Royal Tusk
{{primary sources|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Royal Tusk
| image =
| image_size =
| landscape = yes
| caption = Royal Tusk in 2018
| alias =
| origin = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Musician-Band/royaltusk/about/|title=Royal Tusk|website=Facebook.com|accessdate=2020-03-25}}
| genre = Heavy metal, hard rock
| occupation =
| instrument =
| years_active = 2013–present
| label = eOne, MapleMusic, Hidden Pony
| associated_acts = Ten Second Epic, Monster Truck, Like A Storm, Metric
| website =
| current_members = Daniel Carriere
Sandy MacKinnon
Quinn Cyrankiewicz
| past_members = Mike James
Calen Stuckel
}}
Royal Tusk is a Canadian rock band from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, consisting of Daniel Carriere (vocals), Quinn Cyrankiewicz (guitar) and Sandy MacKinnon (bass).
History
=2011–2014: Origins and ''Mountain''=
The band formed in 2011 in Edmonton, in the shadow of Carriere and MacKinnon's previous band, Ten Second Epic. They started writing songs for their debut EP, Mountain. The EP was recorded in Edmonton in 2014, and released by Canadian independent record label Hidden Pony Records.{{cite web |url=http://hiddenpony.ca/artists/ |title=Artists — Hidden Pony |website=hiddenpony.ca |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012225754/http://hiddenpony.ca/artists/ |archive-date=12 October 2013 |url-status=dead}} The single Shadow of Love from the EP received airplay in local radio stations.
=2015–2017: ''DealBreaker''=
After minimal touring off of the success of their EP, the band started to record their first album. DealBreaker was released on May 26, 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.maplemusic.com/artists/rts/bio.asp |title=Royal Tusk Biography |website=www.maplemusic.com |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423201930/http://www.maplemusic.com/artists/rts/bio.asp |archive-date=23 April 2016 |url-status=dead}} The album spawned two singles, 'Fever' and 'Curse the Weather.' Fever received music video treatment, but Curse the Weather did not.
=2018–2021: ''Tusk II'' and breakthrough=
In 2018, the band released their sophomore album with their new label, Entertainment One Music. Tusk II was released on October 25, 2018. The first single from the album, Aftermath, was released earlier in the month, peaked at #36 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/royal-tusk|title=Royal Tusk|website=Billboard.com|accessdate=2020-03-25}} The music video for Aftermath was directed by Evan Owen Dennis,{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BmrDCsPDgPx/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BmrDCsPDgPx |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|title=R O Y A L T U S K on Instagram: "A couple of weeks ago we shot the upcoming video for Aftermath. Planning the shoot was taxing and many times felt as though it may be too…"|website=Instagram.com|accessdate=2020-03-25}}{{cbignore}} and was released on October 4, 2018. The album's third single, Die Knowing's music video was directed by Keenan Kirk{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nozEWyrwzCY |title=Royal Tusk - die Knowing 'Official Video' - YouTube |website=www.youtube.com |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606104029/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nozEWyrwzCY |archive-date=6 June 2020 |url-status=dead}} and was released on January 20, 2019.
=2021–Present: Covid-19 Impacts=
On August 26, 2021 the band announced via Instagram that due to illness they would be canceling their upcoming tour. It was revealed on April 5, 2022 that the cancelation was due to Daniel Carriere developing severe Long COVID symptoms. The Band set up a GoFundMe to help support Daniel during his recovery.
