Power Trip guitarist Blake Ibanez has confirmed the band is actively working on new music, opening a new chapter for the revered thrash outfit following the tragic 2020 passing of frontman Riley Gale.
In a new, extensive interview with Altars Of Metal, Ibanez detailed the band’s decision to move forward and how their friend and collaborator Seth Gilmore (Fugitive, Skourge) stepped into the vocalist role. Ibanez explained (as transcribed by Blabbermouth) that the transition was a slow, natural progression that began with their other band, Fugitive.
“He’s in a band called Skourge… I’d heard the evolution of his voice and everything in that band. And I think around this time they had done a new EP or something, and his voice — he started to showcase what he could do, his depth to his voice, his range. And I was, like, ‘Whoa. Oh, I didn’t know you could do all that stuff.’ And not just that, but me and him having such a good relationship and him being such a nice guy that’s easy to work with, I was, like, ‘Well, why don’t we just try to write some songs and see what happens?'”
Ibanez said the pressure-free environment of Fugitive allowed Gilmore to build the confidence needed to eventually take on the monumental task of fronting Power Trip.
“I think by the next time the Power Trip idea came around, like, ‘Hey, do you wanna try to sing these songs and see what happens?’, he was ready and he was, like, ‘Yeah. Why not?’… And he had to be, because it’s a lot to put on your shoulders. And he has a good head on his shoulders.”
Ibanez was clear that the goal is not, and never was, to “replace” Riley Gale.
“You’re never gonna be able to replace anybody that was their own person, an individual, like someone really talented like Riley, but that’s not what anybody’s doing,” Blake explained. “He’s always gonna be a special person and a force in his own right. And I wouldn’t want anybody to replace him. But Seth is his own guy, and he brings something different to the table. And we just are here to continue doing what we did and not let it die. ‘Cause I think that would’ve been even more sad.”
He added that performing the songs live is a way to keep Gale‘s legacy alive. “And I think to play the songs and say Riley‘s name on stage every night and have people remember how special he was… is amazing. And it was really sad when we were in a time where it didn’t seem like that was gonna happen again.”
Ibanez acknowledged that the decision to continue was met with some resistance, but emphasized that it was a “tiny part” of the story.
“Obviously, there were some people that were terrible, people that decided to try to take advantage… There were plenty of people that were awful to us and treated us like we were traitors because of just trying to play songs we wrote. But that was a very, very tiny part of the story. Everything else has been amazing. And people have been really receptive.”
When asked about the direction of the new music, Ibanez confirmed that while he will keep the core elements of the Power Trip formula, Gilmore will have the creative freedom to be himself as a lyricist.
“Seth‘s a different person, he’s a different singer, he’s a different lyricist. So, is he gonna try to write lyrics exactly like Riley would? Well, I would hope he wouldn’t. Those were Riley‘s words, that was his personality… I want Seth to write about what he feels strongly about and what he wants to put his name on and sing every night.”
Ibanez concluded that the new music will be different, but authentic.
“I feel really confident about writing more together and opening a new chapter that’s maybe not exactly the same, but it’s awesome and inspiring in a different way… Something that could have ended tragically and never heard from again.”
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