Today, Southern California metal force Phinehas announced their fifth album, The Fire Itself, due to release August 27 via Solid State Records. The band also shared “In the Night,” their new single from the album and their first release since their 2017 record, Dark Flag. The song boasts energetic guitar solos, brutal vocals, and a catchy chorus that bursts through the surface with fury.
Singer Sean McCulloch shares more about the track:
“‘In the Night’ is about pushing forward in the face of the unknown and the fear that holds us captive or stagnant. We can’t delay or deny who we truly are to ourselves without giving up pieces of our soul or body over time. We have a purpose — if we would step forward and take it. After all, what is scarier? Dealing with something difficult right now? Or letting that difficult thing fester into a monster in your mind over years of procrastination?”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, members of Phinehas took the necessary time to reflect on and process the last few years of constant touring with little to no time for creativity. McCulloch in particular experienced a new chapter of self-discovery. “Stillness amplified some struggles I knew I had but hadn’t processed,” he said. “For the first time, I had to deal head-on with fear and anxiety.”
Through therapy and self-realization, Phinehas — also comprised of Bryce Kelley, Daniel Gailey, and Isaiah Perez — embarked on their first record solely about themselves. The result of their efforts became The Fire Itself, a transparent outpouring of McCulloch’s internal thoughts. Intentional, painful, and wholly authentic, the album presses into what it feels like to be a broken human being from his perspective. Instrumentally, the album is just as thoughtful but with a sharper edge than records past. Focusing less on individual parts and more on how the songs operate as a whole, Phinehas created a record that cuts straight to the core of who they are.
The Fire Itself is now available for pre-order.
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