MOTIONLESS IN WHITE

Motionless In White aren't a band, they're a lifestyle. Since forming in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 2005, this Gothic-inspired metalcore act have captivated audiences with their aggressive music and arresting aesthetic but nothing could prepare audiences for their third full-length Reincarnate, an album that truly defies categorization and establishes them as one of the most exciting acts in rock today.

“Everything has to fit my very specific vision for what I want to accomplish but having these people help with things I never would have been able to think of on my own was fantastic,” the band's malevolent frontman Chris Motionless explains. In fact Reincarnate saw the group’s current lineup of keyboardist Josh Balz, bassist Devin “Ghost” Sola and guitarists Ryan Sitkowski and Ricky Horror  becoming more collaborative while still remaining to be Chris’ brainchild. “I’ve always predominantly done the writing and programming for Motionless In White but with [2012’s] Infamous and Reincarnate, Ricky had a big hand in it as well,” Chris explains. “I guess you could call us partners in writing for the band because we write both write everything musically."

Chris also brought in five of his friends/collaborators to help with Reincarnate, most notably Swedish multi-instrumentalist Tim Sköld who produced part of the album and helped Chris fully realize his ideas both sonically and conceptually. “I still moderate but the people I worked with really helped me take it to the next level.” In that spirit the album also features guest vocals from Dani Filth (Cradle Of Filth) on “Puppets 3” and Maria Brink (In This Moment) on “Contempress.” “Dani is such a huge influence for not only me personally but the entire band,” Chris explains. “I indirectly wrote ‘Contempress’ with Maria in mind to the point where the song wouldn’t have been able to exist without her,” he continues. “We sat down and hashed it out and were all on the same page instantly.”

A lot of bands describe their new albums as being both heavier and more melodic but in the case of Reincarnate it's actually true. In fact the album is teeming with huge choruses, orchestral flourishes and driving power chords, but even at its weightiest moments it manages to retain that balance between chaos and beauty which defines Motionless In White. The glory of Reincarnate lies in the fact that all of these dynamic elements often occur in the course of one song, a fact that will inevitably captivate fans of everything from industrial music to metal to grunge. It's an amalgam that's equally impactful regardless of whether Chris is gently crooning or urging the listener to "throw you hands in the air and start this shit!"

Speaking of vocals, Chris’ guttural growls and soaring highs are heightened even more on Reincarnate, a transition that can be contributed to the hundreds of live shows the band have performed between albums to frenzied fans as well as the luxury of having more time in the studio this time around. “On our previous records I only had one week to sing an entire record of vocals, this time I had three-and-half weeks to get it done,” he explains. While the album still retains the kinetic energy of the band’s legendary live shows, songs like the opener “Deathmarch” see Chris expanding his dynamic range without losing the sinister edge that has made Motionless In White a powerful force that easily stands out in the spectrum of aggressive music.

Lyrically Reincarnate is a hybrid of the personal and fictional narratives that Chris has explored in the past. “On this record I have two or three fictional stories to keep things fresh and different from the last record, but the rest is all really personal because it’s hard not to write about things you feel strongly about.” This concept also figures into the album title. “It’s very self-explanatory,” he explains. “We feel like we are burying a portion our of our past existence and becoming something different. It’s all about maintaining the characteristics of our band that people have liked in the past while becoming this new entity and reaching the next level of what we can accomplish having learned from all of the mistakes that we’ve made and grown from,” he continues.

“The first time that we bring out a new song on the road and perform it live, nothing can compare to that,” Chris summarizes. "I just can’t wait to bring these songs to life and share our rebirth with the people who are on this journey with us because they won’t be disappointed.” 

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER