Still Just Breathing

"In an industry climate that sets up more barriers than ever before for rising artists, it has become incredibly difficult to come out of the gate strong. But you'd never know it from listening to Set for the Fall, who makes mature, melodic hard rock look effortless.
Over the course of just three short years, Fayetteville, NC-based band Set for the Fall released their debut album 3 Nails and landed spots touring with Seventh Day Slumber and later Memphis May Fire. That unstoppable momentum has culminated in Still Just Breathing, a monster of a sophomore album showcasing a sound that instantly pulls the listener into an expansive emotional experience.
Part of the excellence of Still Just Breathing lies in the fact that it strikes a delicate and delightful balance between hardcore sensibilities and post-grunge, refusing to be pigeon holed in one subgenre. The crushing riffs paired with refreshingly technical guitar moments in lead single "Breathe Again" begin to reveal this synergy. The beautifully poised guitar mix from Harrison Muffley and Donovan Roybal is paired with vocals from Joseph Lassiter that reference the post-grunge sound, instantly reminding of bands like Shinedown and Seether.
That unique sound is delivered with musical intentionality and cohesion, from the frenetic energy of the guitars on "Callout" to the scalding screams on the bridge of "Liar." Those tracks also exemplify the way that Still Just Breathing never wastes the kind of aggression that hard rock naturally provides. They put the full weight of that aggression behind the emotional experience of being broken, being betrayed by someone you trusted.
This album is certainly not heavy in musical style alone. Set for the Fall offers unflinching exploration of relational pain, regret and personal demons. "Paper Hearts" is a scorchingly honest song with a killer vocal hook that talks directly to some of the worst parts of how we react to heartbreak, offering the lyrics that give the album its title: "I know you know I know I'm left here bleeding / I know you know I know I'm still just breathing."
"Who I Am" takes a look at self-destructive patterns from the outside, the chorus pleading like a dear friend begging someone to walk away from their own sabotage. The melody on this song is instantly memorable, the perfect opportunity for a guest appearance from the soaring vocals of Memphis May Fire frontman Matty Mullins. The project's other noteworthy feature comes from Ryan Kirby of Fit for a King on "Judgment Day," a banger of a song that captures cultural discord and descent with a musical fury that builds on the theme of chaos.
Set for the Fall's voyage into the workings of the human heart brings them to some more mellow moments as well. "Counting Stars" is a lament, regretfully recounting loss. "Forever" is a love song sung from the road, singing about the sacrifice required for both those who tour and their loved ones at home. These ballad-leaning moments prove Set for the Fall has more than one sonic palette in their repertoire.
With an album that clocks in at 12 tracks (plus an intro), there is room for a lot of themes. Regret, loss, heartbreak, chaos: this desperation is deliberately punctuated by answering melodies of hope. "New Creation" fiercely screams the victory cry that comes with being set free from the worst of ourselves: "I am a new creation." Closing track "Home," fittingly enough, brings the emotional journey through human highs and lows to its conclusion in the arms of a divine Rescuer: "I'll face these moments I guess until I see you again / when you finally call me home."
There is a certain level of dangerous cheese factor that bands in this musical space often have to contend with, trying to connect with the downtrodden without resorting to the pitfalls of over-commercializing and simplifying others' pain– a trap many rock bands have fallen into in the past. Set for the Fall side steps that hazard entirely, staying laser focused on exceptional song crafting and lyrics that try to tell a story instead of pummeling with trite truisms. The result is the kind of album that has been sorely lacking over the past decade. Still Just Breathing blew me away with its musical maturity, satisfyingly unapologetic rock sound, earnest humanity and resolute message of redemption."
~ Rock On Purpose

Lineup

Joseph Lassiter - Vocals
Donovan Roybal - Guitar
Harrison Muffley - Guitar
Nathan Owensby - Bass
Jeff Dorber - Drums

Guests

Matty Mullins (Memphis May Fire) - Vocals
Ryan Kirby (Fit For A King) - Vocals