Fall For Rising hails from the beautiful city in the Alps located in the southeast of France, Annecy. They discuss with us their perspective on humanity and the lyrics contained in their latest album "Are You Still Living." Very elaborate and comfortable with our questions, it will be interesting to discover certain aspects of their region, as well as several other facts related to their career which is now in its sixth year."
1. What brought you together in 2018 to form the band, before releasing your debut album in 2020?
It all began when Vincent (guitar) and Yohan (bass) started a new project after their previous band ended. David (drums) joined them quickly, and they began composing despite an unstable lineup throughout 2019. It wasn't until early 2020 that Ben (vocals) and Antho (lead guitar) arrived, bringing essential cohesion to the band based on shared values and a great vibe between members. The release of our first EP reflects the challenges of this difficult period, impacted by COVID and songs written before Ben and Antho's arrival, which had to be adapted, unfortunately limiting their creative expression.
2. Which French bands from your rich past of the Hardcore scene, have had an impact or influence on Fall For Rising?
If we had to name one band that had a major influence on French hardcore, it would be KickBack. Whether for the better or the worse, with their violence and uncompromising songs, they put France on the map, Hardcore wise. More generally, the late '90s and early 2000s significantly influenced our vision of hardcore, a time where sharing and mutual help were extremely developed. Today, our influences come from various styles and bands ranging from Punk HxC to Deathcore. While Ben and David are clearly more HxC-oriented, Anthony and Yohan lean more towards Deathcore, with Vincent trying to bridge the gap between the two. This creates a very interesting musical experience, though it sometimes sparks big debates.
3. Analyzing the lyrics of "Are You Still Living", how is the quest for meaning in a postmodern world represented in the song "Shadows of Our Time", and what reflection does it raise on the human condition?
Change always incites fear; it’s an instinctive human reaction we observe daily, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence. We witness the apprehension this technological evolution generates, sometimes perceived as a threat to our lifestyle and jobs. However, we firmly believe that new technologies are not inherently problematic; it’s the opposite, they have the potential to bring us enormous benefits and even save us, provided they are used intelligently and benevolently.
Our true concern lies in human perversion and madness, which remain the greatest obstacles to our societal progression. This reality is reminded to us by tragic events but also by inspiring stories, such as the one of a young French company that, through artificial intelligence, created a revolutionary biotech plant. This plant is capable of capturing 30 times more CO2 than traditional species while producing water, sugar, and other valuable substances. This innovation demonstrates that our future largely depends on our ability to exploit these technological advancements for the common good.
Social networks, despite their flaws, also offer a striking illustration of the complexity of human nature. We see how even in the darkest corners of these platforms, opportunities for learning, sharing, and supporting emerge. A concrete example is the Facebook group " Pour tous les fans de HxC," created by former actors of the music scene, Teddy and Kevin. Their initiative reflects a spirit of inclusivity, allowing us to make crucial connections for the future of our band. In summary, despite the challenges and uncertainties accompanying technological progress and human interactions, it is crucial to remain optimistic and committed to finding solutions that promote collective well-being.
The future depends on our ability to wisely navigate the complexities of our changing world, leveraging new technologies while preserving our humanity.
4. The band’s commitment to authenticity is evident in their music. Can you discuss how personal experiences shape the narrative in your songs, particularly in the lyrics of “No Way Back”?
Our lyrics are often linked to reflections or themes that resonate with us. For example, "The Ticket" speaks of freedom of expression, often undermined under the guise of "political correctness," while "It Takes More to Stop Us" talks about the COVID period, which disrupted access to culture and to our freedoms, and impacting deeply one of our members life with the death of his father. Fall For Rising has never claimed to write political lyrics.
From the start, our goal was to stay true to our personalities and inspire our audience to always seek a way out, even in adversity, and to keep moving forward.
For "No Way Back," we took a different approach. In June 2023, while working on our second EP "Are You Still Living," the knife attack in Annecy occurred. We were all deeply shocked by this barbarity, especially Ben and Vincent, being young parents. Attacking defenseless babies impacted us profoundly.
It then became clear that one of our songs had to address this attack to externalize our anger and show our support to the families affected by this tragedy. This text is primarily a father's questioning: why punish very young children for injustices? Why harm them out of conviction or belief? Nothing justifies attacking babies. For us, it was clear that there was no forgiveness to give to this man and no way back, hence the title "No Way Back."
5. How do the lyrics of "Double Standards" challenge the ethical implications of societal norms and the concept of justice, and what does the song suggest about the potential for individual and collective transformation in the face of systemic inequality?
Recently, we have witnessed a recurrence of various tragedies involving teenagers. Beyond the pain inflicted on their loved ones, what deeply striked us was the inequality in the sayings and reactions that follow with them. This disparity reveals a fracture in our society where some tragedies seem to gather collective compassion and mobilization, while others go almost unnoticed.
More than ever, beyond the societal or political aspect, it's the human aspect that bothers us the most. It is unbearable to see that such tragic events sometimes serve as justification for violent acts. At a time where grief and mourning should be respected and honored, it is shocking to see that some people's suffering are exploited to legitimize violent actions against others.
Even today, we witness tragedies whose value seems to vary according to arbitrary criteria, as if one person's life was more valuable than another's. For us, a life is a life, and every individual deserves respect and consideration, regardless of their past and choices, or of the circumstances. We must reject all forms of discrimination and violence, whether motivated by hate, frustration, or misunderstanding.
In such moments, it is essential to have a heart and support those hurt, directly or indirectly, by these tragedies. As a community, we must come together to offer comfort, help, and hope to those who need it most. Only solidarity and compassion can help heal the wounds caused by violence and we must build a future where every life matters and is protected.
