Special report by Greg Prato

Soon arriving will be the fourth full-length overall by Australia's fast-rising metalcore band, Amity Affliction, titled Let the Ocean Take Me. Set for release this week (via Roadrunner Records), the band - which includes singer Joel Birch, singer/bassist Ahren Stringer, lead guitarist Troy Brady, rhythm guitarist Dan Brown and drummer Ryan Burt - recorded the ten-track album with producer Will Putney at the healm.

"We recorded it at Troy's studio [Evergreen Studios in Brisbane]," Birch tells BraveWords about the sessions that resulted in Let the Ocean Take Me. "It was just more of a cool, relaxed experience for everyone involved, I think. As far as being different, I think it's what we've always done - we've just gotten better at the same thing."

And while he has difficulty picking just one favorite track ("I like them all this time around, to be honest - I'm very happy with this one"), Birch was willing to open up a bit more about memories of filming the video for the album-opening track, "Pittsburgh," which sees the entire group performing the song in a very "watery" situation.

"It was pretty difficult. I think it was ten hours or something, filming that. From like 7:30 to 5:30 in the morning. It's cool looking back on it, but at the time, it sucked! It was really, really difficult."

You don't hear about many new metal bands coming out of Australia nowadays, but surprisingly, the singer doesn't have much of an opinion regarding the land down under's current metal scene. "I get asked this all the time, and I'm not really sure how to answer it. We play so many shows each year that I've kind of stopped going to shows. So I'm not 100% sure how it is situated. There are great bands coming out of Australia, but they're only the ones I hear of. I'm sure there are many more out there."

Although Let the Ocean Take Me is still more than a month away from being released, Amity Affliction is already touring North America, including dates in the US and Canada through to the middle of May (as part of BLESSTHEFALL’s Hollow Bodies Tour, which also includes a performance by SILVERSTEIN, SECRETS, and HEARTIST).

"We're pretty energetic and a passionate performance," is how Birch describes his band's concerts. And lastly, what about his future plans with Amity Affliction? "To keep touring and doing what we're doing. Write another record next year and keep it going."