THE SKULL – the heavy doom-rock band featuring original TROUBLE members vocalist Eric Wagner and drummer Jeff “Oly” Olson, alongside longtime former TROUBLE bassist Ron Holzner and SACRED DAWN guitarist Lothar Keller – have added former PENTAGRAM guitarist Matt Goldsborough (pictured below) to the group’s ranks. He will be taking over for the departing Chuck Robinson, who has decided to step down due to his demanding professional career and, therefore, cannot commit to the THE SKULL’s upcoming tour dates.

The band comments: “Timing was perfect when we met Matt and everything just seemed to fall into place at the right time when we needed a replacement. Matt is very laid back, has a captivating stage presence, and his riffs are electrifying!”

“If you’ve ever seen him live with PENTAGRAM, you’ll know what we are talking about.”

The band continued, “We all understand and support Chuck’s decision. He is welcome on stage with us as a guest guitarist anytime, and we wish our brother well.”

Matt Goldsborough is Philadelphia-based guitarist who joined PENTAGRAM last April 2013 and performed with the legendary band throughout the United States and Europe until original PENTAGRAM guitarist VICTOR GRIFFIN (IN~GRAVED) decided to re-join earlier this year.

PENTAGRAM stated in a press release last April about Goldsborough, “His style hearkens back to the very origins of heavy metal itself when heavy blues and psychedelic rock guitarists pioneered the genre in an attempt to harden rock and roll.”

Photo by Ty Klingsick

As previously reported, THE SKULL has unleashed two new singles recorded with acclaimed producer/engineer Billy Anderson (MELVINS, NEUROSIS). The “limited-edition” white vinyl replica CD featuring “Sometime Yesterday Mourning” (side A) and “The Last Judgment” (side B) was made available last Tuesday (April 8) via Tee Pee Records.

“Sometime Yesterday Mourning” and “The Last Judgment” can be streamed at the Tee Pee Records website.

http://teepeerecords.com/index.php

“Sometime Yesterday Mourning” is a doomy metal song written by Keller, Holzner and Wagner that showcases the genre pioneers’ distinct style while “The Last Judgment” is a “revisiting” of the classic TROUBLE song of the same name that originally appeared on the classic 1983 “Metal Massacre IV” compilation album.

“I think “Sometime Yesterday Mourning” is the perfect song for THE SKULL to lead with and there’s a reason why it was the first song we completed as a band,” commented Wagner. “It’s about coming to a point in life when it’s just time for a new beginning, a fresh start if you will, and finally coming to terms with the past.

“Being that it is the 30th anniversary of the release of the song “The Last Judgment” — the first song we ever released — we thought it fit perfectly for the B-side and considering what “Sometime Yesterday Mourning” is about, it made sense to me. You have to go through your past to get to your future.”

THE SKULL has confirmed the following three shows.

May 09 – Cleveland, Ohio – The Grog Shop
May 10 – Chicago, Illinois- Reggies
August 29 – Montreal, Canada – The Wings of Metal Festival

The Wings of Metal Festival will be a headlining performance consisting of two sets. The first set will be a performance of TROUBLE’s 1984 debut album “Psalm 9” in it’s entirety. The second set will include a performance of their newly recorded songs as well as TROUBLE classics.

THE SKULL will follow the release of the new songs with its debut full length LP, tentatively slated for release this autumn.

THE SKULL is:

Eric Wagner – vocals
Jeff “Oly” Olson – drums/keys
Ron Holzner – bass
Lothar Keller – guitar
Matt Goldsborough – guitar