Austin, Texas Based Melodic Death Metal Unit HINAYANA Announces New Album, Shatter And Fall, out November 10, 2023
29th August 2023In 2018, Austin, Texas-based melodic death metal unit HINAYANA ensnared the masses with their self-released debut, Order Divine, and later defied the pandemic with their subsequent 2020 release, the Death Of The Cosmic EP. Now, the band returns with their long-anticipated sophomore full-length, Shatter And Fall, out November 10, 2023 via Napalm Records – and it proves well worth the wait.
Produced by frontman Casey Hurd and Kevin Butler with mastering by Dan Swanö at Unisound, Shatter And Fall features guest contributions from melodic death metal purveyors and labelmates Tuomas Saukkonen of WOLFHEART and Vincent Jackson Jones of AETHER REALM. Setting them apart from genre greats like Insomnium, Amorphis, and Swallow the Sun, Shatter And Fall incorporates modern, accessible elements, emerging as a fresh entry in this yearâs most unmissable metal offerings. The album serves as a darker, more solemn work in comparison to their debut, yet superior without question in songwriting, technicality, and cohesiveness.
Today, the band kicks things off with its groove-laden first single “Reverse The Code”. Backed by an impressive official music video, the track boasts catchy chorus progressions, engaging verses, and technical aptitude, blending progressive touches with punishing extremity.
Frontman Casey Hurd says about the track:
âRegrets and mistakes. ‘Reverse The Code’ is about our hopeless and futile desire to be able to go back in time and change things in our past. The single serves as a perfect introduction to the fierce evolution of our sound that is Shatter And Fall.”Â
Shatter And Fall not only proves itself as an impressive sophomore entry for HINAYANA, but a benchmark in the annals of American melodic death metal history.
Frontman Casey Hurd adds about the album:
“Shatter And Fall is about Karma, oneâs own fate, consequences, grief about our own actions, depression, loss of faith, yin and yang, light and dark, and our own unchanging nature as humans. It’s darker, heavier, and more diverse than our previous releases. We’re evolving and expanding on our sound to include more catchy and anthemic elements in addition to the darker, heavier material. This new album is a significant milestone for HINAYANA.âÂ
Pre-Order Shatter And Fall HERE:
The introductory track âSlowly Light Collidesâ opens the heavy gates of Shatter And Fall without hesitation, setting the stage for its impending intensity with a potent mixture of headbang-inducing heaviness and hair-raising melodies and harmonies. The second track âMind Is A Shadowâ, featuring guest vocals from Vincent Jackson Jones of fellow American melodic death metal frontrunners AETHER REALM, hits equally hard with a gripping, chunky verse riff and searing chorus. Frontman Casey Hurdâs deep growls juxtapose effortlessly with Jonesâs skyscraper screams before a seizing solo from Erik Shtaygrud marks the trackâs apex. Anthems like âHow Many Dreamsâ, âThe Answerâ and enthralling groove machine âReverse The Codeâ – the latter boasting one of the albumâs most flourishing closer passages – march further into the icy depths, proving Shatter And Fall as a multifaceted melodeath record.
Powerful âSpirit And Matterâ and somber yet essential, spine-tingling âTriptych Visionsâ feature some of the albumâs most melancholic and introspective moments, traversing expansive peaks and valleys of deep metallic intensity and some of the albumâs most delicate, acoustic-driven moments. The implementation of diverse styles, showcased by the varied instrumentation and intensity of songs like the touching interlude âFrom Our Darkest Momentsâ, versus the massive, crushing sonic saga âLost To Flameâ, poise the band for undeniable recognition. All-consuming single âA Tide Unturningâ, featuring guest vocal contributions from Tuomas Saukkonen of Finnish melodic death icons WOLFHEART, shines as the most desolate summit of Shatter And Fall, serving as one of the most brutalizing yet pensive ballads of 2023. The album ends on the grimmest note of all with blackened closer âTakenâ, a re-recorded, renewed look back at a track originally released on the bandâs 2014 demo Endless – marking an apt finish to a contemplative, emotional album tangling with themes of fate, grief and inevitable consequence.Â
Shatter And Fall track listing:
1. Slowly Light Collides  Â
2. Mind Is A Shadow (feat. Vincent Jackson Jones)
3. How Many Dreams  Â
4. Spirit And Matter  Â
5. From Our Darkest Moments  Â
6. Reverse The Code  Â
7. Lost To Flame  Â
8. The Answer  Â
9. Triptych Visions  Â
10. A Tide Unturning (feat. Tuomas Saukkonen)
11. Taken
Shatter And Fall will be available in the following formats:
-1CD Digisleeve   Â
-1LP Gatefold BLACKÂ Â Â Â
-Digital Album Â
In other news, HINAYANA will join headliners WOLFHEART and fellow support act BEFORE THE DAWN on a tour of Europe and the UK this fall! The tour will take place all throughout November and will visit London, Paris, Budapest, Berlin, and many more major cities! Don’t miss this exciting lineup – see below for all dates.
WOLFHEART w/ HINAYANA and BEFORE THE DAWN | Europe/UK 2023:
11/3 (CH) Aarau // Kiff*
11/4 (BE) Louvain La Neuve // Mass Deathtruction Festival*
11/5 (UK) London // The Dome*
11/6 (NL) Rotterdam // Baroeg
11/7 (FR) Paris // Backstage By The Mill
11/8 (DE) Siegburg // Kubana
11/9 (DE) Trier // Mergener Hof
11/10 (NL) Helmond // Cacaofabriek
11/11 (DE) Essen // Turock
11/12 (AT) Innsbruck // Pmk
11/3 (SD) Liubliana / / Orto Bar
11/14 (DE) Munich // Backstage Halle
11/15 (HU) Budapest // Barba Negra
11/16 (AT) Vienna // Szene
11/17 (DE) Leipzig // Hellraiser
11/18 (DE) WeissenhÀuser Strand // Metal Hammer Paradise
11/19 (DE) Berlin // Orwo Haus
11/20 (CZ) Prague // Futurum
11/21 (PL) Warsaw // Hydrozagadka
11/22 (PL) Krakow / / Kamienna12
11/23 (DE) Dresden // Chemiefabrik
11/24 (DE) Mannheim // Ms Connexion Complex
11/25 (DE) Hannover // Musikzentrum
11/26 (NL) Maastricht // Muziekgieterij
HINAYANA is:
Casey Hurd – Guitar/Vocals
Daniel Vieira – Drums
Erik Shtaygrud – Guitar
Michael Anstice – Keyboard
Matt Bius – Bass