“This is catharsis.” ANTAGONIST A.D vocalist Sam Crocker shares as a somewhat relieved, yet impassioned description of the culmination of the past twelve months of hard work. Today the band is proud to announce ‘Through Fire‘, the first in a series of 7″ EPs to contextualise the world the band currently find themselves inhabiting. ANTAGONIST A.D’s new EP Through Fire will be available January 17th through Greyscale Records, and with the announce, today the band shares the first taste of things to come with the new single Pure Fear; which as Crocker expands upon, is a relentless expulsion of the feelings that are more and more common in a society that has lost it’s way.
“The feeling of overwhelming emptiness. The crushing helplessness you feel while you have a panic attack. The self doubt, the voice in your head second guessing everything you know and believe. The seeds of doubt. PURE FEAR.”
The series of EPs were all recorded in Salem, Massachusetts under the watchful gaze of Kurt Ballou (Converge), and Zack Weeks at GodCity Studios; the duo’s talents and the melancholic surroundings of Greater Salem only adding to the bleakness of these releases.
“The social and political climate is so tumultuous at the moment, both in our immediate and the greater world around us. This series of 7”s addresses these times. 2018 and 2019 have been the worst years of my life. I’ve struggled through so much pain, my anxiety is at an all time high, misinformation, hurt, failure, regret, mistakes, repentance all amidst a rebirth of societal ignorance, racism, and misdirected anger housed inside (and fuelled by) a broken system. I want to burn it all down and start again.”
The adjoining video was directed by Joel Birch (The Amity Affliction), while at first seeming at odds with the lyrical content, is actually deeply intertwined.
“The video has a theme of police violence which is something we need to address and bring to light. The police are here to protect and serve. Not hired goons to quell down any political or social protest. We can’t change the system by playing by its rules. This bleeds heavily into the concept of your mind going rogue on you. Your own emotions that are there to serve and protect you, beating you mercilessly – criticising and shaking you down for the slightest misstep.”
In a time where some are feeling uncertain about their place in the world, for Antagonist A.D, at least some things are known for sure. “We are a political band. We are an anti-fascist band. This music empowers us all, I want to use this platform for change and growth. The series of 7”s tells a story of a renewed Antagonist A.D. a hungry band who wish to start fires, ignite and grow.”
