10 CityLight.org
june 2012
ARTS
&
ENTERTAINMENT
"We don't do this band because it's fun or to be-
come popular, we do it because we have to. This
is all about sharing our beliefs and our devo-
tion through our music. That's one hundred %
why this band exists." says For Today frontman
Mattie Montgomery.
T
hat kind of conviction has served him
and the band well. Formed in 2005, the
Christian group from Sioux City, Iowa is one
of the metalcore movement's most popular
acts. They have found a passionate audience
with their blend of face-ripping vocals, tech-
heavy guitar parts, towering choruses and
fervent lyrics. Sure, other groups are trying
to pull off a similar formula, but no one is
doing it better than For Today.
"We joke around about this, but most met-
alcore bands play something that is in be-
tween metal and hardcore, but we play
songs that are half metal and half hardcore,"
Montgomery offers. "We have songs that are
straight-up metal, with Cradle of Filth-type
vocals, and then the next part will just be this
slowed-down, Terror-inspired part. We just
love playing both styles of music, and try our
best to mesh those two worlds."
You won't find better evidence of For Today's
dynamic songwriting than on Immortal, the
band's new album. The 11-song collection
finds the quintet pushing their sound into a
new direction with a fresher sense of melodi-
cism creeping into their music. But Mont-
gomery explains that they also stayed true to
what For Today's legion of fans have come to
know and love about the group's sound: "Mu-
sically, the album's title track has some stuff
going on in it that is definitely new for us. It's
got a melodic thing happening that reminds
me of Thrice and Shelter a bit. But when it
comes down to it, our fans want the heavy
stuff. They want that low end driving pulse and
rhythmic thing that For Today is known for,
and we deliver that on this record."
Anyone who has ever been to a For Today
show knows the special connection the band's
fans have with their lyrics. Whether they're
performing at a huge theater or a club, the en-
tire room is singing no screaming along
with every single word. On Immortal, Mont-
gomery delivers more of life-affirming lyrics
that For Today are known for. "Fearless," the
album's first single, drives the group's message
home more than any other moment on the re-
cord, offering the line, "We are fearless ones/
we will not be afraid."
When asked which song on Immortal he
thinks will surprise For Today fans the most,
Montgomery hesitates for a moment, "That's a
tough question, but I'll have to say a song called
"Foundation." That track actually features the
most clean-singing we've ever had in one song.
The song has a really anthemic feel that comes
alive with Ryan's [Leitru, also lead guitarist] vo-
cal parts. "Foundation" is just a big-sounding
song. I can't wait for people to hear it!"
Immortal, For Today's fourth album and first
for Razor & Tie, was produced by Will Put-
ney (Lamb of God, Suicide Silence) who also
manned the boards on their 2010 Breaker al-
bum. "At this point, Will is almost like another
member of the band. He knows our sound bet-
ter than anyone else out there and doesn't take
FOR TODAY