PARIS-MOVE, October 4th 2019 – Allegaeon launches video for “Metaphobia”, and it’s here on PARIS-MOVE website!
To get the video, just click HERE
Tracked at Flatline Audio in Denver with long-serving producer Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Cephalic Carnage), Apoptosis is Allegaeon’s fifth full-length, and the first to feature bassist Brandon Michael.
“Musically, Brandon brings a huge new dimension,” vocalist Riley McShane enthuses. “He has this wide breadth of music knowledge and stylistic proficiency that he draws from with excellent taste, and this makes a lot of the songs on ‘Apoptosis’ come to life.” The record also features a guest appearance by classical guitarist Christina Sandsengen, who duets with guitarist Greg Burgess on “Colors of the Currents”. “On this record, I was more open to new ideas that we might not have used in past,” states guitarist Michael Stancel. “Rather than deleting something because ‘it’s not Allegaeon-y enough’, I would take a step back and see if that idea fit the song and decide if it was worth keeping. With that mentality came some of my favorite songs, because I was less worried about if it fit into our old sound.”
This statement is borne out across the whole album, which while very much embodying the core Allegaeon sound that has drawn fans in over the course of their impressive career, it pushes into new territory, and does so with unerring confidence.
“Thematically, this record is all about contrast, and the music reflects that perfectly,” says McShane. “The vocals are heavier than ever, but there are also more clean sections. The drums are faster than ever but also more dynamic, and the guitar playing is lower and slower than on most previous albums, but also provides long, melodic and beautiful sections throughout.”
Having delivered a career best with 2016’s acclaimed Proponent For Sentience – the band’s first attempt at a true concept album – they toured hard in support of it. In the midst of this came an adjustment to the lineup, with the departure of longtime bassist Corey Archuleta and the addition of Brandon Michael. “Musically, Brandon brings a huge new dimension,” McShane enthuses. “He has this wide breadth of music knowledge and stylistic proficiency that he draws from with excellent taste, and this makes a lot of the songs on ‘Apoptosis’ comes to life.” Written and tracked in the midst of touring, the heavy schedule also affected Allegaeon’s approach to the making of the record, guitarist Greg Burgess asserting that they “didn’t have time to agonize over the songs – and honestly we didn’t know what the record was going to be until we were putting on the finishing touches!” Regardless, the sheer anger driving a great many of the songs is palpable and unmistakable, with the opening to “Metaphobia” feeling like the end of the world as it thunders down, and “The Secular Age” truly seething. “After I turned 23, all my sad thoughts just turned into rage – sweet, sweet rage – so instead of taking that out on people around me, I decided to take it out on my guitar,” explains Stancel. “I always like it when bands sound absolutely pissed on their recordings, and I tried to capture that same aggression on both those tracks. Along with that, I also love adding subtle layers to songs to make them as big as possible.”
For those unfamiliar with the term, in science Apoptosis is the death of cells, which occurs as a normal and controlled part of an organism’s growth or development. For Allegaeon, this made for a succinct title due to the lyrical themes of the record being rooted in the idea of death leading to new and better life. “Be it in science, society, religion or philosophy, this idea rings true and can be observed throughout history, both told and currently unfolding,” states McShane – but there is also a second layer to the choice of title, that applies to the growth and change of the band itself. “Allegaeon has been through a lot of members, but we’ve always continued to move forward and in an upward trajectory. With this current lineup, we feel that we are finally in a position where there are no weak links. It took a lot of loss to get here, but, in the end, it was all worth it for the overall growth of the band.”
To preview and purchase Apoptosis, please click HERE
Order it also using their Bandcamp page, HERE
Line up:
Riley McShane: Vocals
Greg Burgess: Guitar
Michael Stancel: Guitar
Brandon Michael: Bass
Brandon Park: Drums
Official Facebook page HERE