Riley Gale, the singer for Dallas, Texas thrash metal band Power Trip, died Monday, his family confirmed in a statement. He was 34. The cause of death has not been publicly revealed.
“It is with greatest of sadness we must announce that our lead singer and brother Riley Gale passed away last night,” the family of Gale wrote in a statement shared on Power Trip’s Twitter. “Riley was a friend, a brother, a son. Riley was both a larger than life rock star and a humble and giving friend.
“He touched so many lives through his lyrics and through his huge heart. He treated everyone he met as a friend and he always took care of his friends. We will celebrate Riley’s life and never forget the great works of music, charity, and love that he left behind. You, the fans, meant so much to him, please know how special you are.” In the statement, the family also invited fans to share their memories.
Formed in 2008, the band released two full-length albums on Southern Lord, 2013’s Manifest Decimation and 2017’s Nightmare Logic. The latter made Rolling Stone‘s “20 Best Albums of 2017,” which was noted for “frontman Riley Gale’s ferociously flabbergasted bark: Rather than trading in straight-up rage, he delivers lines like ‘You’re waiting around to die/And I can’t fucking stand it!’ with something approaching bewildered indignation.”
In 2018 they released the compilation album Opening Fire: 2008-2014, with Live in Seattle 05.28.2018 coming out earlier this year. Gale also appeared on Body Count’s “Point the Finger” from Carnivore. “I’m devastated, ” Body Count frontman Ice-T tweeted. “Still don’t know how… I’m speechless.”
A funeral and visitation arrangements are pending.
— POWER TRIP (@powertriptx) August 26, 2020