We all think about death from time to time. We don’t want to, but we do. Brighton’s Chalk Hands are seemingly no exception, given that they’ve had to remind themselves not to in the title of their upcoming debut album, Don’t Think About Death. It’s a fitting name for a band whose music sits somewhere between the emotive catharsis of post-hardcore and the more desperate longing of post-rock.
If the album’s opener is anything to go on, though, it’s likely to be an album with some messages of hope amongst the gloom. Like a snake shedding its skin or a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, the track talks of survival and rebirth:
“Fail, grasp, restore
You’ve left your skin before
Relive, retract, endure
You should be striving for more”
The album was recorded by Lewis Johns (Rolo Tomassi, Svalbard, Employed To Serve, Cassus) at The Ranch Production House and is due out on 18th March next year. It comes adorned by the gorgeous artwork of guitarist, vocalist and lyricist Tommy Lester – you may recognise the style from the cover of our Tolkien zine.
Today, though, we’re excited to be able to bring you the lead single and its accompanying music video. Scroll down to hear from the band and watch the video in full.
Antoine (guitars/vocals): “Way before it was even written I knew I wanted a really dramatic, almost cinematic start to the song that sets the tone of the whole album within seconds and I hope we’ve achieved that. As a first single (and opening track) we wanted something that encapsulates everything the band and album is about, from huge emotional post-rock builds to frantic math-rock tinged screamo sections, always following a nonlinear structure that takes you on an ever-changing and tortuous journey.”
Tommy (guitar/vocals/lyrics): “It’s hard to have pure confidence in the choices you make. There may be days in which you feel sure of yourself, but then there are always going to be days where you can’t help but battle with doubt. The song, in short, asks if you feel you have made the most out of your time, with the one body you are given. You learn to live with the scars made from bad choices and you carry your achievements everywhere you go. You take all of this forward and it will inevitably take part in who you will become, so who will you become? Ultimately ‘Fail, Grasp, Restore’ is a song about acceptance, the desire to be at peace with who you are and about learning to deal with your past in the healthiest way you can, allowing it to improve your future.”
Don’t Think About Death releases 18th March 2022 on Dog Knights Productions. Follow Chalk Hands on Facebook, Instagram and Bandcamp for more updates.
Words: George Parr
