​Soul Rash - Trilogy

​Soul Rash

Trilogy
self-released; 2026

By Jamie Funk
​

Trilogy finds Soul Rash following every promising idea, even when it leads somewhere unexpected. Across the album, the Laramie, Wyoming group moves from desert rock swagger to cosmic prog, then veers into country without pausing to explain the route. That restlessness gives the record its charm, though it also makes the band’s identity difficult to pin down. 

Formed during the pandemic, Soul Rash brings together Christopher Smith, Billy McKee, Jim Roberts, Chris Rybitski, and Brett Roberts. The five musicians work primarily as a studio project, drawing openly from Black Sabbath, Kansas, Pink Floyd, and Gov’t Mule. Since commercial touring is not part of the equation, recording has become the center of the band’s creative life.

Their third album, Trilogy, took three years to complete. Production paused for nearly two years while Roberts built Timber Canyon Studios in Wyoming, where most of the record was eventually made. Additional sessions took place at Carriage House Studios in Connecticut and other locations. The finished album sounds appropriately large, with towering drums, dense guitars, and little interest in restraint.

Opener “Divided We Stand” arrives with the thick guitars and crooked confidence of Queens of the Stone Age. Its construction is straightforward, but the band attacks it with enough volume and urgency to keep the familiar moves effective. A blaring solo provides the expected release. Anyone won over by this track will probably find plenty to enjoy across the album, even if the songs that follow refuse to remain in the same lane.

“Perfect Time” could almost be the work of another band. Its spacious reverb and patient atmosphere lean heavily toward Pink Floyd, replacing the opener’s blunt force with something more distant and dreamlike. The title track favors polished grandeur, while “Drink With the Devil” returns to the album’s cosmic tendencies. “Whiskey Town,” meanwhile, introduces a clear country influence.
As the album progresses "Breeze", "Hold Out Your Hand" and "Have a Cigar" were highlights. 

Soul Rash changes styles often enough that its reference points sometimes come into sharper focus than its own personality. That variety keeps Trilogy moving, but it also leaves the group’s signature somewhat elusive.

​That said I found plenty to appreciate here and thought the songs were well written, the production was great and liked the performances. Soul Rash direct riffs, prominent solos, and choruses designed to register quickly. That familiarity makes the album immediately accessible, while the band’s enthusiasm prevents it from feeling purely academic. I suspect many listeners will respond to that  combination of craftsmanship, volume, and unabashed affection for great and timeless genres. Check this out!

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