Internal Bleeding Release New Single in Wake of Drummer / Firefighter’s Tragic Death
Internal Bleeding have been gutted by the tragic death of one of their members, but they are soldiering on with new music. Yesterday (April 20), drummer and original member Bill Tolley tragically fell to his death from five stories up while in action as a New York City firefighter. Today (April 21), as previously scheduled, the band has unleashed the track "Final Justice" (video above).
The band had been tapped as the direct support act for Vader on their upcoming U.S. tour (dates here), though Tolley was unsure if he would be able to play every show as the scheduling potentially conflicted with a portion of his FDNY schedule.
In an interview with the New York Daily News, guitarist Chris Pervelis spoke about how close he and Tolley were, as well as an eerie final conversation they had that just hours before the tragic accident. When discussing his potential unavailability for the band's upcoming tour, Tolley told Pervelis, “You’ve got to carry on. You’ve got to make the band as big as it can be. If I can’t do it, somebody else has to do it." Pervelis adds, “When I think about it now, I can’t even process that because when you think about fate and things like that, it’s just mind-blowing that he said that today."
Pervelis is now the last remaining original member of Internal Bleeding and reflected on the bond he shared with the drummer. “If a guy could ever had a soulmate that’s not his wife, Bill was my soulmate and he was the heart and soul of our band. He’s what drove the band and I can’t process the loss, that such a good person is gone," explained the guitarist.
While battling a fire, Tolley apparently took a misstep on a five-story ladder while moving between the roof of the building and a bucket. “It was a routine operation, and somehow he fell from the roof. It is a terrible tragedy for a department that has known more than its share of tragedy," commented FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro.
For the uninitiated, Internal Bleeding's sound is comparable to the fist-flinging grooves of Dying Fetus. The four minute "Final Justice" is a potent exercise in constant tempo changes centered around Tolley's sense of swing behind the kit, propelling the bobbing rhythms and contrasting their pendular might with feral blasts. The track is one of Internal Bleeding's best offerings as heart-stopping chugs and pile-driving riffs volley back and forth.
"Bill was proud of the video and the song and was really looking forward to today; he was excited to share it with all of you. He loved every IB fan. He used to always say ‘we have the best fucking fans,’ and he meant it. Watch the vid and watch the man with all the groovy beats in action, sitting where he loved to sit. Behind the kit, facing the crowd and having his band mates’ back," said the band in a Facebook post.
"Final Justice" is set to be featured on the band's forthcoming album, Corrupting Influence, through Unique Leader.
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