On October 23, 2020, Spinefarm Records releaseed Rise as Equals, the debut album from Iowa hard rockers, Saul. Lead by brothers, Blake and Zach Bedsaul, this four-piece from Iowa have created an album of killer songs that are as melodic as they are heavy.
“Trial by Fire” opens up the album and shows the band means business. Huge chugging riffs pave the way for Blake’s (Bedsaul) weathered and eerie vocals. My first listens through, I heard elements of Disturbed, Godsmack, and Breaking Benjamin. That chorus will rip your face off….in a good way.
“Looking to Fight” is another great track with a special guest appearance from Sevendust drummer, Morgan Rose. Call this more of a mid-tempo track with another chorus that knocks it out of the park.
“King of Misery” is the band’s latest single and it’s quite easy to see why. The track is super catchy as it transitions from the clean and dreamy to the raw and powerful. Really digging the guitar leads throughout the song.
The title track, “Rise as Equals” is an extremely empowering song. The lyrics are fueled with passion and urgency and Blake’s vocals are on point. This should be added to everyone’s motivational or workout playlists.
Taking things down a notch is the brooding and haunting track “Levee.” Stripping away the rage, the band showcases their more vulnerable side.
“Brother” is definitely a track to take notice of. The emotionally driven song was written for their late brother, Caleb and has gone on to attract the attention of over 3 million Spotify listeners as well as Sirius XM/Octane where the song went to #1 on that channel’s chart. Instantly, I hit repeat over and over because I couldn’t get enough of the song.
Closing out the album is “Welcome to the Machine.” Honestly, the perfect choice to bring the curtain down, as it showcases everything that makes this band great.
The guys in Saul have created a stellar album of unapologetic and hard hitting rock music. All 14 tracks on Rise as Equals speak to the listener on many different levels. Congratulations to these Iowa based rockers on their debut release. I really looking forward to hearing more from them in the years to come.
Rating: 8.5/10 Stars.
I’m Music Magazine Writer Jason “Supes” Mesa
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