In a thrilling new chapter for the band Decline the Fall, their recent lineup change and highly anticipated album mark a transformative period in their musical journey. The upcoming album, "Perspectives", is a heavier and more mature sound than their debut, and features songs about a variety of topics, including the COVID-19 pandemic, personal growth, and the challenges of being a musician.
John Castiel, the band's vocalist, recently spoke to us about the album, and shared some insights into the songwriting process, the recording process, and the band's hopes for the future.
M The band recently underwent a lineup change. Can you introduce us to the new members and tell us how they've influenced the band's sound and creative process?
JC "Since our relocation to Slovenia in 2020, we have undergone three lineup changes. Initially, approximately a year ago, we had the pleasure of meeting Sašo Pučko, a talented guitarist hailing from the City of Maribor, Slovenia. Together with Sašo, we collaborated on an album, joining forces
with the lineup consisting of John, Ehren, and Kris. The recording of this album concluded at the end of 2022. However, at that time, Kris made the decision to depart from the band. We found a suitable replacement in Giuseppe Taormina, a guitarist from Sicily who had been studying music in Graz, Austria, a two-hour drive away from our current location. Our most recent addition to the lineup is Gregor Korošec, a talented musician from the City of Ptuj. Prior to joining us, Gregor had not yet experienced performing on stage but had been creating music through his solo project. We recognized his potential immediately when he applied for the bassist position.
To summarize, the current lineup of our band consists of John on vocals, Ehren Fenech on drums, Gregor Korošec on bass, Sašo Pučko on guitar, and Giuseppe Taormina on guitar. I don't think you will ever find a lineup consisting of two Maltese, Two Slovene, and one Sicilian anywhere else haha."
Transitioning to a new lineup can often lead to a shift in musical direction. How would you describe the evolution of Decline the Fall's sound on this upcoming album compared to your previous work?
"Musically we were shifting before the lineup changed as we introduced a heavier tuning to the band when we released our last single ''Sinister'' and when it comes to recording our 2nd album we continued on that path."
What were the main inspirations behind the songwriting process for this album? Were there any particular themes or experiences that shaped the lyrics and overall tone?
"I wrote most of the album's lyrics during the covid pandemic so obviously, I was very influenced by that situation but the album is going to be named ''Perspectives'' and I tried to talk about different topics that not many musicians talk about while using my own perspective and experience on the subject. For some songs, I needed help from others that had a different point of view on the subject which helped me evolve not only as a musician and a writer but also as a human."
Are there any standout tracks on the album that you're particularly excited about? Could you provide us with a glimpse into the emotions and messages conveyed in those songs?
"I think at the moment I have two favourite tracks.
Agony - which talks about a specific moment that we as humans go through when we just go through a bad experience and you let negativity take over you and put you down even more. It's that specific moment when you look in the mirror and you're disappointed in yourself to the point that instead of trying to pull yourself up, you push yourself down. So it could be portrayed as a conversation with yourself.
Suffocating - Talks about being held back by the people that love you. This is not something I experienced properly because luckily for me, my family was supportive of me leaving the country and I appreciate that a lot. I wrote this because I understand that not everyone is so lucky and there are many people out there being held back from actually doing what they want. Sometimes the people that are holding you back don't even know they are doing it. It's a mix of love and fear."
As you embark on this new chapter, what aspects of Decline the Fall's music do you feel have remained consistent, and what elements have undergone notable changes?
"There are key elements in the band that we always want to keep. I'm a sucker for catchy choruses so even though we went on the heavier side we still implemented that element in most of these new tracks. We all improved as musicians since the first album and hopefully, our fans are going to hear that we matured and improved our skills."
The band's previous album garnered a significant following. How do you think this new release will build upon your existing fan base and attract new listeners?
"It's hard to say if I had to be honest. Obviously, we tried our best to improve on what we've done before so the aim is that if you liked our first album, you will love this one but one thing for sure is that we are releasing this album in a better way, compared to the first one since it was during Covid and we couldn't even do a show for it's launch."
In addition to the album, you mentioned filming music videos for the singles. Can you give us a sneak peek into the visual aesthetics and concepts that will accompany your songs?
"We will be filming a total of five music videos and already shot three of them!
The budget is limited but we tried our best to make them interesting enough without having a story going on. So the aesthetics are going to be mostly artistic in various locations that we loved. The fact that we're located in Slovenia gave us a big advantage in having beautiful locations for the band's performance so we definitely took advantage of that."
Collaboration can often breathe new life into a band's creative process. Have there been any notable collaborations with other artists or producers on this album that you can share with us?
"When it comes to this album we didn't have any collaborations on it other than our producer Fredrik Nordström that helped us stay in the right direction and created the Introduction to the album."
The recording studio is often a space where artists experiment and push their boundaries. Did you explore any new techniques, sounds, or instruments during the recording process that fans can look forward to?
"When we decided to move, we made it our goal to find a house that has a place where we could build our studio and that's what we did. We were lucky to build our own studio and record this album all by ourselves. We all studied and practised recording throughout these past years and invested in the right equipment so we don't have to go to a recording studio and can do everything ourselves. That gave us a big advantage on this album as we could work separately on the tracks while saving time and money."
Finally, what are your hopes and aspirations for this upcoming album? How do you envision it resonating with your audience and leaving an indelible mark on Decline the Fall's musical journey?
"It's hard to explain what we went through as a band to make this second album possible but every time we found ourselves giving up or losing our way, we always managed to fight through it and focused on the future because we truly believe in what we're doing. We're going to keep fighting and doing our best to push these tracks but whatever happens, for us as musicians, it's already a big achievement just having it out there in the world. I hope that whoever we reach will realise our passion for it."
Decline The Falls's next shows are:
4th of August - Metaldays (Slovenia)
19th of August - S8 Underground Club, Budapest (Hungary)
They will also be announcing other dates, including Malta later this year.
Read more about the band, and their discography here
photos from Decline The Fall's official Facebook page
Kommentare