It's been four years since Central Coast rockers AFTER THE FALL released their last album - 2005's Always Forever Now. And although it might seem like only yesterday that t.A.T.u. dropped Dangerous and Moving and Barbara Bush was explaining how life at the Houston Astrodome in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was actually an improvement in lifestyle and "working very well" for the underprivileged of New Orleans, for the lads of ATF it's been a tumultuous four years of success, disappointment and redemptive hard work. Now with a new album, [In] Exile, to bequeath to their starved fans and a slot on the Trackside lineup to boot, it looks like the harsh, cold times of the group are, suitably enough, coming to an end.
"We toured Always Forever Now for two years and during that time we didn't do much writing at all," explains frontman Ben Windsor, chronicling and explaining the time gap between releases. "After that we didn't really know what we were doing direction-wise. We were dropped by our label [Festival Mushroom] and didn't know if we would make it. This new record was completely self-funded by us, so we were pretty much indie in the true sense of the word."
The product? [In] Exile - an album which sees the boys place greater faith in their ability to sooth, rather than in their aural force. But it almost didn't turn out that way. After being dropped, the group hit the studio with fountains of undirected vitriol that might have delivered us an album more like Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavoured Water. "We wrote lots of really angry rock songs at the start," says Windsor. "But when we went back and looked at them, it was just hilarious; it wasn't us at all." So they regrouped, regained their composure and began writing songs like Scotland Yard and the album's first single, Desire, where caressing "doo doo" back-ups and less abrasive drums are key departures from their previous style. "On this album we focussed on more of a drum and bass groove with catchy guitars and atmospheric sounds," says Windsor. And so while the distorted power riffs take somewhat of a back seat and Windsor's vocal chords sound like they're still getting used to living up to the task of being a more primary focal point of the music, overall the mood and tone of [In] Exile is nevertheless a far cry from their past work.
For the moment, however, the group is focussed on touring and the comprehensive trip around the country that awaits them. "We are a live band though, first and foremost," says Windsor, almost like a qualifier to the lengthy discussion we've just had about the group's recording process. "That's what we're good at. After touring you come home and you just have daytime TV. How many times can you really watch a guy sell you the Shamwowl?"
After the Fall play at the Trackside Festival on Saturday November 21 alongside Hilltop Hoods, Karnivool, Midnight Juggernauts and a whole swagger load more. Tickets through Moshtix
