Royal Bliss is a modern rock band hailing from Salt Lake City, UT crafting heavy-yet-melodic anthems that take influence from artists like Led Zeppelin, Johnny Cash and more. They’ve been around for over a decade, releasing their debut album in 2009 through Capitol Records and two more LPs which they self-released. After a bit of a break over the last few years, the band is back in action, with a refreshed sound that’s better than ever. Today we’re excited to premiere a new song and video from the band, “Medication,” which features Shimone Moore aka Shim formerly of Australian alt-metal band Sick Puppies.
The video opens from the outside of a mental hospital, with dull Muzak playing in the background before a service announcement states: “Do not attempt to play music” and a sign crossing out the words “Live Music.” The members of the band are bound in straight jackets on the floor of a padded room, their only entertainment banal infomercials. The song’s rambling Southern rock-influenced opening riff bursts in as the patients are “examined” by the doctors and forced to take various medications for their “illness.”
“The basic concept was to have music be the medication,” says lead singer and frontman Neal Middleton. “So, being locked up in strait jackets and breaking out of the hospital to get to our ‘real medication’ was the perfect mash up of ideas. All the scenes and shooting locations fell into place perfectly. It was great to watch the video concept come to life. Working with Robyn, Matt and their team was great! They really executed the video perfectly! And it was all done while following extreme Covid restrictions.”
The chorus of the song with its hammering riffs and repeated refrain of “Where’s my / Where’s my medication” is accompanied by “woah-oh-ohs” from the background vocalists. With its relatable message, powerful energy and accesible melodicism, this is a song that could easily find itself at home on modern rock radio and seems tailor-made for the live sets, offering plenty of opportunities for sing-alongs.
“I had the verse melody for ‘Medication’ for a while before I brought it to the band, but I could never finish it,” said Shim. “Within 20 minutes of showing it to the band, we had the chorus and that’s when I knew the song was going to be something special. We both spoke the same language. It’s a blessing to have a song coming out with the guys that comes from a personal place,yet is so meaningful on another level for everyone right now in these ‘unprecedented times’.”
About that opening guitar riff, which sets the tone of “Medication” early on as a burst of pure energy:
“I remember jamming with Neal and Shim on the tune, and Shim being so quick with everything,” said guitarist Taylor Richards. “His brain just rapid firing ideas! At one point Shim said, ‘We need a riff. Taylor give me a fucking bad ass riff, mate!’ and the guitar riff instantly came right out of me. Once we had the arrangement down, the lyrics and theme fit great with the vibe of the music. It was aggressive, yet meaningful. The lyrics mean even more now than they did when being written. Music being the medication we all need right now.”
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