The self-titled debut from Fate In Crisis is an all-out music attack driven by equal parts melody, aggression and momentum. The Toronto, Ontario, Canada-based brother duo Troy and Riley Bell has created a relentless power metal rock sound through ten new original songs reeking with punkish determination. The Children of Bodom meet The Sex Pistols is one way to describe FIC’s tuneage. But there is more to the music of Fate In Crisis.

A High-Energy Roster of Numbers      

Troy Bell wastes no time reeling off explosive fret leads from the first notes of the album’s opening track, “Fate Torn Apart,” while Riley Bell’s metalized drum line is maniacal from frenzy. The 3:08 cut peaks at approximately 1:50 with Troy firing off shredded string progressions that suck out all the air in the room.

“A Demon Inside,” another standout from Fate In Crisis, with its wicked, programmed drum riff playing up against the screaming guitar leads, has become an earsplitting favorite. “Take Your Breath Away,” which could be a product warning for the album, features a tight bass-drum battery. The band changes things up a bit with “City of Lies,” leaning more towards a rock beat, but no less potent. The vocal work throughout the album drives home a classic punk quality; when mixed with metal guitar and the drum patterns, it makes for something head-bangingly different.

Musicinterviewmagazine.com caught up with Troy Bell of Fate In Crisis for a discussion about the self-titled album and other projects.

Interview with Fate In Crisis

Your debut album has a big, high-energy sound. Is it just the two of you on the recording? What instruments do you play? Tell us about the mixing and production.

That was the goal for the project. We wanted to create music that is bursting with energy, technical, but catchy and fun to listen to. Presently, the project is just me and my younger brother Riley. I program the drums, play guitars and perform lead vocals, while Riley plays bass and provides backing vocals. We work together on songwriting, so it’s truly a collaborative project.

We recorded the album in the home studio that I built in my apartment. It’s a pretty simple set-up; an audio interface, laptop and Cubase Pro. We made the decision after working with several studios in the area and not liking the product that came out. The sessions were too rushed and expensive. With our own studio we are able to get a high-quality product and take the time to get the parts and mixes down right. Half the songs on the album were written while in our previous band; the other half is new songs that we wrote in the studio. One song is 14 years old and was written back in our first band, named Forgotten Fear.

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“Upon a Withered Cross” contains vocal work that’s both hard rock and hardcore. What determines who performs the vocal parts?

We usually work together on the vocal melodies and I cover the main vocals. We typically try to add a harsher quality whenever the energy of the song needs to be represented in the vocals. It helps bring out another layer of dynamics in the music. Riley handles the harsher vocals most of the time, but we also like to layer my softer vocals underneath, providing another level of sound.

On the album, generally speaking, were the guitars recorded from a mic’d amp, or plugged directly into the mix?

We record most of our stuff line-in. That’s one of the drawbacks of using our own studio. But we still feel like we are able to get a great sound with those limitations. We also feel the additional time that we get for fixing imperfections and perfecting the mix outweighs the negatives.

The other advantage is that besides the vocals, we are able to record anytime and not bother anyone. A lot of the album was recorded at one o’clock in the morning. Cubase also comes with many great digital amps and effects that can help you get a great sound.

What are some of the other projects in which you’ve been involved? Is Riley still playing with Strike the Storm?

Before Fate In Crisis, I played in Forgotten Fear, a punk group. That ended after our musical interests changed and we decided to play different styles. We were also involved in a metal-punk outfit named Avarice, prior to Fate In Crisis. The band dissolved because not all of the members were committed to pursuing music. Fate In Crisis was formed because we were looking to make music together and work towards a career in music.

Presently, Strike the Storm is on hiatus as several members decided to pursue different paths, though the recordings are still in progress. We may redo the tracks and then release the songs as a harder edged project. The material is crazy heavy and drop kicks you in the face with energy.

What are you working on these days?

We’re hard at work and in the middle of a promotional campaign for the release of our self-titled debut album. We’ve been working with promotional agencies and radio stations for placement. Additionally, we’re preparing for our first show as Fate In Crisis on Sept. 16th at The Rehearsal Factory in Mississauga, [Ontario]. After that we’ll be booking additional shows. Finally, we’re immersed in the recording of our follow-up album. We’ve got the instrumentals for four tracks finished and we’re focused on the rest. The goal is to release another ten track album before the end of 2018.