Australia’s metalcore heavyweights, The Amity Affliction, have today re-released their seminal 2014 album Let The Ocean Take Me in a bold, re-recorded Redux version.
Alongside this announcement, the band has also shared an updated take on the fan-favourite track, “My Father’s Son”, now available on all major streaming platforms.
For The Amity Affliction, this redux version is not just a simple re-release, but a pivotal moment of reclaiming their creative legacy. Speaking on the decision to re-record the album, frontman Joel Birch revealed the motivations behind the project.
“The album is almost entirely dedicated to addiction and the effects it had on my life and mental health; the strangest thing while re-recording this was reading the words and then reflecting on life since then,” Birch explained.
“This album was the catalyst for us touring the world and turning what was just a really fun time into a career, from kids to adults, from haphazardly throwing together songs to the place where we’re at now where we feel like we put more purpose into everything we create.”
Birch delved into how addiction nearly derailed the band’s trajectory, stating: “I started drinking again almost immediately after this album was finished and almost blew up everything I held dear, so the album is a warning of sorts, for myself and for anyone else out there struggling with addiction. I should have been able to read what I wrote and perform these songs and have it reinforce the very thing I had written about, but addiction is a soul crusher and just swallowed me up and spat me out.”
Produced by Daniel Brown and mixed by Henrik Udd (who’s known for his work with Architects and Bring Me The Horizon), the Redux version marks a sonic evolution for The Amity Affliction. Reflecting on their relationship with their former record label, Birch emphasized the significance of regaining creative control:
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“This is a chance to claw some of that back and have some ownership over our own songs, something that we didn’t have while with our old label.”
He added, “Let this be the canary in the coal mine for younger bands; in this day and age, you can find ethical and equitable deals, you don’t need to believe the bullshit larger labels will feed you, and you can maintain control over your masters and own your own songs.”
Let The Ocean Take Me originally debuted at #1 on the ARIA Charts and earned the band a nomination for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album at the ARIA Awards. It’s remembered as one of the key albums that brought the band to international prominence, featuring now-classic tracks like “Pittsburgh,” “Don’t Lean On Me,” and “The Weigh Down”.
The band’s 2014 Big Ass Tour alongside A Day to Remember saw them playing to over 60,000 fans across Australia.
Reflecting on the album’s legacy, Birch expressed gratitude to the band’s dedicated fanbase: “We wouldn’t be anywhere near where we are today without this album and the way it resonated with people around the world. This is the foundation of our band, and we owe everything we have to all of the people who listened to it and came out to our shows and continue to this day to show their love to us.”
Fans will soon have the opportunity to experience these revitalised tracks live. The Amity Affliction is set to headline the Big Pineapple Festival in Woombye, Queensland on October 19th, and will then embark on a national tour in November.
The tour will see the band performing Let the Ocean Take Me in full across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth, with support from Ice Nine Kills, We Came As Romans, and Heavensgate.
Tickets for The Amity Affliction’s Let the Ocean Take Me (Redux) tour are on sale now.
