BEAUTY IN DEATH.

Aussie alternative collective Chase Atlantic have constantly been a band prided on breaking down the genre boundaries through relentless experimentation.

Since announcing themselves onto the scene with 2014’s pop-rock self titled project, it wasn’t until second studio album PHASES where Chase Atlantic proved to be tastemakers and innovators for the next generation, in turn, pushing their hybrid of dizzying hip-hop, boisterous rock and woozy trap to its limits with every new effort. Now the band are boldly pushing forward again on their debut Fearless Records full length BEAUTY IN DEATH, due March 5th.

Commencing Chase Atlantic’s next chapter with a bold statement of intent, the striking BEAUTY IN DEATH does exactly what the title suggests. In a year where the world has been hit by total destruction, one that has caused a devastating amount of deaths, this album has therefore taken on a whole other dimension in traumatic times like these, with frontman and lead vocalist Mitchel Cave commenting “Beauty In Death is kind of like the silver lining, it’s like the light at the end of the tunnel.” It’s this aspect of “Seeing the flowers and how they bloom, but then they die and then they bloom again next season metaphorically” that juxtaposes poetically with the “Reality of death when people die in our lives” that provides the visual and lyrical backbone to the albums themes found throughout.

"No one wants to get stuck making one sound and being in the third album, we definitely put our foot in the door for being tastemakers and innovators for the next generation."

Opener ‘PARANOID’ is one of the standout songs from this record that reflects Chase Atlantic’s creativity for combining sounds. Starting off on some meditative beats during the intro, the track quickly transforms into this sonically diverse banger, something Cave recalls during the recording process “We took a few different genres that we are fans of, but we made them into the Chase Atlantic sound”, with some hip-hop meets R&B meets trap elements showcased through fresh beats, justifying this melting pot of influences. Coming to the tracks breakdown is where the band’s rock influences remain strong, as a heavily distorted guitar solo sends out the opener in true rock and roll style.

Whilst every single track taken from BEAUTY IN DEATH “Feels like solid songs that anyone one could have been picked to be a single”, official pre-record releases ‘OUT THE ROOF’, ‘MOLLY’, ‘SLIDE’ and ‘EMPTY’ were picked “As they gave a good summarisation of how the whole album will sound in general.” From the R&B heavy reflection of the world lead single ‘OUT THE ROOF’ to the slower ballad driven ‘MOLLY, and the atmospheric and metaphorically personal ‘SLIDE’ to latest ominous materialistic world of single ‘EMPTY’, each single holds their own uniquely Chase Atlantic sound, something that came instantly naturally to Mitchel Cave and co during the singles’ recording process.

“I think it came quite naturally, I wouldn’t say as a band we really plan how our music is going to sound so we never really know what we are going to get when we hop in the studio and make a song. But I guess it kind of just seamlessly works together somehow in the end.  The process itself of making the singles is very unformulaic, as there was no real way of doing it and I think that’s crucial than the other ways of making the singles.”

Lyrically, the title track taken from the Los Angeles based and Australian born trio’s third LP nods directly to the concept of finding blessings in mortality. ‘BEAUTY IN DEATH’ begins sonically reminiscent of The 1975’s ethereal and melodic alt rock sounds before the chorus exposes Cave’s vulnerabilities rooted in life and death as the vocalist openly sings “But don't let me die/“The diamonds will save your life/There's beauty in death inside”.

Closer ‘WASTED’ wastes no time venturing into never heard before sounds from Chase Atlantic. “Stylistically with the instrumentals on ‘WASTED’, we took an early 2000’s approach, with the scratches and the more punk feel, but we still kept it electronic and in keeping with the Chase Atlantic feel. We took a few different genres that we are fans of but we made them into the Chase Atlantic sound” comments Mitchel Cave on the closing track.

Embodying electronic, R&B and punk sound snippets to it, the song is a chilled out tune full of bright beats, moody rock and an atmospheric vibe that makes it immediately feel refreshingly new, a creative release that felt undeniably freeing for the band. “It was honestly liberating because we always want to progress as a band, no one wants to get stuck making one sound and being in the third album, we definitely put our foot in the door for being tastemakers and innovators for the next generation.”

Chase Atlantic’s new album BEAUTY IN DEATH feels “Quite scary, but also quite pivotal.” A record that lyrically represents the glimmer of hope found in the afterlife and sonically drives forward with the band’s modern genre bending sound, BEAUTY IN DEATH is the culmination of Chase Atlantic’s growth and speaks to the strength they found during the darkness presented in the past year.

BEAUTY IN DEATH is out March 5th on Fearless Records.