Fires In The Distance have just released their new single, "Wisdom Of The Falling Leaves", and its accompanying music video, which can be seen below. "Wisdom Of The Falling Leaves" is the second track to be taken from the Connecticut, US melodic death / doom metal group’s forthcoming sophomore album, Air Not Meant For Us, with the video directed by labelmates Jayson Cessna and Paul Fuzinski of Astralborne.
The band comments: "'For Wisdom Of The Falling Leaves' we were lucky enough to have Jayson Cessna and Paul Fuzinski of our labelmates Astralborne film and direct the whole thing, those guys are unbelievably talented, in music and in film so we really lucked out."
"The concept of the video is essentially a transition of the seasons, from the melancholy Autumn theme we started with on Echoes From Deep November to the bitter cold of Air Not Meant For Us. Lyrically, the song encompasses the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, and acceptance of the inevitable."
On their second album, Fires In The Distance further expand on their musical foundations of wistful melodicism, crushingly heavy guitar work and intricate atmospherics. Across the six tracks that comprise Air Not Meant For Us, Fires In The Distance tie together intensely personal ruminations on mental health and themes of existentialism in the form of mortality salience, without losing sight of the importance of perseverance.
Teaming up with Salt Lake City producer Randy Slaugh, Fires In The Distance’s chief songwriter Yegor Savonin (composition, guitars, programming, lyrics) sought to reach even greater dynamics within the band’s core sound of melodic death and doom metal. With live orchestration in the form of violas, violins, cellos, as well as piano work, proving to be an incredibly fruitful collaborative process for both band and producer.
Air Not Meant For Us marks the first time the band have recorded with new drummer, Jordan Rippe, who delivers his own wide range of ornate work and feeling to the group’s established sound. Whilst drums for the album were recorded at the historic Power Station New England, the rest of the instruments were tracked at Studio Wormwood in North Carolina with returning producer, Dave Kaminsky, who handled recording and mixing in both studios.
In addition to the collaboration with Randy Slaugh, the album also features a guest appearance from Burial In The Sky guitarist James Tomedi on instrumental track "Adrift, Beneath The Listless Waves," who’s deft fretwork adds an additional layer of dynamic sheen.
Kristian Grimaldi’s thunderous vocal delivery compliments the album’s composition strongly and projects the songs to a greater level of formidability. The record is rounded out by Craig Breitsprecher’s complex and serpentine bass work which weave throughout the LP with an imperative sense of cohesion.
Seeking to retain aesthetic continuity, Fires In The Distance once again reached out to Caelan Stokkermans for the album’s art and layout, which masterfully conveys the emotional core of Air Not Meant For Us. With a runtime of 51 minutes across six songs, Fires In The Distance’s sophomore effort is a melodic doom and death metal odyssey in both artistic vision and sound.
Tracklisting:
"Harbingers"
"Wisdom Of The Falling Leaves"
"Crumbling Pillars Of A Tranquil Mind"
"Adrift, Beneath The Listless Waves"
"Psalm Of The Merciless"
"Idiopathic Despair"
"Harbingers" lyric video:
(Photographer credit: Matty Thrash)
