Track By Tracks: KRIGSGRAV - Fires In The Fall (2023)

1. An Everflowing vessel:

An Everflowing Vessel opens the album. We wanted something different to open this album than what we did with The Sundering. David wrote this song and it has some really big chorus moments that I think give it real emotional resonance. Lyrically (also by David) it’s about how we bind our children to an uncertain and possibly more hostile existence in this world by the piss poor choices we as a society make. It’s the idea of ignoring huge problems until they become something that cannot be fixed.

2. The Black Oak:

The Black Oak was written by myself (J. Coleman). The main riff was inspired by a melody from the Geralt of Rivia theme from the season one of The Witcher soundtrack. I thought the melody would make a cool guitar riff, which the rest of the song is based on. I wanted to make a simple, yet detailed track that really focused on a basic songwriting structure. Cody wrote the lyrics and they are about self-doubt and not giving in to the things you tell yourself you cannot do, reinforcing that in fact, you are indomitable.

3. The World We Leave Behind:

The World We Leave Behind was written musically and lyrically by myself. It’s heavily inspired by the mid-era My Dying Bride (34.788%...Complete and A Line of Deathless Kings era). Basically, it’s about when you leave this mortal coil and how your actions here resound and influence the world when you’re gone. It’s a semi-romantic view of dying with the emphasis on truly loving those around you while you can because it does matter.

4. In Seas of Perdition:

In Seas of Perdition…this was a late addition to the album. So, we did a thing where we challenged each other to write a song over the course of a weekend, independently and then show each other what we had done. This was my contribution. I just wrote from my heart a bunch of riffs that I thought flowed together, and since we didn’t have a “fast” song yet, this scratched that itch. It’s rooted in my love for Swedish Black metal but with some heavier bits. Lyrically it’s about using judgment as a weapon and how that can negatively influence others so you can hide behind their actions.

5. Shadowlands:

Shadowlands is interesting. This song was reworked a few times. The dirty riff that comes in after the slow beginning was the nexus of the song. Basically, we had a bridge riff and wrote a song around it, but it ended up being cool because it goes in so many different directions but still comes full circle, and of course, we had to half-time that same riff at the end! Lyrically it’s about astral projection, not that I’m an expert on the matter, but just taking some influence from things written by Giordano Bruno, and Copernicus and applying it to metaphors of transcending planes of existence. Sometimes you get tired of writing about the fuckery of man, so this was something different.

6. Journeyman:

Journeyman, another great David tune. He wrote the lyrics as well. He really has a knack for writing songs with memorable melodies and great choruses. David and I have been playing music together long before Krigsgrav and this song kind of has an influence from the days we spent playing in our old band. Very Kampfar in parts, it’s an Ode to our brothers in and out of Krigsgrav, Corey (ex-guitar player for Krigsgrav), and Shaun Smith. If you surround yourself with quality people you can be inspired by their journey, and this song is that representation.

7. Alone with the Setting Sun:

Along with the Setting Sun was written by Cody, musically and lyrically. This is our closing statement piece and I think Cody really nailed it with this song. It’s somber, and moody, and still ends on a strong note. It’s about making inner peace with the idea that at the end of the journey, it’s just you. Metaphorically, it’s about acceptance of your surroundings and feeling the ability to move forward with the life you want to live.