Today we’d like to introduce you to CALADIUM.
Hi CALADIUM, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Guitarist Brandon Keaton and drummer Marshall Mack were members of the Northern California rock band, A Thirsting Soul, when heeding a hirer calling, Marshall moved to Dallas to care for his elderly grandparents. For several years, Marshall urged Brandon to move to Dallas to continue pursuing music, so Brandon too departed from Northern California and upon arrival in Dallas, the two formed CALADIUM later joined with bassist/lead-vocalist Randall May of Mesquite Texas. The rock trio dropped their 9-song debut album “Third Moon”, in October 2023, with hard hitting rock tracks like “Get To The Chopper” and “Train”, 80’s rock vibe with “Cuban Squeeze” and brooding Grunge with “Blame Me” and “Dirty T”.
After briefly debuting the DFW live-music scene, CALADIUM went right into writing and recording the July 2025 sophomore album “Fall of Babylon” while drummer Marshall Mack experienced personal difficulties that would ultimately prohibit him from the ability to be involved beyond recording Fall Of Babylon.
In March 2026, drummer Ben Tirrell (Empest and Lowdead) of Forney TX joined CALADIUM hitting the live scene again and is currently writing the third album with the band!
CALADIUM’s sound is unique from song to song, changing keys and shifting style while maintaining a heavy hitting sound of electric guitar, in songs like “From The Beginning”, grungy bass in “That’s What I Said”, rockin drums of “Insolent”, classic lead guitar solos in “Kenyan Squeeze”, and heartfelt powerful vocals with songs that bear all like “Big Muff Blues”
Listen to CALADIUM’s albums “Third Moon” and “Fall of Babylon” wherever you stream music and follow CALADIUM on their musical journey.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Weeks after the debut album “Third Moon” dropped (October 2023) Marshall called the band members to resign from CALADIUM. The news came as a devastating blow to the hopes of the project, but Randall and Brandon quickly resolved to spend time productively writing a new album while figuring out how to proceed.
The initial call was overwhelming and disheartening, but with encouragement and wise counsel from family and friends, Randall and Brandon utilized their time in that season of uncertainty to creatively construct their next effort. The timing was perfect for drummer Ben Tirrell to join the group and hit the stage rocking out live with CALADIUM!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Caladium:
“Third Moon” 2023
“Fall of Babylon” 2025
A Thirsting Soul:
“Soul Fire” 2012
Empest:
Various singles 2023/2024
Lowdead:
“Hammerfist” 2013
“Prymortal” 2017
“Weathered” 2020
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
There are very many varying degrees of success all throughout CALADIUM’s journey, from that initial higher-calling; what a courageous and selfless thing that Marshall did to leave his life in Northern California to care for his grandparents indefinitely, 1,700 miles away… and Brandon’s leap of faith also departing the people he loves and the life he knew in hope of creating a life doing what he loves making music… Success to Randall is very much the accomplishment of having recorded and published two “badass” rock albums that are commercially competitive enough to stand with our own favorite musicians who influenced us; and success to Ben is very much being a husband and provider for his family and being in a gigging ROCK band that is actively engaged in the creative songwriting process.
While there are different views of what success is, the whole band agrees that “It sure would be nice to be able to quit our jobs to make music full-time”
Now let’s write this third album…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.CaladiumBandOfficial.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/caladiumbandofficial
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/Caladiumdallas
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@caladiumbandofficial
- Other: https://Linktr.ee/CaladiumBand
