Royal Tusk Share 'Do No Wrong: The Making of Altruistic' Documentary As Album Arrives

02-25-2024

(The Syndicate) Alberta rock trio Royal Tusk released their highly anticipated album, Altruistic via MNRK Music Group with an accompanying documentary out now, Do No Wrong: The Making of Altruistic.

Royal Tusk bottle raw feelings of alienation into a clarion call on the most recent single, "Hated." The soaring melody resounds with undeniable honesty underlined by fret-burning lead licks.. "It was written from the point-of-view of someone who is labeled unredeemable," frontman Daniel Carriere said. "It doesn't campaign for this person's innocence, but it poses a question. If our world can't believe an individual can change, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Change is a running theme for this body of work. I think people can and do change. It's the hardest thing, yet it's possible."

Spending nearly a year writing throughout the pandemic, the trio eventually hunkered down in Alberta's Audio Department recording studio where they self-produced Altruistic. "We usually go out of town to record, but due to the Pandemic we looked for a place locally," said Carriere. "There was this crazy old studio in town, and it hadn't been updated or anything. It was very vintage. We made it our home for this one."

With an unwavering determination, the band faced highs and lows that pushed them to the brink, including an almost career-ending illness that threatened to shatter their dreams. In the midst of the process, Carriere wound up in the throes of a year-long battle to get healthy after suffering from a blood clot in his lung. He lost over 20lbs and could barely speak.

"Sandy [bassist] and Quinn [guitarist] helped me through the entire experience," Carriere said. "These songs were written prior to this life-changing event, but they still tell a story of struggle, suffering, uncertainty, courage, and watching your back. It's bizarre how that happened. When I think of them now, they definitely illustrate what we all went through."

Throughout their trials and tribulations of friendships, brotherhood and tenacity prevail. In the documentary, witness the raw emotion, sweat, and imaginative determination as they pour their hearts and souls into creating what is undeniably one of the most powerful rock albums of the decade. It's a story of passion, triumph over adversity, and the creation of a musical Tour de force that will redefine your perception of rock 'n' roll and the human spirit.

"When an album kicks supreme ass, I'll play air guitar or pretend I'm singing," said bassist Sandy MacKinnon. "We want our music to inspire a physical reaction because we put so much into the lyrics and writing. I really hope you want to blast it in your car and headbang."

The debut single, "All My Life" has vulnerable verses giving way to a riff-boosted refrain with words of encouragement, "There's nothing left to lose, but you've just gotta want it. Never started over new. It's what I've been waiting for all my life."

"Sometimes, you might go far in one direction, but you feel stuck because you actually want to do something else," Carriere adds. "You can wake up and do things differently though. You don't need to be a slave to a fate you didn't want. Ultimately, it's about finding it inside yourself to change."

Then, there's "Head Up" with an emotionally charged vocal delivery kickstarts a chain reaction with a head-nodding guitar groove. The melodic bridge bleeds into a skyscraping chorus uplifted by a reminder, "So you better keep your head up."

"Things are going to hit you from all sides, so you need to be ready for anything," elaborates MacKinnon.

Additional singles from this record include, "Here On Out" which locks and loads a hummable riff with a chantable chorus. "To me, the more people who resign to their fate and don't live their true selves, the more f***ed up the world becomes," Carriere said. While "Relegate" stands out as a different kind of love song. "It's about slipping away and losing your ground in a relationship like you can't hold on," Carriere concludes.