Mar. 24, 2010 - Issue #753: Zion I

Prevue

From the chrysalis

blessthefall finds new life with a new singer

The cover of blessthefall's new album, Witness, shows a butterfly, hinting at the usual metaphors of change and rebirth, and with obvious reason. When the post-hardcore five-piece from Phoenix (literally), Arizona had a nasty falling out with their previous lead singer in 2008, the future looked dim. After an agonizing nine-month search for a new lead singer, Beau Bokan, former front man for Take the Crown, stepped in, and the band emerged stronger and better, as Bokan explains.

"I think being able to come back from what the band went through—nine months of looking for a new singer, and my old band breaking up—we all went through really tough times where we thought we might not make music anymore," he explains. "The reality of that was such a bum out. To be able to come back from that and get back into the focus of being in a band, and the camaraderie is so good, and to write such a good record, we take a lot of pride in this."

Having averted disaster, Bokan and company immediately turned to writing new material for 2009's Witness, all the while learning to grow together and find their legs.

"Right when I joined, we started writing right away, and for the first how many months we were really plugging away to see how we worked together, to see if it was the right thing. And it worked out great," he chatters excitedly. "Since then, we've been busy touring, and writing, writing, writing—even while we were on tour with Silverstein last year. This whole year's been so busy, it's gone by so fast."

Which is maybe a blessing in disguise for the new singer, who didn't have time to worry how he might be received by blessthefall faithful. "I didn't have time to think, 'Okay, I'm the new singer now.' I had to just bear down and do it," he explains.

The recording of Witness was the final key, solidifying the band's chemistry while taking their time in Elvis Baskette's beachfront studio in Virginia to foster the final stages of its metamorphosis.

"It was a good collective effort, and working with Elvis Baskette was awesome; we had the time of our lives. It was so relaxed. Any pressure I may have had was completely gone when I went in to record with him," Bokan enthuses.

Nerves and butterflies aside, blessthefall can now focus on what the band does best.

"I'm just gonna get up there with my best friends—I know they've got my back, and we'll just kill it. We just think positively and put on the best show of our lives. I've never had to think, 'What would the old singer do?'" he laughs. "I'm just gonna do what I do, and so far all the reaction has been awesome." V

Fri, Mar 26 (6 pm)
blessthefall
With Miss May I, Greeley Estates,
Before Their Eyes
Avenue Theatre, $15
 

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