Heavy Metallers RIVETSKULL

Stream / Listen HERE
Watch the Music Video HERE
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Photo credit: "Iron" Mike Savoia

Today, Seattle heavy metal powerhouse RIVETSKULL unleashes a gripping cover of Taylor Swift’s “Haunted.” Originally featured on Taylor Swift’s 'Speak Now' album, “Haunted” is steeped in brooding drama. RIVETSKULL leans fully into that atmosphere, reimagining the song with a heavy edge while staying true to its emotional core. The cover arrives accompanied by a striking new music video, available below.

Mark X. Plog, RIVETSKULL guitarist, explains:

“In the ongoing pursuit to grow our audience, Chad half-jokingly suggested covering a Taylor Swift song to see if we could potentially tap into some of her massive social media reach. The idea stuck with me. I’ve got two daughters — strong, smart, independent, and constantly pushing against a world that still tells women to sit down and stay quiet. That’s the same fire I see in Taylor. (And yeah, f**k the patriarchy)."

"Out of curiosity, I started listening to her catalog, and 'Haunted' stopped me cold. It’s not one of her biggest hits, but it had the kind of emotional tension and drama that made sense for RIVETSKULL. I put together a rough demo and sent it to the band. They didn’t hesitate — it was a yes."

Mark continues, "While recording, something unexpected happened. With a male voice singing the lyrics, the tone shifted. It felt darker. Almost threatening. Instead of backing away from that, we decided to explore it. We leaned into that intensity in the video, but it was important that we didn’t glorify the more unsettling elements. The story had to end with the woman taking her power back."

"Covering 'Haunted' gave us a chance to put a heavy spin on a song with real emotional weight and to honor the strength of women, including Taylor herself. We’re also taking this opportunity to spotlight NoMoreDirectory.org — a global resource for anyone seeking help with domestic or sexual violence.”

Watch the Music Video for "Haunted" HERE:

Link to Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NgJPe2bgn2g?si=BBLCKsXj3vBOCnaM

Stream / Listen to "Haunted" HERE

Visit MoMoreDirectory.org HERE + Please Share!

RIVETSKULL’s tour continues to fuse their own music with a celebration of Ronnie James Dio’s legendary catalog, see the full list of dates below.

RIVETSKULL Live:

Sep 12 – Belfast, UK @Mandella Hall
Sep 13 – Drogheda, IE @McHughs
Sep 19 – Dublin, IE @Opium
Oct 11 – San Antonio, TX @Fitzgerald’s
Nov 14 – Las Vegas, NV @The Space
Nov 15 – Tucson, AZ @The Rock
Nov 22 – Boise, ID @Heritage Social Club