Official press release:
California progressive death metallers Fallujah have announce their fourth full-length, Undying Light. The record is scheduled to arrive on March 15th through Nuclear Blast Records, with pre-orders available now at this location. Guitarist/primary songwriter Scott Carstairs says of the album:
“The songs on Undying Light are raw, confident, and new. I think the last couple of albums we spent a lot of time experimenting with different elements, such as clean guest vocals, synthesizers, or different kinds of instrumentals. This time around we knew from the get-go that we wanted this record to be raw and honest. We wanted to move the music further but still showcase the sound and emotions this band has always evoked.
Undying Light is something else entirely. We wanted this record to be a statement of what the band is and will continue to be. We made this record to illustrate who we are in our purest form. We believe this is the truest sound we have honed on in yet.
We strongly believe that this new record will give our fans something they will love just as much as we do. We hope this record will also rekindle the fire within our fans around the world and show them that we took the past year off for a reason. That is: to give them a body of music worthy of their unwavering support, dedication, and loyalty. ”
The group have launched a music video for the effort first single, “Ultraviolet”, embedded below.
Undying Light track listing:
- “Glass House”
- “Last Light”
- “Ultraviolet”
- “Dopamine”
- “The Ocean Above”
- “Hollow”
- “Sanctuary”
- “Eyes Like The Sun”
- “Distant And Cold”
- “Departure”
The record will be the band’s first with new vocalist in Antonio Palermo (Underling), replacing Alex Hofmann, who departed in 2017. Regarding Palermo, Carstairs offers:
“With the addition of Antonio, we have been able to take the sound to new levels of emotion, a sound we have been striving to achieve for years but couldn’t quite get to until now.
Antonio being such a talented lyricist with his previous projects, we had confidence that he would have no problem writing the next era of Fallujah lyrics. Though Antonio was the main driver for lyrics, it was very much a collaborative effort. Antonio would first come up with the lyrical themes of each song and then run them by us so that we were all on the same page at the end of the day. Also, by involving the rest of the band in his own creative process, we’ve come away with an album that we all are able to feel on a very emotional level, which is something new and exciting for us all. The main thing he wanted to bring to the table lyrically was an emotionally visceral experience for the listener. He juxtaposes the use of raw, visceral emotions to point out a general lack thereof.”
Undying Light was produced by Carstairs and Mark Lewis (Cannibal Corpse, Whitechapel) at OHMNI Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. On working with Lewis, Carstairs offers:
“Having worked with Mark in the past, we were comfortable that he would nail the sound we wanted and help us take the music to the next level. This being his second time working with us I think he really understood what we needed. Every amp, snare, mic, kick or tone we heard, we instantly knew if it was meant to be on the record. It was like we all had a very clear vision of what this record was supposed to be and just calmly brought it to life. It was a vibe we hadn’t heard in our own music or music in general. It was something we chased until it was finished. Overall, Undying Light was a great experience.”
The artwork was handled by Nick Keller (The Black Dahlia Murder, Disentomb). Carstairs says:
“Nick is an amazing artist. We had tried to commission him in the past but couldn’t work it out until now. He is an immense talent that also has a passion for extreme music. One look at this guy’s portfolio and you know you’re dealing with a man with alien talents. For Undying Light, Nick was able to paint the art to the vibe of the music, which is something we’ve always wanted an artist to do. The end result is something as mind-melting and psychedelic as the sound of record.”
Fallujah is:
Antonio Palermo | vocals
Scott Carstairs | guitars & vocals
Robert Morey | bass
Andrew Baird | drums