Released March 15, 2019
Written, produced and performed by Jay Gironimi
Liner Notes
This would be the All Hallow’s Evil comeback album if anyone actually cared that All Hallow’s Evil was gone. Still, it was the most successful All Hallow’s Evil release at the time and outpaced the Slowbleed album tenfold, so there’s something to be said for brand recognition, even if it’s limited.
The album I did under the name Slowbleed was fine, but with some distance, I started to feel like it was a little polite. Some of the rough edges had been sanded down too far, so it was more a “may I play you a song?” album than a “here comes some noise!” album. I wanted the follow up to be a bit more consistent. And right around the time I came up with the chorus of the title track, I knew that I had another All Hallow’s Evil album on my hands.
Now in the grand scheme of things, that doesn’t mean anything. But it felt like a home coming for me. And it made me realize that I can make music under whatever name I want and All Hallow’s Evil can sleep, but I never know when another All Hallow’s Evil song will come to me. I don’t know if that’s good or not.
I did the artwork myself, all digitally, mostly so I could feel good about the Apple Pencil I bought. The symmetry and silhouettes were heavily inspired by Dave Gibbons’ work on Watchmen, though luckily my limited skill turned it into something else. Honestly, I think it’s my favorite All Hallow’s Evil cover that I made, but the bar is low (the best All Hallow’s Evil cover is No One is Forgiven, but my friend Heather Stone made that one).
At the time, I described the sound like this: “The current All Hallow’s Evil sound is somewhere between Bruce Dickinson’s solo work, mid-period Kreator, and The Sisters of Mercy. The kids are calling it Gothic Thrash Metal and it’s the hot new trend.” Gothic Thrash Metal was indeed not the hot new trend—hell, even I only stuck with it for this album—but I really like what I did here. I think it’s the most consistent All Hallow’s Evil album, where maybe the highs aren’t quite as high as “Myopic” off of With Regrets…, but it doesn’t have anything truly embarrassing on it either (looking at you “A Black and Comfortless Sky”).
-Jay G, March 2024
Track by Track
“No Gods, Only Monsters” – Look, I’m not a guy who hates technology. I love crap. I’ve got 4 devices within arms reach that can get on the internet. I run a Plex server. But as much as modern technology has brought us—All Hallow’s Evil wouldn’t exist without it, so factor that in as good/bad/indifferent as you see fit—I spend a lot of my time wondering what it cost.
Anyway, this song is about how the internet turned us all into little dollar signs for some truly depraved freaks.
“In Your Name” – This was technically the first song I wrote for this album, but it took me real long time to finish. It was always some permutation of the pre-chorus riff and some other riffs, but it was a journey to find something I thought had the right flow. At some point, this was the first song on the album as well, but after a lot of flip flopping, my wife decided the title track should go first.
“Two Graves” – This song is not about War for the Planet of the Apes, but it was very much inspired by it.
I like revenge stories, particularly ones where the protagonist knows that nothing they’re doing is going to help, but they do it anyway. So I wanted to write a revenge song, I guess. Basically the protagonist here saw the Confucius quote “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves” and got a shovel. And there’s a fun synth line at the end!
“Year of Our Lord” – This one shares a lot of DNA with “Never Meant to Shine” off of No One is Forgiven, in that they’re both about cults. I wanted the verses to sound like a leader singing from a pulpit with a low rent PA, but listening back now, I wonder if people think I just don’t know how reverb works. In any case, I thought the blast beat behind that was a fun choice and there are some pretty good harmony guitars in this.
I don’t think I had anything particular in mind with the “14th day of the 7th month” other than I thought I sounded good. I suppose if I had been smarter, I would have realized that was Bastille Day, but it’s too late now.
“Road to Ruin” – Part of bringing All Hallow’s Evil back was bringing back the growls. Technically the last All Hallow’s Evil song with growls was “Genetic Decree” in 2014, but that was a one-off. They had pretty much disappeared from the official albums/eps after 2006.
Improving my singing technique necessitated a change in my growl technique as well, but the big change was that I used to be really phlegmy and my lungs are clearer here. I did not even realize this until I listened to raw tracks from As We Suffer, where I’m wheezing like a haunted house on a drafty October night between every growl line. I can push more air now, but the gurgle isn’t there anymore.
In any case, I think this was a good place to bring them back. Though the lyrics are a little straight forward, but I was hearing some truly wild stuff from some family members at the time, so it felt right to have a blatant anti-Nazi song.
“A Dark and Starless Heaven” – This was a late addition to the album, written mostly because I got a good deal on a HX Stomp and I wanted to try it out. I like writing songs when I get a new piece of equipment, like a song that’s going to make 0 money justifies the purchase somehow.
I had the intro riff left over from the Slowbleed album, but could never figure out what to do with it. I ended up dropping my tuning a whole step—most of the All Hallow’s Evil songs are in D tuning, but this one is in C—and somehow the rest of the song came together. It’s one of my favorites and I really like the solo as well.
“Let’s Clog Their Streets With Our Dead” – The major struggle of my life is paying for medicine. I’m handling it now, mostly because I found one situation that works and I live my life like the insurance industry is a t-rex; if I don’t move, it can’t hurt me.
This is a fantasy song about a world where dying in the street would change anything about how the world works. I think by now we all know better, but it’s fun to pretend.
“Yes, I Am Afraid” – At various points in it’s lifetime, this has been the most popular All Hallow’s Evil track. I’m not sure why that is—algorithms seem to really like this and “As Long as It Hurts” from With Regrets…—but I think this is one of the better All Hallow’s Evil songs too, so I won’t fight it. I thought maybe I could capitalize by recording a solo guitar and vocal performance of it, but that didn’t catch on at all. I guess accidental success is the only type I’m going to see here.
“Only Shadows” – This one is heavily inspired by the graffiti of the couple kissing in Watchmen and the last moments before dying in an nuclear explosion. Not that I know what that’s like. I’m really hoping I don’t get to find out, but it seems like the chances are less than zero. It’s maybe not the most delicate or thoughtful writing I’ve ever done, but it felt cathartic at the time, so hopefully that counts for something.
I think the actual song is pretty good. The acoustic break through the solo is maybe my favorite two minutes or so on the album.
The Official All Hallow's Evil Archive 