In the summer of 2015, under a soft, warm breeze with the tantalizing aroma of barbecue filling the air, a simple weekend project transformed into a musical journey that would reach the Billboard charts.
Rokk, feeling inspired, reached out to two of his friends, Max and Alex, to lay down a rock'n'roll track. As they cleaned out a garage to set up their makeshift studio, they cobbled together the least sophisticated equipment to capture that raw, garage band sound. By the end of the Saturday evening, their song was complete. Surprisingly, the song started playing on FM radio stations before the trio even had a band name. In a rush to formalize their unexpected success, they dubbed themselves Captain Morgan’s Revenge. Their journey gained momentum, seeing them play some of the best venues in Slovenia, change some members, release a near-live album, and land their first record deal.
However, it wasn't long before they faced their first major hurdle. First, they had to change their name (for obvious reasons – just google it). So, in 2020 they escalated to XSKULL8, (get it?). But the relationship with their first label soured quickly due to creative differences, prompting them to break away and independently produce their album "From Sin To Sinners" free from external constraints. XSKULL8's music, which they simply referred to as 'rock' despite its metal influences, is honest and straightforward, yet polished and contemporary.
As the world was still upside down in 2021, the band pondered the right time to release their new album. Deciding to wait turned out to be a fortuitous decision; they signed with another label and released "Leaves are Falling" as their first single. This track not only charted but soared, reaching the TOP 20 in major rock charts and the TOP 10 in Billboards secondary rock charts, competing against the biggest names in the industry.
Encouraged by this success, the band began working on their next album, hoping their newfound recognition would catapult them to international stages. However, the expected momentum did not materialize. Instead, the quiet period that followed led to the creation of an EP titled "When the New Day Comes," which narrated the challenges of lockdowns, depression, anxiety, anger, and ultimately, survival and revelation.
As of May 2024, the band is back in the studio, pouring their hopes and lessons learned into new tracks, focusing steadfastly on a brighter future. This is more than just a story of music; it's a narrative of resilience, evolution, and the undying spirit of rock'n'roll.
Comments