EPK – Fall of Stasis – The Chronophagist (2022)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“We wanted our first album to bring something fresh to the metal scene. Each song was carefully written and fine-tuned to maintain the listener’s attention. We wanted the album to showcase every member’s musical influences without compromising the quality of our music. The result is a relentless, fast and aggressive yet melodic and symphonic opus with a different vibe and story for every track. Overall, each song blends well into the next one, yet they’re different enough to keep the listener involved for the duration of the album. We asked Christian Donaldson to record, mix and master our album since he’s easily one of the most respected and recognized metal producers in the province. Again, we didn’t want to cut corners and we made sure to partner with someone who would do justice to our music. Lyrically, the album showcases fictive storytelling from start to finish, although the lyrics often symbolize modern social issues along with some of the band members’ personal experiences.” – Fall of Stasis
For fans of Finntroll, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Black Dahlia Murder, Unexpect, Ne Obliviscaris
Album Title: The Chronophagist
Release Date: February 25, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Self-Release
Facebook.com/fallofstasis | Instagram.com/fallofstasis | YouTube | Fallofstasis.bandcamp.com
“Musically the song (Baal Arise) is a brutal one that flies like a bat, discharging obliterating drum munitions, flurries of technically adept guitar work that generate sensations of jolting punishment, frenzied madness, and swirling exoticism. But it’s also overlaid with a symphonic layer that lends an air of menacing grandeur, as well as dancing keyboards that channel ebullience. The vocals combine voracious growls and vicious snarls — until they surprisingly change into singing in the song’s high-flying chorus.” – No Clean Singing
“the first 10/10 of 2022 to these Canadian madmen and women for an album that is contemporary yet brings back memories of when Metal was at the height of its powers, and yet slays with as much ease as a tactical nuclear weapon.” – Ever Metal
“Overall, this album is unlike any other debut out there. It puts absolute chaos on the line and ensures each band member’s unique taste and abilities are available in full force. Take a listen and hear for yourself how this eccentric album puts forth one hell of a dynamic unmatched by any other.” – Metal Goddesses
“Fall Of Stasis complete a successful display of force on their debut, one which benefits massively from Christian Donaldson’s supportive production and mix. More of a name to be treasured by those attracted to innovation within the modern paradigm than those actually seeking outright novelty, The Chronophagist nonetheless ought to steal a fair bit of your time, as the title accurately promises.” – Metal Observer
“The moment I heard the first song I knew I was going to like this album as it sounded like something that you’d hear in the opening credits of a horror movie. After listening to the rest of this album I can easily say that this was one of the best albums that I’ve heard in a while – everything sounds so fresh and familiar and just super epic! Like the lyrics paint epic pictures of folk horror happenings and that was only helped by the neo-classical/folk-inspired melodies. Overall, it reminds me of the Scandinavian extreme metal albums of the late 90s coming from bands like Dimmu Borgir, and the early albums of Children of Bodom and Nightwish. I absolutely love this album and Fall of Stasis have most definitely gained themselves a new fan.” – Andrew Nasso – CFRU 93.3FM (Guelph, ON)
“Symphonic, brutal, unpredictable and loud they’ve made a melting pot of extremes only fitting for a Sith witch to stir creating bubbling brutality. So far they’ve played stages with The Agonist, Wolfheart and Beyond Creation among others.” – Covering The Scene
“The Chronophagist is restless and relentless, a bold and ambitious creative firestorm of an album that defies normal description, it will simultaneously freak you out and entertain with enthusiasm, it’s a rollercoaster high-speed assault with scant regard for weak-minded sensibilities. It may not settle for long but is an excellent gateway into their world of musical mayhem.” – Metal Roos“With their frantic sound and otherworldly, playful yet dark ambiances, Fall Of Stasis is ready to drag you into a world where madness reigns.” – Maxime Pagé, Thorium Mag
