Greeley Estates just released their new record Devil Son and vocalist Ryan Zimmerman has the lowdown on each track!
Devil Son
I can imagine this first track was shocking to most of our fans, especially coming off of “The Narrow Road” EP. In some ways, that was the point. When we first starting writing for this two part record we were all living in a house together and spent several weeks putting together the songs. We realized that we had songs going in several different directions and it made more sense to split them up. When Brandon first showed me this acoustic song I thought, that’s nice and all but it doesn’t fit the vibe of what we are doing now. After some time spent on it, a creepy choir and some epic drums, it became what we felt was the perfect haunting intro for the album opener. We have contemplated possibly doing a full version of this song in the future for fun. Lyrically it’s about individuals who use their power to take advantage of others.
It’s not a statement directed at the church as some of our listeners have questioned, although a corrupt preacher or priest would definitely fit the category of Devil Son. I am the son of a preacher so I have also been asked if it’s about me haha. I would relate it to anyone in power whether it’s, politics, religion, business, entertainment etc. that chooses to use their influence for evil and destroy the lives of others. “Devil Son, don’t you lie awake, thinking about all the souls you robbed. Devil Son, you built yourself a grave. Now there’s not turning back no.”
Marionette
This is one of our favorite songs as a band on the new album. It has a very different vibe for Greeley. We decided to do a video for this track because we thought it would grab the attention of our fans. Musically it has an eerie Deftones vibe which is very different for Greeley. Lyrically it’s about a relationship that needs to end, and individuals who need to move on with their lives. “I’m not afraid to leave you, you know I’ll be gone by morning.”
Turn The Night Way
This is my favorite song on the new album. All I could picture while listening to it was driving late at night. That thought ended up inspiring the lyrics. This is one of those songs I would like people to interpret lyrically for themselves. For me it is mostly about looking out for your friends when they are going through tough times. Letting them know you are there for them no matter the circumstances. This is also one of my favorite songs musically that Brandon has written. I think the guitar work and the drums kill on this track. I love the slow build up that leads to the breakdown in the middle of the song. (which is probably the heaviest thing we have written)
The World You Used To Know
I think David did a great job of capturing some of the feeling or vibe from Greeley’s past in this song. I think this is just a fun up-tempo sing along type of song. Chris also has some memorable moments on the drums in this song. Lyrically it’s about reaching out to someone from your past that you miss, whether it’s a friend, family member or former love.
The Killing Fields
So far this track seems to be one of the stand out songs on the record with our fans. I think it has a cool chill vibe. Kyle’s bass takes over the song to give it its own feel. I like the way this song builds up and ends with a lot of emotion. Lyrically it’s similar to some of the other tracks on this album dealing with relationships, trying to figure out if it’s worth the fight or time to move on.
Porcelain
This song will make some of our old school fans happy. Its very different from anything we have done on the last few records. We all decided we liked it enough to put it on the EP. In some ways this EP almost sounds like a B-sides record since all the songs go in their own direction. I think we have switched it up so many times over the course of our 8 albums that our fans don’t know what to expect with each release. Lyrically this is one of those heartbreak songs. “What have you done? You threw this all away, it was all for nothing.” “I’ll be your statue that’s made out of porcelain you make me break.” Hopefully it finds its way to the individuals that need it most, and helps them get through whatever they are dealing with.
Cut Me Out
This is one of the darkest songs we have written both musically and lyrically. I think Brandon had horror movies and NIN in mind going into writing it. Musically it is heavy in a different way unlike the metal songs on our previous albums. Honestly when I first heard it I thought it was an amazing song but I had no idea what to do with it vocally. This song took me the longest to write. Lyrically it’s about being in a relationship that you feel is sucking the life out of you and leaving you hopeless. “So just cut me out and watch my spirit leave me out into nowhere”