Pipebomb Radio NYC - Interview with Rokk of Xskull8

Escalate on Pipe Bomb Radio NYC

Ricky is joined by Lars and Rock from Xskull8 for a wide-ranging conversation about the band’s name change, lineup, studio workflow, lyrical themes, and plans to tour beyond Slovenia. The episode also digs into how Escalate builds songs with a large creative team, why their sound has evolved, and what fans can expect next.In this episode:

• Rock explains the origin of the old name, Captain Morgan’s Revenge, as a drunken joke that stuck long enough to become a band identity
• The band’s shift to Escalate in 2020 was tied to a label deal, lineup changes, and a desire for a name that matched the music’s growth
• Rock breaks down how the live lineup works with key players like Klamon on drums, Johnny on guitar, and Nate on bass
• The full team behind the band includes producer Matei Pichavar at Cosmosonic Studio, live sound engineer Ape, driver Alan, manager Tina, merch and finance lead Susannah, photographer Simon, and the video crew Mirror to Mirror
• Escalate’s studio process is highly collaborative and efficient, with demos built at home and songs shaped closely with Matei before recording
• Rock talks about the meaning behind A Minute for Tomorrow, which is about not judging people too quickly and giving relationships time to reveal who someone really is
• He cites Black Stone Cherry as the spark that started the project, with later influence from Alter Bridge, Five Finger Death Punch, and several late 1990s and 2000s rock and metal bands
• The band aims for albums that feel cohesive but still varied, avoiding records that sound identical from start to finish or jump randomly between genres
• Rock shares his five questions of death answers, including Phil Collins as his dream show collaborator and Parkway Drive as a current band he’d love to share a stage with
• Leaves Are Falling is described as a song about sharing problems, finding perspective over time, and letting life’s struggles make more sense with age
• The Leaves Are Falling video was filmed under strict COVID curfew limits in one day across two locations, making the shoot intense but ultimately successful
• Escalate’s next big goal is touring, especially in the United States, after chart success and growing attention outside Slovenia

Timestamps: (0:12) - Pipe Bomb Radio NYC intro and welcome to Xskull8 (1:09) - The drunken origin of Captain Morgan’s Revenge (2:07) - Why the band changed its name to Escalate (4:47) - How the live lineup and extended crew shape the band (7:03) - Producer Matei Pichavar and the fast studio workflow (8:00) - Live sound, logistics, management, merch, and visual production (12:32) - Playing Poland and hopes for more European shows (18:19) - The meaning behind A Minute for Tomorrow (21:19) - Musical influences from Black Stone Cherry to modern metal (23:24) - Making albums cohesive without sounding repetitive (25:42) - The five questions of death (26:14) - Late-night snacks and favorite fries (27:51) - Dream collaborations: Phil Collins, Killswitch Engage, Parkway Drive (29:39) - Rock’s pre-show and pre-studio routine (33:03) - Early listening habits and first major influences (34:54) - First CD memories, including Elvis Presley and John Williams (40:40) - The message behind Leaves Are Falling (41:11) - Filming the Leaves Are Falling video during COVID curfew (44:04) - Touring goals in the United States and Europe (47:00) - Rock’s lyric writing process and co-writing with Johnny (48:27) - Social media, fan group, and where to find the band (49:36) - Closing thanks and sign-off

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