Connecticut, US based melodic death / doom metal band FIRES IN THE DISTANCE have today announced their much anticipated sophomore album, Air Not Meant For Us, due for release via Prosthetic Records on April 28. Alongside the album announcement, FIRES IN THE DISTANCE are currently premiering the lead single, Harbingers, and its accompanying lyric video via Knotfest.
LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO FOR HARBINGERS VIA KNOTFEST HERE.
Pre-order Air Not Meant For Us here.
Speaking on the premiere the band comments: “Harbingers is a daring and eruptive introduction to our upcoming second album, Air Not Meant for Us, concurrently putting the orchestral collaboration with Randy Slaugh (Devin Townsend, Tesseract, Periphery) in the aural forefront. Releasing a lyric video for the first track of the album felt like a natural way to introduce the themes, imagery and atmosphere of this sophomore release. A special thanks to our friends at Knotfest for the work they do in today’s metal scene and for giving our fans an early listen to our new record.”
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 Air Not Meant For Us’ six tracks, 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 Air Not Meant For Us’ emotional core. 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.