"Faith" is Rise And Fall's artistic exploration on the concepts of faith and fate, nature and nurture, and life and death. Sonically the album melds an impassioned technical proficiency and emotional performance unlike any other previous Rise And Fall release. Showing that in their maturity, Rise And Fall gained creative depth without losing the ferocity that earned them their rightful place on the throne of the Belgian hardcore community.
"Faith" was engineered and recorded by Kurt Ballou (Converge) at God City Studios. It includes guest appearances by Kurt himself, Stephen Brodsky (Cave In), Justin De Tore (Mind Eraser, etc.), Kevin Baker (The Hope Conspiracy, APMD, etc). With the first murky chords of opener "A Hammer And Nails", Rise And Fall shake the ground with noise rock discordance, weighty hardcore heaviness, and trademark "punk metal" rage. As the song recedes, they rise up again and unleash "Deceiver" and "The Gallows Await", two truly vicious anthems. While it's welcoming to hear Rise And Fall hit this familiar (yet evolved) stride, it is in their new found dynamics where they really shine. For example, "Breathe" carries an infectious/hazy jangle that pays homage to the Am Rep world before exploring unorthodox directions. And songs like "Burning At Both Ends" and "Things Are Different Now" take unpredictable melodious twists and turns before collapsing into powerful dirges. Not only have Rise And Fall grown musically but lyrically as well. In fact all throughout "Faith", soul searching lyrics are more revealing than ever before. Exploring the concept of broken faith, separation from the natural world, and the search for direction in life. This theme and its aural counterpart coalesce in the nearly seven minute epic closer "Faith/Fate". A song that metamorphosizes through a hypnotic ebb and flow, only to strip away layers to reveal something primal at the core; audio of the actual heartbeat of Vince's newborn daughter. This is truly a rare and powerful moment to hear in aggressive music; one where real life and art fuse together as one.
Track Listing: 01. A Hammer and Nails 02. Deceiver 03. The Gallows Await 04. Burning At Both Ends 05. Things Are Different Now 06. Breathe 07. Hidden Hands 08. Escapism 09. Dead Weight 10. Faith / Fate
First Press: 750 - Fire 750 - Earth 750 - Water 750 - Air