6. Fall For Rising’s lyrics often reflect a raw and unfiltered view of reality. How do the lyrics of your songs address the challenges of staying true to oneself in the face of societal pressures?
For most of us, our daily lives are quite busy, between work, family (and even a dog). In our lyrics, we do not try to present ourselves as something we are not, nor force a vision that doesn't fit us. We believe that our experiences and life choices shape our character and allow us to move forward.
If someone constantly complains about their job but remains in that situation, the problem lies more with them than with the job. Life involves challenges and sometimes harsh or risky decisions must be made. That's why our lyrics are raw and uncompromising, mirroring the realities we face.
We do not position ourselves as judges of others' choices, but we firmly believe that change will not come without putting some effort into it. We are all influenced by our encounters and personal experiences. Thinking that a person cannot evolve is an illusion. However, the values our parents passed on to us remain deeply rooted in us and create the foundation we rely on most firmly.
7. Concerning your signing with Black Ceremonial Records, how do you think this collaboration will influence your musical exploration in future albums?
Our partnership with Black Ceremonial Records opens up exciting new perspectives. Working with Seb provides us with not only a wider platform to share our music but also grant an access to valuable resources and advices to refine our music and networks.
This collaboration will allow us to review our goals. We are eager to work with the Black Ceremonial Records team to develop our ideas and achieve our artistic ambitions. Together, we are convinced that this union will develop our musical journey and elevate our music.
8. Regarding the Annecy Hardcore scene, does the Hardcore movement reflect through the city by having many shows, or is it complicated to organize such musical events there?
Regarding the Hardcore scene in Annecy, is the Hardcore movement reflected in the city by the presence of many concerts, or is it complicated to organize such musical events there?
The hardcore scene in Annecy is very variable. Even though the audience is eager to move to attend concerts, the HxC culture is not developed and remains very metal-oriented. With Fall For Rising and the association A Bridge 2 Many (RIP), we tried to create a collective to help the local scene to develop itself. Unfortunately, even with Jacques' help, the owner of the bar-restaurant "Les Steppes," and our willingness to make things happen, attendance and neighborhood issues got the better of us! We take this opportunity to express all our support for Les Steppes, who are still fighting today to keep their bar and organize concerts despite neighborhood pressure and financial difficulties!
Concert venues are rare, and even those that exist struggle to promote local bands, by offering them opening slots for international bands for exemple. Visibility on social media, favoritism, and relationships often prevail over musical talent, which deeply saddens us.
However, despite these obstacles, hardcore concerts and events do take place against all odds. With the latest dates of our friends from Disturb at Les Steppes or Code of Conduct recently at Le Bistrot des Tilleuls, this demonstrates the commitment and determination of a few local organizers and enthusiasts. The hardcore community in Annecy is still emerging but active and must overcome many challenges to maintain its presence on the local scene.
9. You made a guest vocal appearance with Vincent from Alea Jacta Est on the title "Find Your Own Way", is camaraderie as important to you as well?
Yes, it is very important for us. We always loved hardcore featurings, so why not do our own on our EP? We must not forget that this environment is focused on sharing and unity around a message or musical energy. Our singer Ben has often shared the stage with the band Alea Jacta Est, he simply asked Vincent to participate in the Fall For Rising adventure, and the collaboration gave the title "Find Your Own Way," and the result is super cool. We take this opportunity to thank Vincent and Alea Jacta Est again for the support.
10. You recently surveyed your fans on your Facebook page, giving them a choice of 4 songs for your next music video, are you planning to make another one soon?
We decided to take matters into our own hands from the beginning of our musical adventure by producing and editing our first two clips ourselves! Although the result is not of professional quality, this experience gave us real satisfaction and reinforced our motivation to continue in this direction.
What's great is that we have a team of "jack-of-all-trades" within the band, allowing us to explore different ideas and concepts for our future clips. This DIY approach allows us not only to express ourselves artistically but also to give visibility to the band. In an era where video streaming platforms like YouTube have become essential, having well-made clips can significantly increase our reach and attract new listeners to our music.
Regarding our next project, we have decided, and this is an exclusive for Loyalcore, to shoot the video for our track "The Ticket." Currently, we are working on writing it and finding suitable locations for filming. We are confident about completing this clip in the coming weeks, with a planned release this summer.
11. You have three remaining gigs to close out your Still Living Tour 2024, do you have anything else planned for upcoming shows this summer?
The Still Living Tour 2024 is not yet fully planned, and we are currently finalizing dates for the fourth quarter. The band's goal is to get out of our region and meet new audiences to share a good time with them! We consider every concert as an opportunity to share a unique moment with our fans and create memorable memories together.
For the coming year, we are already looking ahead to 2025, and our ambition is to participate in as many festivals as possible. We firmly believe that these events offer an exceptional platform to present our music to a wider audience and provide an immersive and unforgettable stage experience. We aspire to offer something different, and festivals are the ideal place to achieve this goal.
If you are a concert organizer or festival manager and want to include us in your lineup, feel free to contact us. We are always open to new opportunities to play!
Finally, we want to express our sincere gratitude to the Loyalcore team for granting us this quality interview. Their commitment to the HxC scene and their professionalism are essential in promoting and supporting emerging bands like ours. We are honored to have had this opportunity and hope to collaborate again in the future.
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We can be said that Fall For Rising reveals a deep social conscience with human values that transcend into their music with some powerful songs. The authenticity of their lyrics shows how personal events and emotional reactions can transform into a powerful artistic expression. It will be interesting to monitor what the Annecy group will have in store in the coming years. For now, everything seems to be floating in the right currents, and we wish them a journey filled with success, while also thanking them for the support they have provided us from the beginning.
To read our review of their album "Are You Still Living" from our second edition of the Punch Pack Review, do it here.
