Guitarist for rising metalcore band, Chasing Safety, Patrick Hall was raised on the sweet songs of his grandmother, Nancy Hall.

 

“I used to play a game with her. I’d shout out a random word and she would sing a song about it,” he said. “She was a vault of endless songs – and that’s something that always stuck with me.”

 

His grandma planted the seed, but Hall’s musical passion grew into a much edgier genre.

 

A hard rap influence – for which he credits his uncle – morphed into classic rock and by the time Hall left Bridgeport Middle School for Bridgeport High School, he not only listened to heavy metal, he played it.

 

At age 15, he and BHS friends Nick Terwilliger and Cody Hardman joined Robert C. Byrd’s Greg Tassos and Liberty High School’s Jimmy Davis to form a group called “Buried in Fear.”

 

“That’s who I jammed with during high school,” Hall said. “That’s what we did instead of the typical high school stuff.”

 

As the band played local and regional gigs, Hall honed his skills and a goal to make music his career. By the time he graduated BHS in 2012, he had earned a recording arts scholarship to Full Sail University, an entertainment, media, arts and technology school in Orange County, Fla.

 

“I had opportunity to submit a song for the Creative Minds Scholarship,” he said. “It was a random instrumental I did with Mike Rus – a guy I was lucky enough to meet in high school through my guitar instructor at Showtime Music, David Zinn. Mike had a studio he ran out of an auxiliary building next to his house and I went there one day and over the course of about six hours wrote a song. He mixed it, we got everything down, programmed the drums and I submitted it.”

 

He won the scholarship, which ultimately paid for nearly half his tuition, but it wasn’t just the song that paved the way for Hall’s college education. A conversation with his grandmother played a key role.

 

“I had already been accepted into West Virginia University and had the Promise Scholarship. I was ready to go and obtain a degree in business administration or something like that,” he said. “But then I talked to my grandmother and she said to take a chance while I had it and if it didn’t work out, I could come back home. That spoke to me for sure.”

 

His schedule at Full Sail was an intensive one, but his studies were right up his alley. Though he didn’t complete degree requirements, he did become certified in recording engineering. After returning home to West Virginia, Hall opened his own recording studio which he currently operates out of Fairmont. He also enrolled in an online program through WVU, pursuing a multidisciplinary studies degree.

 

One reason he made the decision to return to his home state was to once again play in a band.

 

“That was my biggest motivation in moving back prior to finishing my studies,” he said. “I had missed playing in local bands and having fun. It had been our escape – our little subsector of teenage society for us.”

 

This time, Hall joined musical forces with some friends to form “Mandalorian,” named for the fictional people from the planet Mandalore in the “Star Wars” movie series. It was fun, but a more exciting opportunity was yet to come.

 

Based out of Cherry Hill, NJ, Chasing Safety was in need of a guitarist.

 

“I was commissioned via Twitter by a vocalist that I had ties with at the time, asking me if I was interested,” Hall said.

 

Established in 2013, the band had cut the independent recording project, “The Machine,” before signing with Outerloop Records and releasing the EP, “Season of the Dead.” Hall came on board in 2015 and the group released its sophomore album, “Nomad” in 2017.

 

The project is climbing the charts and garnering attention of fans and the industry, alike. Currently, the album is listed No. 28 on Billboard’s New Artist chart and No. 38 New Hard Music.

 

The only band member from West Virginia, Hall joined front man/lead vocalist John Galivan, bass player/vocalist Kenny Davis and drummer Luke Chizek.

The band’s music is labeled by the industry as metalcore or hardcore/rock.

 

According to the band’s label, Outerloop, “the captivating band is best known for delivering a barrage of ferociously intricate guitar riffs, explosive choruses and hauntingly cinematic flares.”

 

Hall said the music is less edgy and more radio rock friendly than what he’s previously played. He said he feels very fortunate to be part of Chasing Safety.

 

“Since I joined, we’ve played in 43 states. I’m very lucky to do what I do,” he said. “It’s been one hell of an experience. I’m very, very blessed.”

 

The band has made a pair of music videos, one at the North Carolina studio where “Nomad” was recorded and the other in the band’s home state.

 

Right now, Chasing Safety is between tours.

 

“We’ll probably play a

 couple rock shows in the Philadelphia area in the next couple of months and might decide to hit the road again after that. We take it as it comes as far as touring opportunities and performances,” Hall said. “We’re going to the label office in the DC area on Feb. 2 to have a meeting with our manager, label head and PR team to try to get more of a plan about what to do next with regard to creation and travel plans.”

 

The band, as well as Hall's recording engineering and development business – Imperial Recordings – keeps him busy.

 

“I mainly work with hip-hop and vocally-centered artists. I’m very passionate about hip-hop and enjoy recording, producing and engineering it,” he said. “I work with a lot of local hip-hop artists trying to get their start.”

 

Hall’s parents, Roy – a former saxophone player at Notre Dame High School – and Annette – a former member of the Grafton High School Marching Band – live in Bridgeport, as does his stepmom Jodi and his siblings eight-year-old Harrison, Ryan (7^th grade) and Landon (8^th grade). His little brothers are athletic, but his sister is vocally-inclined.

 

“She’s a songbird for sure,” Hall said.

 

Nancy Conwell Hall – a 1959 BHS graduate and West Virginia’s 1963 Centennial Queen – passed away before her grandson became a true rock star.

 

“She never got to see me play in this band, but she sure always knew I was interested in playing music,” Hall said. “She saw me run around my house when I was little - playing my toy guitar.”

 

The music of “Chasing Safety” is available on Spotify, iTunes and Amazon and the band’s music videos can be seen on YouTube. Read the “Nomad” album review by soundfiction.net HERE.