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INTERVIEW: Boundaries On Processing Loss, Striving For More & Their New Album
US metalcore band Boundaries have spoken to Rock Sound about their fourth studio album, 'Yearning: The Unbeautiful After', which is dedicated to the memory of Dave Shapiro, Kendall Fortner and Emma Huke, all of whom died last year. Vocalist Matthew McDougal explained that despite its heavy, grief-laden themes, the record is intended as a call to keep going and make the most of life rather than dwell in misery, marking a significant emotional and creative step for the band.
McDougal told the magazine that the songwriting process built on lessons learned from their previous album, 'Death Is Little More', during which he pushed himself to write beyond his usual comfort zone of introspective, emotionally heavy topics. Having gained confidence from that record's positive reception, he said the band felt freer on the new album to deliberately explore different stylistic lanes within the genre, citing influences ranging from Emmure to Saosin, while feeling secure that longtime fans would understand how these sounds fit into Boundaries' identity.
In short
- Boundaries discuss new album 'Yearning: The Unbeautiful After' with Rock Sound
- Record is dedicated to three people who died last year
- Band aimed for a message of resilience despite the grief-driven themes
Explained simply
Boundaries are an American metalcore band, a genre combining heavy instrumentation with emotional vocals. Their fourth studio album, Yearning: The Unbeautiful After, was created following the deaths of three people close to the band last year, but rather than serving as a purely grief-stricken work, it functions as an affirmation of life and a message to persevere through hardship.
The band's approach has evolved gradually over recent records, with their previous album marking the point where vocalist Matthew McDougal began pushing beyond introspective, emotionally heavy songwriting. Having gained confidence from that work's reception, Boundaries felt emboldened to experiment with a wider range of sounds and influences on their new album whilst maintaining the identity their longtime fans recognise. This growth reflects both their personal journey through loss and their continued artistic development as a band.