and enjoying alongside his bands for the reason that origins of POWER TRIP. We’re grateful for his dedication to this challenge and might’t wait to see everybody.”
Gilmore acknowledged: “I am honored to have the chance to contribute to the legacy of POWER TRIP and ship these songs to the followers of previous and present generations. I might not be who I’m at present with out the huge affect that each the band and its members have had on my life, and I stay up for celebrating their work alongside them whereas giving it my all to honor the spirit of Riley‘s reminiscence.”
Ibanez, Stewart, Whetzel and Ulsh performed a shock five-song set with Gilmore on December 1, 2023 at Mohawk in Austin, Texas.
Riley died on August 25, 2020. An post-mortem report for Gale dominated that he died from the poisonous results of fentanyl, whereas the way of loss of life was dominated unintentional.
Following the information of Gale‘s loss of life, quite a lot of different artists shared tributes to the frontman, together with members of CODE ORANGE, ANTHRAX and COHEED AND CAMBRIA.
Riley guested on the monitor “Level The Finger” on BODY COUNT‘s “Carnivore” album, launched in March 2020, and BODY COUNT frontman Ice-T later instructed in an interview with Stereogum that Gale‘s loss of life was opioid-related. Ice-T mentioned in December 2020: “Once we shot the video [for ‘Point The Finger’], he seemed wholesome. It was a great vibe. That is why I bought blindsided once I bought the decision from his dad, who mentioned that Riley handed away. Apparently, he was coping with the identical bullshit everyone seems to be — this opioid stuff. He’d gotten clear, and once you relapse, you return to the identical dose you are used to and it kills you. It was a extremely unhappy factor.”
Gale‘s post-mortem report famous that he died from pulmonary edema — a situation brought on by extra fluid within the lungs. This was brought on by “the poisonous results of fentanyl” in Gale‘s system. The fentanyl in Gale‘s blood was measured at 22.5 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter),and he examined destructive for all different medicine and alcohol.
The report went on to notice that Gale had a “historical past of Xanax abuse” and a “historical past of melancholy,” and revealed Riley was discovered “unresponsive on the ground at dwelling.”
In October 2020, plans had been introduced for the Riley Gale Library on the Dallas Hope Heart — the town’s sole shelter for LGBTQ+ youth.
POWER TRIP launched two albums on Southern Lord, 2013’s “Manifest Decimation” and 2017’s “Nightmare Logic”. A rarities compilation, “Opening Hearth: 2008-2014”, adopted in 2018.
“Nightmare Logic” peaked at No. 22 on Billboard‘s Arduous Rock Albums chart.
POWER TRIP was mentioned to be engaged on its third album on the time of Riley‘s loss of life.
Picture credit score: Adam Cedillo