“C’est extrêmement rafraîchissant d’écouter une oeuvre qui est composée en groupe, avec tous les membres qui contribuent et donnent leurs avis. Rares sont les albums offrant une telle liberté d’expression. Si vous voulez vivre une écoute déstabilisante, où chaque piste est une expérience unique, n’hésitez pas! As-tu quelques minutes? Écoute ça!” – Ars Media QC
[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]
Album Title: The Chronophagist
Release Date: February 25, 2022
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Self-Release
1. Wilted Forests (3:14)
2. Fall of Stasis (6:52)
3. Drunken Howl (4:08)
4. Baal Arise (2:01)
5. The Cult (2:54)
6. Twilight Carnival (5:41)
7. Baron (6:19)
8. The Last Waltz (4:49)
9. Swarm Of Casualties (6:40)
10. The Chronophagist (Feat. Viky Boyer) (6:50)
Album Length: 49:31
Album Recording Credits: Christian Donaldson
• All songs performed by: Fall of Stasis
• All songs written by: Fall of Stasis
• Produced by: Christian Donaldson
• Mixed by: Christian Donaldson
• Mastered by: Christian Donaldson
• Album Artwork by: Roberto Napolitano
• Canadian Content (MAPL)
Album Band Line Up:
Jessica Dupré – Lead singer
Gabriel Bernier – Lead guitar/back vocals
Tristan Bergeron-Boucher – Rhythm guitar
Mathieu Groulx – Bass
Sergei Lecours – Drums
Mélissa Bissonnette – Keyboard
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The album as a whole explained by the band:
Lyrically: The album showcases fictive storytelling from start to finish, although the lyrics often symbolize modern social issues along with some of the band members’ personal experiences.
Musically: This album is a melting pot of each band member’s musical tastes and influences, which makes for a pretty varied repertoire, ranging from smooth and melancholic ballads to aggressive and fast metal riffs. This gives us somewhat of an “apocalyptic” sound, something that is also reflected in most of the lyrics.
Track by Track explained:
1. Wilted Forests: A very symphonic, instrumental song that sets the tone for what’s to come by showcasing some of the musical themes of the album.
2. Fall of Stasis: This eponymous track describes an apocalyptic flood transcending both space and time. Musically the song starts with an eerie piano section which evolves into death metal riffs, followed by a soaring chorus. The final section of the song brings back the main riff and features the guitar and the piano trading solos back and forth.
3. Drunken Howl: This song tells the story of a murderous captain and details some of the most well-known torture methods used by pirates throughout history. Heavily influenced by Alestorm, this pirate metal piece starts off with an upbeat accordion riff that sets the tone for a classic folk metal song. The track ends with a guitar solo and a modulation of the main riff.
4. Baal Arise: This piece describes a demon’s awakening and his wish to enslave humanity. This is a short, fast-paced, “in-your-face” type of song that starts off with a brutal death metal riff followed by an epic chorus.
5. The Cult: This is about a pagan cult that heavily indulges in psychoactive substances. The song starts with a syncopated section followed by a folky yet intense main riff solidified by fast and sustained blast beats.
6. Twilight Carnival: This song tells the story of a carnival where tormented people end up reliving their worst memories and regrets. The song features a circus-themed chorus blended into a succession of acoustic guitar parts and brutal guitar riffs.
7. Baron: This epic tale is heavily inspired by our hometown’s most infamous alcoholic who would willingly partake in crazy antics in exchange for beer. This song is fast, eclectic, and features back-to-back riffs structured in an unconventional fashion.
8. The Last Waltz: This piece tells the story of a sorceress who takes advantage of lustful wanderers. This is a classic power-ballad type of song with an acoustic intro and melodic riffing followed by a smooth middle section. The song ends with a melodic-trashy riff and a fade-out solo.
9. Swarm of Casualties: This one is about two armies stuck in a time loop, doomed to be at war with each other until the end of time. This song has a strong melodic death metal influence starting off with an organ intro followed by a melodic section that abruptly turns into a thrash metal riff. The chorus features a catchy vocal hook that gives a very punk-ish vibe.
10. The Chronophagist: This is the final song of the album and it tells the story of a deity who has the power to steal time from mortal beings. The song starts off with a slightly modified version of Wilted Forests’s intro, followed by a heavy riff and an epic, vocally-charged chorus. The last chorus is cut short by an eclectic and odd-timed trashy riff followed by a black metal section. The song ends with an epic riff and a fading soaring guitar solo.
