SAUL
About
We all live, breathe, and survive as best we can. SAUL boil hard rock down to its human core. The Iowa quartet – brothers Blake Bedsaul [lead vocals] and Zach Bedsaul [lead guitar, backup vocals], William McIlravy [bass, backup vocals], and Joe Nichols [drums] – encase undeniable melodies inside of mind-numbing polyrhythmic riffs. Above that unpredictable backdrop, emotionally-charged and identifiable lyrics abound. This approach resonates on impact as evidenced by the group’s rapid rise. Within six months, they transformed from a Midwest favorite into a national powerhouse, cumulatively streamed upwards of 2 million times, and were pegged by Revolver among the “5 Bands Most Likely To Breakout In 2019.”
For as much as this success arises from the four men onstage, they truly credit a devout and diehard fan base, appropriately dubbed, “Equals.” “If you don’t have fans, you’re not a band, so we treat them like family,” exclaims Blake. “They’re our equals. They are just as powerful as we are.” “We ultimately rise as equals,” agrees Zach. “It shows we’re all in this together.”
The group quietly attracted a palpable level of adoration. Iowa natives Blake and Zach forged a musical partnership as kids before cementing the lineup of Saul in late 2017 by welcoming Joe and William into the fold. They performed alongside a diverse swath of artists, ranging from Bush, Fuel, 10 Years, to Hellyeah and Nonpoint. In early 2019, the single “Brother” organically vaulted from regional radio airwaves to #1 on Sirius/XM Octane. Recognizing the group’s talent first, Octane championed them, taking a risk that paid off with a #1 smash. Moreover, countless other stations nationwide followed suit as the band impacted airwaves everywhere as a testament to their growing influence. Soon, it crossed 1.6 million Spotify streams and nearly a million YouTube views as they signed to Spinefarm Records and unleashed their debut Aeons EP. Dedicated to the co-founders’ late brother Caleb Bedsaul who abruptly died due to the H1N1 virus in 2009, “Brother” earned acclaim from the likes of Loudwire and paved the way for much more.
The new single “Trial By Fire” ignites the next chapter. On the track, airtight palm-muted guitar gallops forward with mechanized thrash intensity before culminating on a hypnotic hook. The song spirals out on a hummable lead, reflecting yet another dimension of harmony. “During this whole period, our mother was dealing with lung cancer,” sighs Blake. “She was put in hospice. We were trying to get home and take care of her – while getting the album done on time. When we got in the studio, she was really sick, which inspired the lyrics. She recently passed away. It was a trial by fire. The song is about the inner struggle of how we felt and the pressure when it came to following up ‘Brother’ in the middle of…everything. It was like we were walking through fire to make it right. We went home enough to see her though. We actually got to say goodbye, at least.”
In the end, Saul deliver a bold body of work for themselves and, of course, for the Equals. “When people hear this, I want them to know they are Equals,” Blake leaves off. “The songs come from a really personal place.” “That’s the way it will always be with us,” Zach concludes. “We hope that they feel heard through our music.”