Riley Gale's Cause of Death Revealed and Power Trip Fans Are Heartbroken

Stephen Andrew

05/30/2021 10:33 am EDT

Power Trip singer Riley Gale's cause of death has been revealed, months after his death in August at the age of 34. Per MetalSucks, Gale died of pulmonary edema, a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs. This COD is believed to have been a result of "the toxic effects of fentanyl," which the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction states "is a narcotic analgesic with a potency at least 80 times that of morphine." Gale's manner of death was classified as an "accident."

The news of Gale's cause of death was first reported on by a YouTuber known as Heavy Metal Picker, but MetalSucks confirmed the accuracy of the report with The Dallas County Medical Examiner's office. In addition to Gale's cause and manner of death, the medical examiner's report notes that the beloved heavy metal frontman had a "history of Xanax abuse" and a "history of depression." It also states that his body was found "unresponsive on the floor at home." Scroll down to read what fans are saying in the wake of the terrible news.

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Tests determined that the fentanyl in Gale's blood measured at 22.5ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter). Further testing determined his system was positive for marijuana as well, but was negative for any other drugs or alcohol.

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The EMCDDA advises, "The recommended serum concentration for analgesia is 1–2 ng/ml and for anaesthesia it is 10–20 ng/ml. Blood concentrations of approximately 7 ng/ml or greater have been associated with fatalities where poly-substance use was involved." MetalSucks also cited a separate study that found pulmonary edema was present in 96% of fentanyl-related deaths.

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Following Gale's death in August, the remaining members of Power Trip issued a statement via social media, sharing the tragic news, and memorialized their friend and bandmate. "It is with the greatest of sadness we must announce that our lead singer and brother Riley Gale passed away last night," the band wrote. "Riley was a friend, a brother, a son."

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The band went on to say, "Riley was both a larger than life rock star and a humble and giving friend. He touched so many lives through his lyrics and through his huge heart. He treated everyone he met as a friend and he always took care of his friends."

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Power Trip continued, "We will celebrate Riley's life and never forget the great works of music, charity, and love that he left behind. You, the fans, meant so much to him, please know how special you are. If you have a memory of Riley please share it, no matter how small, as we remember him."

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The band also asked that, in leau of flowers, fans make donations to Dallas Hope Charities if they desired to pay homage to Gale.

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If you or someone you know is living with substance addiction, you can visit FindTreatment.Gov, a resource of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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