L-R – Sergei Lecours (Drums), Mélissa Bissonnette (Keyboard), Mathieu Groulx (Bass), Jessica Dupré (Lead Vocals), Gabriel Bernier (Lead Guitar),Tristan Bergeron-Boucher (Rhythym Guitar)
Photo Credit – Martin Trottier, Darkest Media
Fall Of Stasis, based in Montreal, Canada, was originally formed in 2014 with the intention of creating original music that couldn’t be defined by a specific genre. They started off with a very eclectic and progressive style, and as time went on, it was toned down in favour of musical cohesion and they added symphonic arrangements.
In 2017, the band released their demo and will be following it up in 2022 with the full-length “The Chronophagist”, which maneuvers closer to black metal but with definitive prog-heavy stylings. Working together on everything, there isn’t a single song where the creative input from a band member has not been blended into the mix. Fall of Stasis firmly believes that creative collaboration is one of their main strengths.
The current lineup of Fall of Stasis consists of Jessica Dupré (vocals), Gabriel Bernier (lead guitar/backing vocals), Tristan Bergeron-Boucher (rhythm guitar), Mathieu Groulx (bass), Sergei Lecours (drums) and Mélissa Bissonnette (keyboard). Each of the musicians brings a wide array of influences which results in a distinct sound, which caters to folk, black, progressive and death metal fans alike, but also to the uninitiated, thanks to their original and catchy melodies.
Symphonic yet brutal and often unpredictable, they present a mix of very powerful growls and clean vocals, along with good stage presence, efficient crowd work and tight musicianship. They have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with many notable local and international bands such as The Agonist, Wolfheart and Beyond Creation.
Album Band Line Up:
Jessica Dupré – Lead singer
Gabriel Bernier – Lead guitar/back vocals
Tristan Bergeron-Boucher – Rhythm guitar
Mathieu Groulx – Bass
Sergei Lecours – Drums
Mélissa Bissonnette – Keyboard
Live Band Line Up:
Jessica Dupré – Lead singer
Gabriel Bernier – Lead guitar/back vocals
Tristan Bergeron-Boucher – Rhythm guitar
Mathieu Groulx – Bass
Sergei Lecours – Drums
Mélissa Bissonnette – Keyboard
Viky Boyer – Feature vocalist
Shared Stage with:
Wolfheart, The Agonist, Beyond Creation, Obey the Brave, Seven Spires, Burning the Oppressor
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BAND STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS:
1. Our singer’s ex-girlfriend once came to one of our shows and she bought a demo along with 2 tickets for an upcoming show. In a fit of jealousy, her girlfriend set our demo and tickets on fire the following day.
2. When the band was just starting out, we jammed in a small shed next to a chicken coop. Our gear was questionable, to say the least, and we had to use logs and rocks to keep the cymbal stands from falling mid-song. In the winter, the temperature could easily drop to -20 degrees celsius, so we had to start a fire in the woodstove and throw logs in every once in a while. Needless to say, this wasn’t great for our instruments.
3. Our lead guitarist Gabriel and our drummer Sergei met on MSN about 15 years ago, and their friendship solidified when Sergei started regularly selling weed to Gabriel right in front of the house, which never failed to make his mother angry.
4. At some point we were jamming in a residential area and one of the neighbours made a noise complaint. When they arrived, we couldn’t hear them knocking because we were busy butchering Are you dead Yet? by Children of Bodom, so they entered the house and found an ounce of weed sitting on the table (it was still illegal at the time). Fortunately for us, his roommate saw them and handled the situation without further incident.
5. A few years ago, we were playing at the first edition of a small festival called Farmfest in Vankleek Hill, Ontario. The attendance was pretty scarce, but we still had a lot of fun. We were camping there and it was getting pretty cold outside as the night fell, so we crammed into the van of a festival-goer. While we were having the time of our life, our bassist was busy conceiving his future daughter in the tent next to us.
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