Review ROYAL TUSK ‘Altruistic’

Royal Tusk come from Canada and have dedicated themselves to modern sounding alternative rock. However, the guys don’t hail from Canada’s big cities. Neither Toronto nor Montreal are the trio’s hometowns, but instead they are based in laid-back Edmonton, whose hockey team has just completed a 15-game winning streak. Royal Tusk’s development has been similarly successful.

Formed in 2013, it was the EP ‘Mountain’ that first attracted attention. Their debut album ‘DealBreaker’ was released in 2016, before ‘Tusk II’ was a breakthrough moment for the band.

Musically, the new album is a continuation of what the band delivered on their sophomore album. Energetic and with a good punch, songs like the varied ‘All My Life’ and ‘Here On Out’ create an electrifying atmosphere with throbbing beats and powerful riffs. Also worth mentioning is the rock-infused title track, which combines a good melodic line with a very robust heaviness.

Despite all the enthusiasm, it should not be forgotten that working on the latest album was not easy. On the one hand, there was the pandemic, which slowed everything down. At the same time, Daniel Carriere was struggling with health problems. A blood clot in his lungs caused him to lose 10 kilos and at times he was barely able to speak. However, this exceptional situation also shows the cohesion within the band and the willpower to complete the album. You can hear this spirit and determination throughout ‘Altruistic’.

Royal Tusk have mastered their journey through the ups and downs and have created a superb album with ‘Altruistic’. With this record, the guys solidify their position when it comes to powerful modern rock, and soon it won’t just be the Oilers only you think of when you hear Edmonton.