April 7 — Fates Warning front man Ray Alder will release his sophomore solo album this year.
The simply titled II is scheduled for release June 9 through InsideOut Music. In anticipation of the album’s pending release, Alder premiered the album’s lead single, ‘This Hollow Shell‘ and its companion lyric video Friday.
The song’s musical arrangement and seeming lyrical theme are both equally heavy, just in their own right. The musical arrangement is a deeply contemplative composition that is heavy in the emotional depth that it exhibits in Alder’s vocals and the colors in the instrumentation.
Alder commented on the album’s lead single in the news release announcing the information about the new album and single, but did not directly address the song’s theme in his prepared statement.
“’This Hollow Shell’ is the first song to be released from my new solo album, II, Alder said. “When I first heard this song I knew that it was going to be one of my favorites on the new album. It was dark and moody with tons of changes. It was like a huge blank canvas that I couldn’t wait to begin painting on. In the end it became one of the songs on the album that I am most proud of.”
The lyrics presented in the song’s lyric video come across as being sung from the standpoint of someone who is at a very low emotional point. This is exemplified through the statement in the chorus of someone trying to fly with broken wings and ending up on his knees. The mention in one of the verses about someone stabbing the subject in the back, but the subject needing to feel the result shows that seeming theme just as much. This is all just this critic’s interpretation.
The song’s lyric video is a simple presentation. It features the song’s lyrics over the album’s cover art. Video effects are used with the cover art to keep it from simply being a static display.
Alder talked about his new solo album in a prepared statement, saying the approach was more focused and directed than on his 2019 solo debut, What The Water Wants.
“When we wrote the first solo album I wanted to try some different musical styles,” Alder said. “I didn’t want it to be really heavy, but more musical with catchy choruses. I think we did a pretty good job on that first one. But with this new album I wanted the music and lyrics to be darker and heavier.”
Alder continued, “I think Mike did a fantastic job with the music. He listened to what I was saying and thinking musically. Tony knows that I like the big choruses and somewhat traditional sound. And of course Craig did an amazing job on the drums as usual. It’s an honor to be able to work with them.”
He concluded, “This album is more of a reflection of what I heard going forward as a solo artist. Longer songs, deeper lyrics and really pushing myself vocally. I hope that whoever listens to it enjoys it as much as I did while working on it…”
The track listing for II is noted below.
RAY ALDER – “II” (51:20)
1. This Hollow Shell (06:02)
2. My Oblivion (04:36)
3. Hands Of Time (06:08)
4. Waiting For Some Sun (04:29)
5. Silence The Enemy (04:41)
6. Keep Wandering (05:51)
7. Those Words I Bled (05:51)
8. Passengers (05:51)
9. Changes (07:45)
More information on Ray Alder’s new album is available along with all of his latest news at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RayAlderOfficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/realrayalder
