Rival Sons guitarist announces new solo project and debut album

Rival Sons guitarist Scott Holiday has announced his new solo project, HOL1D4Y, and revealed plans to release his debut album, TOPOLOGY, on September 25 via Sacred Tongue Recordings, the band’s label, with worldwide distribution through Thirty Tigers.

Alongside the announcement, Holiday has released the album’s first single, “Veridream.” The track blends psychedelic rock, vintage-inspired fuzz tones, progressive synthesizers and pop influences, offering a first look at the direction of the new project.

According to the album announcement, TOPOLOGY explores themes of awareness, consciousness, healing, human connection and the impact of technology on modern life. The record was recorded and self-produced at Holiday’s home studio.

The project began with a simple daily writing routine. Holiday committed to entering the studio each morning and creating a new musical idea, whether it was a complete song or a brief musical sketch. As those ideas accumulated, he recognized a common musical thread that leaned toward psychedelic experimentation, atmospheric textures and rhythmic exploration that differed from his work with Rival Sons.

Longtime collaborator and Rival Sons drummer Michael Miley contributed improvised drum recordings that Holiday edited and reshaped into the rhythmic foundation of the songs. Keyboardist Jesse Nason later expanded the sound by adding vintage Moog, Mellotron, Oberheim and Prophet synthesizers.

What initially began as an instrumental project took a dramatic turn after Holiday suffered serious injuries in a bicycle accident.

The accident left him with six broken ribs, a shoulder injury, a head injury and months of recovery. During that time, he continued developing the unfinished material mentally before deciding many of the compositions needed lyrics.

“What surprised me was that they stopped feeling like instrumental pieces,” Holiday says. “They seemed prepped for a story. Once I realized that, the words came quickly. That’s when I knew it was time to step into this new role — I needed to be the one to tell these stories.”

The project also marks the first time Holiday has served as lead vocalist on his own recordings.

Musically, TOPOLOGY combines psychedelic rock, alternative music, progressive influences and experimental pop, featuring fuzz-driven guitars, vintage synthesizers and groove-oriented rhythms while emphasizing mood and texture over traditional song structures.

TRACK LISTING

1. Holotropic
2. Panoptic
3. Veridream
4. Autonomatic
5. Constellations
6. Metacognition
7. CRISM
8. Equanimity
9. Love of Separation