The band returns from a decade's long hiatus with their most powerful record yet: "The Silences That Binds Us."
When The Silence That Binds Us hit my Inbox, it made an impact. A crystalline-produced album capturing some of the darkest, heaviest music I've heard this year. When a chance to ask the band's guitarist Ala'a Swalha a few questions about it, I wasn't going to miss the chance!
Coyote Music: It was 2012 when Falling Leaves released its last album. What was it that led to the group's pause, and then eventual return after more than 10 years?
Ala'a Swalha: After Mournful Cry of a Dying Sun, life pulled us in different directions. But the music never left us, it was always there, waiting. Over time, that silence became part of the journey, shaping who we are today. We came back because we felt the story wasn’t finished, there were still emotions, struggles, and reflections we needed to translate into sound. The Silence That Binds Us is the product of that long wait: a testament to growth, perseverance, and the need to give voice to the things that haunt us.
CM: Beyond the band's members, you rolled out an impressive line-up that includes both the band and an array of guest performers. How did this ensemble come together--what did it take to reassemble both the band and guests to find the right mix of musicians?
AS: It wasn’t about recreating the old line-up, it was about finding the right people who shared the same emotional connection to this music. Having Paul Kuhr was very important to us; he’s been part of our journey since the first album. Then came Fabio Alessandrini on drums and Ariel Perchuk on keyboards, both incredibly talented musicians who understood what Falling Leaves is about. The line-up came together naturally, through friendships, shared vision, and a mutual passion for doom/death metal.
CM: In what ways do you think the band's sound has both remained true to the past while also showing the maturity and growth that has happened outside the music over the past 13 years?
AS: At the core, we are still the same band--the mournful melodies, the weight of doom, the emotional depth are all there. But after more than a decade, there’s maturity in how we write and approach production. The lyrics by Murad Junaidy dig deeper into human fragility and resilience. Sonically, working with Alessandro Comerio for mixing and Dan Swanö for mastering allowed us to expand our sound while staying faithful to our roots. It feels both familiar and renewed a continuation and an evolution at the same time.
CM: So The Silence That Binds Us is available streaming all over the world. And Falling Leaves decided to create a limited run of 300 digipak CDs release through Meuse Music Records, which is a great idea--anything to make the release standout amongst all the new music out there. Where can fans find the record and more information about Falling Leaves?
AS: The best place to find our music is at our official Linktree: https://linktr.ee/FallingLeavesBand. There, we have both the digital album and the digipak CDs.
CM: Well, thanks so much for taking the time to answer some questions for me and all the fans of Falling Leaves dark, heavy, intense musical style.
AS: Thank you and all our listeners for the support!