The last time Minneapolis' After the Burial released a new CD was two years ago, which is almost a lifetime in metal years -- and even longer if you're a fan. However it wasn't for lack of ambition that the progressive metalcore band didn't add to their discography after 'Rareform.' "Instead of a time where I thought we would be normally writing new material, we were teaching [new vocalist Anthony Notarmaso] songs," bassist Lee Foral told Noisecreep. "He was learning material, we were touring on 'Rareform.'"

Notarmaso entered after the departure of their previous vocalist, Grant Luoma, whose presence in the band began to wear. "The next day after we let him go, we weren't worried about it," Foral explained. "We were the happiest as a band we've been in a long time. We were like, 'This is awesome. We got rid of him.' Band morale [went] straight up."

'Rareform', their second album, was re-recorded and re-released with Notarmaso in order to capture the energy of the revived band. It is an album of equal parts Meshuggah, Steve Vai and Between the Buried and Me.

After the Burial's first release, 'Forging a Future Self,' features a song with a rhythm based on pi, the mathematical constant based on the circle. But what does the new material sound like? "This album is completely different for us," said guitarist Justin Lowe. "We're just playing the stuff that we grew up listening to. Like, these are the most fun riffs. Groove oriented, kinda carefree. But not, careless, you know?"

At the time of interview, After the Burial were on tour with For Today and Bleeding Through, and tracking for their third album had been completed. They are currently touring Europe and then closing the year out with a full U.S. tour with Winds of Plague.

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