I’ve just been reading some Stephen King, and so were Souls Extolled when crafting their new album, Soulsex.

By Graeme Smith

The Austin, Texas, USA-based act used the author’s Fairy Tale for the some of the basis of their album. As lead vocalist Zach Black puts it: “I found inspiration in fantasy literature… to denote how our journey through life teaches us to discern what’s really important, and how in doing so we become the hero of our story.”

It’s the album’s single, GOLD, that typifies this sentiment the most, philosophically dwelling on the constructs of our world through a driving indie rock arrangement.

Other singles The Cut and Triumphant Monsters provide the album’s early listening, giving us contrasting sounds. The Cut opens the album in vibrant style, getting right into it with big riffs, noodling guitar and passionate vocals while Triumphant Monsters is punchy and poppy, and has plenty to say with its poetic lyrics. Vanguard sits between the two, taking things in an indie rock direction with expressive vocals.

Father’s Before is slow and soulful social commentary while Johnny TFC delivers some edgy, punk rock. A Star Is Born is a ’90s rock-infused anthem before GOLD closes the album in triumphant style.

There’s such a wonderful diversity of genre on display across Souls Extolled’s new album, but each track is unmistakably theirs. They don’t shy away from the big topics with their lyrics and use poetry and imagery to great effect to make their points. It’s a beautifully put-together record.

Soulsex was recorded in Austin at Bubble Studio with Chris “Frenchie” Smith and is out 2 January 2025. You can pre-save it here.