“I couldn’t get on stage, because I didn’t have a band, a singer or anything,” Ibanez recalls. “It was just about survival, but also needing to play music again.”
Ibanez kept writing, mostly alone in his room, just like the old days.
“I wasn’t done, so I just kept writing,” he says.
After cranking out a few solid riffs, Ibanez contacted Skourge vocalist Seth Gilmore to join in on the writing sessions.
"I heard one of the new Skourge recordings, and his vocals were starting to turn a corner and show some range," Ibanez says. "His voice sounded really good, so I was like, ‘Why don’t we try to write some music together?'"
Those writing sessions eventually gave rise to Fort Worth-based Fugitive, his new band with Gilmore on vocals, Lincoln Mullins on drums, longtime Denton hardcore fixture Andy Messer on bass and Victor Guitierrez on guitar. On Sunday, July 13, Fugitive will be a part of Hatebreed's 2025 edition of the Summer Slaughter Tour, joining other metal/hardcore bands including Malevolence, Gridiron, Escuela Grind, Incite, Snuffed On Sight and Bleeding Through. North Texas heavyweights Creeping Death were added to the Dallas and Oklahoma City dates, with Hatebreed promising more bands will be announced for other dates soon.
Ibanez, Gilmore and Mullins barely had time to unpack after a reconfigured Power Trip tour to Europe in June, which included supporting Pantera’s long-awaited return to the continent. They're loading up a van and hitting the road again.
Fugitive signed to Blue Grape Music, becoming part of a roster that also includes bands like Superheaven, Spiritual Cramp and Gridiron.
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“I just got back on Sunday, and then I’m leaving on Tuesday to go on tour,” he says. “It’s only a two-and-a-half-week tour, but I’m kind of like, ‘Damn, I’d just like to be home right now.’ But it’s cool. I’m thankful that I have two bands that people give a shit about and have the opportunity to play and do cool things.”
Ibanez earned a Grammy nomination with Power Trip in 2021 for Best Metal Performance of “Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe)” live. On playing with Gilmore, Ibanez says, "We work pretty well together. Once he proved that he was able to follow my lead, it was like, 'Oh, this is turning out how Power Trip was.' Like we have the same capabilities and potential."
While most of the riffs were originally intended for Power Trip, Ibanez says Gilmore brought a new creative edge.
"He has a little more in his bag in terms of what he can do with his voice," Ibanez explains, "He's down to let me steer the ship and tell him to do things or try things."
Gilmore's willingness to be "coached" during writing sessions echoes how Ibanez once worked with Gale. But unlike Gale, who wanted to preserve his creative autonomy, Gilmore is more open to collaboration.
"Riley wanted to do his own thing," Ibanez acknowledges with a chuckle. "He would do things that I would suggest, but he still wanted it to be his idea."
Now, Ibanez is fully in control of the vision.
"The difference is now I write all the songs by myself, and then [Seth and I] work on the vocals together," Ibanez explains. "It requires me to think a little bit more about the whole thing before we get started."
Fugitive came out swinging with their 2022 debut EP Maniac and its blistering follow-up Blast Furnace, quickly grabbing the metal world by the throat — a response that caught Ibanez somewhat off guard. "I guess all the years and time we put in with Power Trip has allowed people to pay attention," Ibanez says. "I was pretty confident people would dig it, but being able to, right out of the gate, go and play shows and get opportunities has been really nice."
The response eventually led to the band signing with Blue Grape Music, helmed by former Roadrunner Records execs Cees Wessels and Dave Rath.
"Blue Grape is basically this guy, Dave Rath, who was at Roadrunner for a really long time," Ibanez explains. "He's worked with everybody from Slipknot to Nickelback and Turnstile. He's a really good dude."
In May, Fugitive released their Blue Grape debut and latest single "Spheres of Virulence," an absolute ripper of a track that Stereogum says "moves with speed and authority."
While "Spheres" is a killer glimpse of what is to come, fans of the thrash n' roll supergroup will have to wait a bit longer for additional music.
"We got some other stuff that we recorded," Ibanez says. "We've been so busy with all of this other shit. Seth's in Power Trip, and Lincoln is the drum tech in Power Trip, so we're just trying to finish it up."
With Power Trip officially back and frontman Seth Gilmore now pulling double duty on vocals, guitarist Blake Ibanez admits that juggling both bands is starting to take its toll.
“As it’s gone on, it’s starting to get a little bit much, having to split my creative self between two bands,” Ibanez says. “I’d rather just write what I want and not think about, ‘Oh, this could maybe sound more like Power Trip,’ or ‘This is like Fugitive,’ or whatever.”
Still, the band plans to go all-out for their first official tour, with a rowdy hometown-ish show planned for The Bomb Factory. "It's been a while [since we've played in Dallas], so it will be nice," Ibanez says.
Hatebreed, with special guests Fugitive, Creeping Death, Gridiron, Escuela Grind and Incite, will perform on Sunday, July 13, at 6:30 p.m. at The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St. Tickets are available starting at $45.21 on AXS.com.