The band released new singles "All My Life" and "Head Up" on July 7 and August 25, 2023 respectively.{{cite web|title=@royaltuskmusic on Instagram: "All My Life" is out now! Words can't express how good it feels for us to release new music after this long. Thank you for sticking with us - this is just the start of a new beginning for Tusk ❤️|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CuZaMUkrMhj|date=2023-07-07|accessdate=2023-09-05|website=instagram.com}}/{{cite web|title=@royaltuskmusic on Instagram: "Head Up" streaming everywhere now! Link in Bio 🤘|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CwXnnTNr_T9/|date=2023-08-25|accessdate=2023-09-05|website=instagram.com}} The music video for "Head Up" was directed by Travis Nesbitt, and was released on the same day as the single itself.{{cite web|title=Royal Tusk - Head Up (Official Music Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqMA0tKG9-s|date=2023-08-25|accessdate=2023-09-05|website=youtube.com}}/
In 2025, Stony Plain-based artist Keenan Gregory won a Juno Award for his design for Royal Tusk's 2024 album Altruistic.{{Cite news |title=‘It really does feel surreal’: Alberta graphic designer wins Juno award for album art |last=Dyer |first=Stephen |date=2025-04-08 |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/it-really-does-feel-surreal-alberta-graphic-designer-wins-juno-award-for-album-art/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |work=CTV News}}
Members
=Present=
- Daniel Carriere – vocals, rhythm guitar (2013–present)
- Quinn Cyrankiewicz – lead guitar, backing vocals (2013–present)
- Sandy MacKinnon – bass, backing vocals (2013–present)
=Past=
Timeline
{{#tag:timeline|
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Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/2013 till:05/09/2023
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
ScaleMajor = increment:1 start:2013
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:2013
Colors =
id:LV value:red legend:Lead_vocals
id:G value:green legend:Lead_guitar
id:RG value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitar
id:B value:blue legend:Bass
id:D value:orange legend:Drums
id:K value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:studio value:black legend:Studio_release
id:ep value:gray(0.6) legend:EP_release
LineData =
layer:back
color:studio
at:26/05/2016
at:25/10/2018
color:ep
at:10/06/2014
BarData =
bar:DC text:"Daniel Carriere"
bar:QC text:"Quinn Cyrankiewicz"
bar:SM text:"Sandy MacKinnon"
bar:MJ text:"Mike James"
bar:CS text:"Calen Stuckel"
PlotData=
width:11
bar:DC from:01/01/2013 till:end color:LV
bar:DC from:01/01/2013 till:end color:RG width:3
bar:QC from:01/01/2013 till:end color:G
bar:QC from:01/01/2013 till:end color:LV width:3
bar:SM from:01/01/2013 till:end color:B
bar:SM from:01/01/2013 till:end color:LV width:3
bar:MJ from:01/01/2013 till:01/01/2016 color:K
bar:MJ from:01/01/2013 till:01/01/2016 color:G width:3
bar:CS from:01/01/2013 till:01/01/2020 color:D
}}
Discography
=Albums=
- Mountain (2014)
- DealBreaker (2016)
- Tusk II (2018)
- Altruistic (2024)
=Singles=
- "Shadow of Love" (2014)
- "Smoke Rings" (2014)
- "Fever" (2016)
- "Curse the Weather" (2016)
- "Aftermath" (2018)
- "Reflection" (2019)
- "First Time" (2019)
- "Die Knowing" (2020)
- "All My Life" (2023) https://www.royaltuskband.com/ retrieved 6/19/2023
- "Head Up" (2023) https://www.royaltuskband.com/ retrieved 9/5/2023
=Charting singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| rowspan="2"| Title
! rowspan="2"| Year ! colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="width:40px;"|US Main. Rock {{cite magazine |title=Royal Tusk Chart History - Mainstream Rock Songs |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/royal-tusk |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=29 January 2019}} ! style="width:40px;"| CAN. Rock |
| scope="row"| "Shadow of Love"
|2014 | — | 37 | Mountain |
| scope="row"| "Aftermath"
| 2018 | 32 | 24 | rowspan=3|Tusk II |
| scope="row"| "First Time"
| 2019 | — | 13 |
| scope="row"| "Die Knowing"
| 2020 | — | 30 |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Video ! Director |
|---|
| rowspan="2"| 2014
| "Shadow of Love" | Royal Tusk |
| "Smoke Rings"
| harv |
| 2016
| "Fever" | Travis Nesbitt |
| 2018
| "Aftermath" | Evan Owen Dennis |
| 2019
| "Reflection" | Keenan Kirk |
| 2020
| "Die Knowing" | Keenan Kirk |
| 2023
| "Head Up" | Travis Nesbitt |
References
{{Reflist}}