Austin, Texas-based power trio Souls Extolled unveils their new single, “Triumphant Monsters,” a song that exposes the platform society gives to those who value their own success over the greater good.
“Triumphant Monsters” is lifted from the band’s forthcoming fourth studio album, Soulsex, slated to be released on January 2, 2025.
Talking about the upcoming album, vocalist/guitarist Zach Black shares, “We feel like the album captures perfectly the meaning of the band. Souls Extolled has always meant a celebration of our souls, spirits, or unique consciousnesses through music or art in general.”
Black goes on to say “If this is the last music I ever release, I’m absolutely ok with that. This is the album for me.”
The soon-to-be-released Soulsex follows 2022’s MMXXII, the quasi-experimental psych rock album that attracted national significance, featuring “Down To Go,” “Never Like Before,” and “1K Red Balloons.”
Produced by Chris “Frenchie” Smith, the album was recorded at Austin’s Bubble Studio. Soulsex highlights the scope of the band’s collective artistry, as the talents of Zach Black, JP Ortiz (bass), and Joe Valadez (drums) merge into a sound elevating the sum of its parts.
“Triumphant Monsters” rolls out on edgy guitars riding a tight, funk-lite rhythm laced with hints of reggae. On the chorus, dreamy psychedelic guitars complement the high-pitched vocals, radiating a sense of portentous urgency. After the edgy solo section, the tempo takes on a snowballing effect, intensifying the turmoil of the song’s flow.
The lyrics reveal the dearth of morality frequently observed in individuals whose raison d’être is the accumulation of power and money – exploiting others to amplify themselves rather than helping others.
“Do you believe in triumphant monsters / All I see is the coming disaster … / Bend your knee to the only master.”
Crucially direct in its message, “Triumphant Monsters” channels pressing emotions atop deliciously skanky reggae surfaces.