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] - feature undeniable melodies inside of great riffs. 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.” They have 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.” 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 artists ranging from Bush, Fuel, 10 Years, to Hellyeah and Nonpoint. In early 2019, the single “Brother” went 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. 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. “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.”