New single release interview with Niall Merrett, vocalist of Falling Empires. "Keelhaul" is out now!
What inspired the creation of this single?
I think this song really shows a more mature and impactful vision for our music. We wanted to up the quality and take our time to craft something that would make people sit up and say...."whoah this stands out".
Living in Cornwall we see the beauty of the sea and the positives it can offer us every day. But with that we also see how something calm and serene can quickly turn brutal, dangerous and unruly. That really inspired the vibe of the song overall. Going from smooth and mellow to BIG, brutal and raucous.
What story or message does the song convey?
The song really gives the feeling of a stormy sea, trying to keep your head above the water and barely taking a breath before the next wave crashes down on you. It also brings forwards thoughts of how whatever we do we're always under the rule of something greater, that sometimes you just have to admit that whatever happens next is not up to you but up to life itself. And that sometimes, like that stormy sea, life can be cruel out of nowhere.
Keelhauling itself is an old punishment for sailors where someone would be bound and dragged under the Keel of the ship from one end to another...pretty brutal.
Can you tell us about the creative process?
I think it was Martyn that came in with the beginning little bendy riff and that really gave us the vibe off the bat, we knew it needed to come in with something big and beefy for the chorus's but chilled in the verses. I missed a practice session and next thing I knew the other guys had sent through a recording of the song ready for me to put some lyrics onto it. I always play new songs in the car to write vocals, as I can just belt out loads of different things and go "yup that's the one"...I think for Keelhaul it took me around 5 minutes as it just gelled super easy, which is the sign of something really working with us as a band. When we came to record, we knew we wanted some more in there and I always wanted overlayed vocals in the bridge. We worked with Joe Marsh (highly recommend) and worked out some ideas to push the song to the next level and... with everyone's input I think we really came away with a track we're super proud of.
How does this song differ from your previous releases?
As I say I think it's a much more mature sound and higher quality release that showcases the direction we're heading as a band.
What challenges did you face while writing or recording?
It was the first time we did the recording ourselves so that was a bit of a learning curve. but Joe was super supportive and offered so much help with getting the best sound out ourselves to then help him when mixing etc.
The only other challenge has been the waiting to release it as we've been desperate for others to hear it!
Is there a personal connection or story tied to the lyrics?
Being from Cornwall we have a great and long history in the fishing industry. But with this has come a history of shipwrecks and lifeboat rescues etc. Every year my family goes to the Christmas lights in Mousehole and as part of that we remember the tragic loss of the brave and heroic souls from the Penlee lifeboat - The Solomon Browne and the vessel of which they were rescuing people from. It's stories and events like these that are part of Cornwall and the history really shaped my perception of the sea and in turn the lyrics of this song.
Have you performed it live yet, and what was the audience’s reaction?
We actually chose the song to be our next release because of how well received it was when we've played it live. Even though it's not as energetic as our other songs so doesn't get people moshing, you can really see people's faces become intense and really drawn in. And then obviously the huge wooooo's afterwards help.
Is this single part of a larger project, like an album or EP?
At the moment it's just a single, however we're hoping to book a few days together at a house somewhere and just nail the recording of some chosen songs, with a view to release an EP later this year...we keep being asked about it, so we'd best deliver what the people want.
Anything Else You'd Like Your Fans to Know.
Just a thank you really for all the support we've had so far, from fans, friends, family, promoters, other bands, venues etc. We massively appreciate even one person listening to our song and enjoying it so to see listener numbers grow daily is amazing.
Oh and to like...follow us on socials, add the song to playlists and buy a t-shirt etc... as it all really helps.
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