There are people who die on this earth and still walk among us. No, not zombies. They live and breathe and go about their day, but inside, they’re in a nightmare from which they can’t seem to wake, and the existence they once knew is over. There is no overcoming or finding strength or catharsis. It just feels like the past is extinguished.

Connecticut-based death metal force Fires in the Distance is more introspective than most of the bands that do what they do, and their third record “Circadian Promise” is further proof of this. On these six tracks and nearly 50 minutes, the band—vocalist/guitarist Brendan Hayter, guitarist Yegor Savonin, bassist/vocalist Craig Breitsprecher, drummer Jordan Rippe—explores the concept of existential death, taking on the misery and anguish of a life torn asunder. It’s also a manner of accepting aging and the inevitability of dying, embracing darkness and bleak realities and trying to accept that in order to be alive, both physically and spiritually.

“Of Radiance and Levitation” bathes in strings, the drums opening the fray, a melodic gush as howls mar the senses. Guitars burst and chug, elevating the excitement, shimmering as clean singing bellows, the playing deep and rich with emotion, spilling into further aggression. Howls jar as the guitars slash, giving one last thrust before fading into a synth bed. “To You, Author of My Fade” has the drums rousing and the vocals crashing, the aura feeling gothy and burly at the same time, the singing glazing as a hearty fog rolls in. Growls ravage as the clean singing adds some cool air into the firestorm, the temperatures dropping as progressive-style leads energize cells. Colors rush as guitars char, growls smash, and keys glisten, sending the storm coverage into the distance. “Lightless Days of a Songless Bird” mashes as the key swell, growls gut, and ice pellets drop, mist glowing before the band wrecks shop again. Howls bustle as the guitars lather, Hayter wailing, “Why can’t I remember how I lost it all?” as melodies light brightly, burning away.

“By This Time Tomorrow” grapples you to the ground, howls crushing as breezy guitars chill, the tempo trudging with great might. Grisly vocals mix with spacey keys, an Alan Watts quote chilling as the music grows more cinematic, guitars firing up with gusto, bursting with blazing energy. “Once the Silence Takes Your Place” opens with murky keys, the playing electrifying, shadowy pressure darkening as the singing bellows, the emotion crashing through walls. Keys flutter, giving off an illuminating sci-fi feel, guitars hitting the gas pedal, lathering as screaming belts. Singing floods as the keys blind, flowing into the bitter cold. Closer “Agonal Dreaming” lumbers, howls slashing as glorious leads generate lightning, a melodic chorus making hearts race, blackening skies and increasing the horrors. Guitars crush, viciousness stabbing, a brief calming settling, synth strings generating deep textures. Guitars dart again as the vocals get uglier, the keys rain down, and a dramatic, sweeping finish drives the final nails into the ground.

“Circadian Promise” is a morose, yet ravaging record that has Fires in the Distance slathering everything inside of them into these songs. This creation permeates the darkness and the despair and transforms that into a glimmer of hope amid catastrophe. This is a record that can find you when you’re at a low point and reengage the chaos in your heart to rise up and make the most of the time you have.

For more on the band, go here: https://firesinthedistance.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.prostheticrecords.com/collections/fires-in-the-distance

For more on the label, go here: https://prostheticrecords.com/