POWER TRIP's BLAKE IBANEZ On Returning To Live Stage With New Singer: 'This Is The Best-Case Scenario For Us To Play Again'

In a new interview with Sh!t Talk Reviews, POWER TRIP guitarist Blake Ibanez spoke about the Texas thrashers' recent return to the live stage for their first full performances since the tragic passing of frontman Riley Gale.

POWER TRIP's longtime friend and collaborator Seth Gilmore has stepped in for Gale to handle vocals for the band. Gilmore is embedded in Texas's hardcore and punk communities and is well known as the vocalist of SKOURGE and as the frontman of Dallas thrash metal band FUGITIVE, which he founded in 2021 alongside Ibanez.

Regarding Gilmore's addition to POWER TRIP, Ibanez told Sh!t Talk Reviews (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "He's a natural. He's been on stage a long time. Once we had done all this FUGITIVE stuff and we had done these last couple of recordings, his voice is killing it and he really feels good on stage. And I think I kind of asked him before we even started FUGITIVE if he wanted to mess around and maybe try out or throw something down on one of these… We had been working on a POWER TRIP record that we recorded all the music to. And I think at the time — it was during COVID — and he was sort of, like, 'Ehhh…' It was a little soon after everything had happened — it was probably a year after everything went down — but it was still a little soon, a little fresh. And I don't know if he really had the confidence level yet to feel like he could approach that the right way. I don't blame him, 'cause it was a little soon and it was a weird time."

He continued: "At this point, it had been so long. And I think we'd been playing together. I think POWER TRIP fans knew who he was. When it comes to like what we're doing, in terms of POWER TRIP, I had really no desire to reform the band if we couldn't do it the way we wanted to do it, with people that we wanna work with. We come from a scene, so we're not gonna just hold YouTube auditions for a guy that sounds like Riley, bring him in. It's gonna be someone that's a friend of ours, that's from our world, that's from our scene. And I just think the way it worked out — it had been long enough since POWER TRIP had played."

Regarding what criteria he and his POWER TRIP bandmates had for bringing in a new vocalist, Blake said: "It's not about filling any shoes. I think people need to understand that. We're not even really a full-time band. We're just playing some shows. So it's really just about playing the songs again and kind of honoring what we did and celebrating the songs and doing it a different way. I think we realized that getting someone that sounds just like him would have been really weird and, I think, not the right thing to do, because that's not right. And I think Seth is in the same family tree vocally, but he's got his own sound and his own delivery. And I think he sings the songs a little bit differently in a way that I think is more him. He's his own person. And so we wanted that."

Ibanez added: "You can't really win, 'cause some people want [us to get someone who] sounds exactly the same. If we did that, then the same group of people would be criticizing us for getting a lesser version. He's a different person; it's not gonna sound the same. But I really like what he brings to the songs, and I think this is the best-case scenario for us to play again."

Last month, POWER TRIP drummer Chris Ulsh told Metal Hammer about how the decision to return as POWER TRIP came about: "During COVID, we were still having bi-weekly or monthly Zoom meetings, and at one of those, we just came out with it, like, 'Hey, do you guys want to keep playing music together?' Everybody obviously still wanted to do that, but we didn't really know if it was going to be POWER TRIP or a different band or whatever. As those conversations progressed, we realized we wanted to keep doing POWER TRIP, but didn't really know what that would look like. As the COVID restrictions started lifting, Blake and I were getting together, working on some new music, just to keep busy. We tried out a couple things, with different people, just demoing vocals over it, just to kind of get a feeling for the full song. But initially nothing really came of it. It just didn't come as easily as maybe we would have thought."

Regarding Gilmore's addition to POWER TRIP, Ulsh said: "Yeah, during that time, Blake started FUGITIVE with Seth. He was someone that we reached out to at the beginning, but he wasn't ready. Somewhere along the way, I think he started feeling a lot more comfortable filling that role. We decided to test him out at that show in Austin [last December], since FUGITIVE were playing, and one of my other bands. So, we just had everyone get onstage."

In announcing POWER TRIP's return to the live stage, surviving members Ibanez, Nick Stewart (guitar, vocals), Chris Whetzel (bass) and Ulsh wrote on social media: "Nearly four years ago to the day, unbeknownst to us, we would perform for the last time as POWER TRIP. It has been a difficult road since then, marked by deep pain, grief, and everything else that came with losing our brother Riley.

"We know this can't be undone, and it will always remain part of us. We have thought deeply about the future of POWER TRIP and what always comes back to us is that this band was founded on resilience, perseverance, and most importantly: a love for the music and for all of the people it has brought us closer to along the way.

"We'll never have the words to convey our appreciation of the enduring support we've received over the years, and we feel as though the time is right to get back on stage for all of you who've been there throughout our existence as a band."

Regarding Gilmore's addition to the POWER TRIP lineup, the band said: "It feels right playing our songs with Seth, who's been a longtime figure in Texas hardcore, and we've had the pleasure of watching and playing alongside his bands since the origins of POWER TRIP. We're grateful for his dedication to this project and can't wait to see everyone."

Gilmore stated: "I'm honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the legacy of POWER TRIP and deliver these songs to the fans of past and current generations. I would not be who I am today without the massive influence that both the band and its members have had on my life, and I look forward to celebrating their work alongside them while giving it my all to honor the spirit of Riley's memory."

Ibanez, Stewart, Whetzel and Ulsh played a surprise five-song set with Gilmore on December 1, 2023 at Mohawk in Austin, Texas.

Riley died on August 25, 2020. An autopsy report for Gale ruled that he died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, while the manner of death was ruled accidental.

Following the news of Gale's death, a number of other artists shared tributes to the frontman, including members of CODE ORANGE, ANTHRAX and COHEED AND CAMBRIA.

Riley guested on the track "Point The Finger" on BODY COUNT's "Carnivore" album, released in March 2020, and BODY COUNT frontman Ice-T later suggested in an interview with Stereogum that Gale's death was opioid-related. Ice-T said in December 2020: "When we shot the video [for 'Point The Finger'], he looked healthy. It was a good vibe. That's why I got blindsided when I got the call from his dad, who said that Riley passed away. Apparently, he was dealing with the same bullshit everyone is — this opioid stuff. He'd gotten clean, and when you relapse, you go back to the same dose you're used to and it kills you. It was a really sad thing."

Gale's autopsy report noted that he died from pulmonary edema — a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs. This was caused by "the toxic effects of fentanyl" in Gale's system. The fentanyl in Gale's blood was measured at 22.5 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter),and he tested negative for all other drugs and alcohol.

The report went on to note that Gale had a "history of Xanax abuse" and a "history of depression," and revealed Riley was found "unresponsive on the floor at home."

In October 2020, plans were announced for the Riley Gale Library at the Dallas Hope Center — the city's sole shelter for LGBTQ+ youth.

POWER TRIP released two albums on Southern Lord, 2013's "Manifest Decimation" and 2017's "Nightmare Logic". A rarities compilation, "Opening Fire: 2008-2014", followed in 2018.

"Nightmare Logic" peaked at No. 22 on Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart.

POWER TRIP was said to be working on its third album at the time of Riley's death.

Photo credit: Adam Cedillo