UK metallers Fallen Fate have got their debut album under their belts entitled "Into The Black". Through the course of their musical careers the band has played showcases released an EP and now that this debut full-length is upon the horizon, there is no telling let alone stopping them! Frontman vocalist/guitarist Lee Skinner discuss this release and plans for this year!
1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Fallen Fate, and how long the band has been together?
Lee: I'm Lee and I'm the vocalist and guitarist. The band formed back in 2005 and has been actively gigging and writing for the past 6 years.
2. "Into the Black" is the title you went with for this release, but what does the title mean?
Lee: The title is something that came to me a while back when I was creating the concept for the album. It seems to sum up the feel and story of the album really well.
3. Why did you go the concept album route on the new album?
Lee: I personally enjoy writing songs about something specific instead of just putting a few riffs together and then adding some words that fit over the top. The concept is based around a chilling horror movie so naturally it gives a lot of different areas to explore both musically and lyrically, which keeps things interesting and creative when writing.
4. How did you challenge yourself sound wise to fit this concept?
Lee: The band's music has progressed and evolved on this release since the last album in 2011. The core of the music is more metal orientated on the whole but we have added in a few more dynamics to the mix. As the concept is very dark, it allowed me to add in more of a cinematic feel with the introduction of strings, choirs and experimental samples and sounds. This is something that has fit in well with the evolution of the bands sound and also the concept of the album.
5. Did you get the album you wanted? Is everything on there or were there some things that were just impossible to pull off?
Lee: I think that the album is the near the best that it could have possibly been considering it was based around the concept and we added a lot of new ideas into the music. This is the first release that we have also introduced some clean vocals, which is something that will continue to be added in future releases.
6. Is the concept of the album going to develop into any other mediums like film or graphic novels? What would be the cinematic equivalent of "Into The Black"?
Lee: I would love the album concept to be developed into a film or a graphic novel as I think it is strong enough, but at the moment there is nothing in the works for that to happen. A cinematic version of Into The Black would probably be based around one of the more recent Possession/Horror movies (The Last Exorcism etc).....with Hans Zimmer doing the sound! We do have a Lyric Video and an Official Music Video coming out over the end of January which will be influenced by the concept and the characters involved.
7. Are you using any new instrumentation you've never used in the recording process before?
Lee: The core of the music is still the same but as I have previously mentioned, all of the songs have some kind of synth, strings, choir added into the mix to create a more cinematic and emotional feel into the songs. There are also a few song Intro's and pieces of music added into the album which was very exciting to create as I am interested in Film Music in general, so it was great to develop that side of things into this metal album.
8. Did the band have any definitive goals they were shooting for before the recording process began for this album?
Lee: Just to create something new, interesting and to keep on evolving the Fallen Fate sound.
9. When did you start writing for this album? How was the songwriting process different/similar to previous Fallen Fate releases?
Lee: The writing for this album started back in Winter 2011. Some bands tend to write about 20 tracks and then cut it down to about 10/12 but the way that we work is to concentrate on 2/3 songs at a time and really get the best out of them, then move on to the next 2/3. I always believe that an album should be based around showing the best tracks possible, rather than having 5 core tracks and 6 filler tracks.
10. Did you feel any pressure to do this follow-up to "The Virus Has Spread"?
Lee: Not at all, I personally was really excited to move on from TVHS as I knew that the band has a lot more to give musically than what was showcased on the first album. I'm sure I will feel the same when the writing starts for the 3rd album because as a musician, I should always feel that I can improve on my previous work.
11. How do you think the vibe in the studio went?
Lee: The recording for the album was mainly done at Stymphalian productions in York with our good friend James Stephenson. James used to be a member of Fallen Fate so working together was really relaxed and also we could be honest with one another. All of the cinematic elements were done at my home studio, which was quite stressful but also very enjoyable.
12. What's your favorite song on the album right now?
Lee: Favorite song on the album would have to be the main single 'I Welcome The Dead' and also the last song 'Vespa' is a personal favorite as it is quite epic sounding and is a song type that we haven't explored before.
13. What's your take on "Into The Black" as a whole?
Lee: On a whole I think Into The Black is a dark and expressive album which will empower the listener to indulge into the concept and hopefully hear a few things that they may not have heard before. The Album is definitely best listened to from start to finish to really get the overall feel of the ups and downs of the concept.
14. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
Lee: The concept covers a lot of Oppression, Possession and finally the release of these emotions within the main character 'Vespa' at the end of the album where she kills her family and herself. Vespa does not believe in any God so it empowers the listener to decide if she was possessed by the Devil or by God himself for her lack of faith.
15. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)
Lee: We do write all of our own material. The bulk of the writing for this album was done by myself as I had delved deep into the concept but every member of the band has their own input and recordings into the tracks.
16. Who are your musical influences?
Lee: Main musical influences for the band are bands like Machine Head, Lamb of God, Testament, As I Lay Dying any many more. We have a wide range of musical influences personally which adds into the Fallen Fate sound.
17. How did you guys come up with your band name? Does it have a meaning behind it?
Lee: When I came up with the band name I was looking for something that was memorable and dark sounding so it was easy to identify the band as a metal act. There's no real hidden meaning behind it but I think it suits the bands sound well.
18. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Lee: The band is based in the North East of England. At the moment there isn't a great metal scene in the area so we do have to travel all over the UK when touring but our hometown shows are always awesome.
19. What can the fans expect to see from you in the future?
Lee: In 2014 the band will be touring the UK and performing at a few festivals. We hope to break into European touring as well this year as well as beginning the writing for the 3rd album. We have an official Music Video and Lyric Video coming out at the end of January also to promote Into The Black.
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