Excitement Shared by Many as Omaha Rockers, After the Fall, Prepare to Release Sophomore Album
"You Don't Have to Sleep to Dream"

By: Audrey Kay

It has been a long and bumpy rollercoaster ride for the Heartland's hard rock quintet, After the Fall.  The band, like many others out there trying to make it, has endured the hardships of losing band members and having to work "regular" jobs in order to pay for studio time and recording expenses.  On top of that, it can be a difficult task to keep a band together through all of the hard work associated with making music, personal changes and growths amongst band members. However, while it may not have always been an easy ride, the immense amount of work has paid off.  The band has continuously climbed the success ladder since their debut album, "We Invented a World, was released in 2007 (coincidentally also in March).  Their dedication to their music has not gone unnoticed, either; they scored a spot as a nominee at the 2010 Omaha Entertainment Awards in the Best Rock Group category, where they were also given the opportunity to give a live performance alongside other promising local artists.  In 2008, they also secured an honorary position in the Top 25 for Best Music on Campus on MTVU, a music television network exclusively directed toward the student population.  With two completed albums, a rapidly growing fan base, and an eagerly anticipated release party this Saturday, After the Fall's drummer, Justin Eatherton, and lead vocalist, Justin Inget, take a second to breathe and chat with me about what we can expect from this new record.

Change within a group can be both a huge contributor to a band's success, and also a very scary thing.  For After the Fall, they finally reached a place where they all felt comfortable with their sound and happy with how things turned out.  "We were just a four piece for a while," Eatherton explained, "A few of our members were just going in different musical directions than we were.  There was a little bit of regrouping at first.  Overall, there hasn't been a huge change, we just kind of more figured out where we want to be.  Now I think we are with a group of people where we feel on the same page music wise."  Fans of After the Fall since the release of their last album will be able to see those differences shine through with the second one as well.  "It's been three years since ‘We Invented a World' was released, and even longer since we recorded it, so there will be an obvious change there," Eatherton pointed out.  Justin Inget adds, "The last time we released an album, we just didn't want to hear it anymore.  I just wasn't as proud of it.  But this one we love, we're proud of it and excited to release it.  Hopefully everyone else will enjoy it too and it's something that catches their ear.  Hopefully, it's something they find worth downloading on their Ipod and something they want to hear more of."

Although this is their first full-length album, they claim that it was a much easier process to put together than the first.  "There was more work involved and there are three times as many songs as the first, but it was much easier," Inget said, "We weren't under the clock the whole time.  We were able to record most of it at home, except for the drums [with the help of mutual friend, Chris Holtmeyer].  Because there was about four years between recordings, we knew a little more what we were doing and we were more prepared.  It was a lot of fun."  Just because the second album has been completed, the band does not expect to take time off any time soon.  "We've already started working on new music," said Eatherton, "We're always trying to push it…push ourselves."

One of the biggest priorities of After the Fall is ensuring that the great amount of emotion and personal feelings reach out to their audience and move them beyond just enjoying a good beat.  Not only is Justin Inget the lead vocalist, but also the primary songwriter for the group, and he takes this role especially seriously.  "I put a lot of time into what that song means and what I'm feeling at the time and hopefully people that hear it can feel it too," he says.  "My goal with making music is I want to make somebody cry (laughs).  Not because I'm a mean person, but, because I want them to feel something.  That's what I'm going for.  If people can feel those emotions, then I'm doing something right."  Eatherton adds, "We make music that WE want to play first.  But, our ultimate goal is to reach people and make them feel something.  So it's a mixture of both."

Can After the Fall's fans, old and new, expect to feel those emotions in this new album just like they did in the past?  "I think pretty much what we have now is a direct resemblance of what we've done before, only better," Inget replies.  So if you loved the amped-up sound from their first album, you can expect that After the Fall is about to bring you an adrenaline-charged side of them you have never seen before. 

After the Fall's "You Don't Have to Sleep to Dream" CD Release Party this Saturday, March 20th at the Waiting Room Lounge!  For only $8, see some of Omaha's most adored rock bands; Screaming for Silence, Aurasing, Against the Artificial The Rising, and of course, After the Fall!  Show starts at 8 P.M.  BUT GET THERE EARLY!!  The first 50 people through the door get a free copy of After the Fall's brand new CD!  Get out there Saturday night for one hell of a rockin' good night!

Check them out here:
www.myspace.com/afterthefall
www.facebook.com/pages/After-the-Fall/21901036531

See you there!

3.19.10