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Across Five Aprils doesn’t settle with being comfortable.
After achieving breakout success with its second full-length record, Collapse, on Indianola Records, the band was at a crossroads. Across Five Aprils had accomplished all it had set out to do on the label – they owned the title of the label’s second-most selling artist, had traveled internationally and were headlining over bands from bigger labels.
So the band’s members decided to chuck it all in favor of taking a step forward in their careers, giving up the triumphs and VIP status at their label for a chance at the next level.
“It was a great starter label for us, and one that we left because we had done absolutely everything we could,” says vocalist Brandon Mullins. “We were looking for the next step up.”
When looking to elevate its stake in the industry, the band had no trouble securing contracts from labels who’d heard the band’s unique, aggressive sound. But, after showcasing for Victory Records, “we knew they could take us to the next level,” Mullins says. Mullins, guitarists Adam Nordmeyer and Zak Towe, bassist Josh Dycus and drummer Steve Wootteon had just climbed the ladder to the next tier.
So the good ‘ol Southern boys from Chattanooga, Tennessee, (whose name is lifted from the title of a book on the Civil War) went into the studio full-force to prove what they could achieve with an ample budget and a fresh start for their Feb. 19th Victory debut, Life Underwater. Producer Matt Goldman (Underoath, As Cities Burn, Norma Jean) was behind the boards for the first time with a Victory band, helping to hone the not-quite-definable sound that Across Five Aprils has perfected over the years.
“This was our first time with an established producer, and Matt took us where we want to be and gave us a level of sophistication that we have never had before,” Mullins says of the “darker, heavier-hearted melodic hardcore record.” He also says Life Underwater was a chance to really get some issues off the band’s chest – issues much different than what Goldman’s previous producing efforts had to talk about.
“With the previous album we hinted at things that we wanted to talk about, taking a more incognito approach that no one really got. So with this album, we just came out and said/did what we meant,” Mullins says. “There’s a lot of subject matter we’ve never expressed before, and a lot of questioning people’s beliefs. We have a lot of younger fans who don’t have a clue what this music is supposed to mean, so we are challenging the listener to step outside of their box.”
Life Underwater indeed carries some heavy issues, including the explanation behind the title: muffling light by sending it underwater, an allusion to taking control of your own life and shunning what it expected of you. “A lot of people talk about living with the light inside you, or being the light. I wanted to make a world that light cannot flourish i.e. underwater,” Mullins says. “It’s about holding what’s yours dear and nothing else.”
But don’t assume these downtrodden themes have left the band’s members with chips on their shoulders. They are a focused, ambitious group who are ready to dig in to their future with Victory Records and unleash their album on fans new and old.
“Our music stands out because it really doesn’t sound like anything else,” Mullins says. “People can never put their finger on it. We want to be one of Victory’s hardest-working and biggest bands.”
Sounds like the band who doesn’t shy away from a challenge just presented itself with another one.
dude what have you guys been up to??? making any new albums latly?? i listen to about everyone one of the ones you have out now almost everyday.... good shit good shit... i need to get a shirt.....
life underwater, my sins stacked to the heavens, snape kills dumbledore, i guess? i really like the whole thing, hard to say i have favorites. but yeah, thanks for commenting back though.<3
