On EP388 of And Now The Band, Tom catches up with Chris of Mother of Graves to discuss the band's upcoming album ‘The Light That Keeps Us,’ releasing October 16th on Profound Lore Records.
Chris talks about the band's songwriting philosophy, their evolution as a band, and the process of building an album that keeps listeners engaged from beginning to end. Rather than relying on overly long songs, Mother of Graves focuses on creating music with peaks, valleys, atmosphere and momentum, with tracks generally ranging from 4½ to 8 minutes.
The band spent roughly two years refining around a dozen songs before deciding on the final tracklist. Chris explains how some riffs had been sitting around for years before finally finding their place on the new record.
One of the standout examples is “Eventide Angel,” which developed when Chris took a riff from an earlier song and transformed it into a recurring guitar theme. The result added a distinct gothic quality to the track.
Chris and Tom also discuss the increased use of piano on The Light That Keeps Us. While piano had appeared in Mother of Graves' music previously, this album features it much more intentionally. Brandon contributed ideas that were brought to life by Ben, helping reinforce the album's darker and more somber atmosphere.
Tom particularly highlights the opening track “Somber” and the way its piano bookends help establish the album's mood.
The conversation also explores whether Mother of Graves could eventually perform the entire album live. Chris explains the technical challenges involved, particularly with the band's complex guitar arrangements, and why they want to test songs in a live environment before committing to a full-album performance.
Chris also reveals the band's album release show on November 21st at Black Circle in Indianapolis, featuring The Secrecy, Veilcast and Avernus.
The discussion touches on the current underground metal scene, including seeing Carrion perform and the band's technical musicianship, as well as the excitement of seeing heavy music receive attention from publications such as New Noise and Decibel.
Chris also names “Wingless Soul” as one of his favorite tracks on the album, explaining how a guitar riff he'd been developing for years finally found its perfect home.
The band worked carefully on the album's sequencing and kept the overall runtime around 45 minutes, helping preserve the sound quality of the vinyl release. Physical editions include black, green marble, white and gold-speckled vinyl.
From songwriting and riffs to piano, gothic atmosphere, live performance and vinyl, EP388 takes a deep look at the making of Mother of Graves' ‘The Light That Keeps Us.’
‘The Light That Keeps Us’ — October 16th, 2026 — Profound Lore Records
EP388 Topics: Mother of Graves • The Light That Keeps Us • Profound Lore Records • Chris • Somber • Eventide Angel • Wingless Soul • Dark Metal • Gothic Metal • Doom Metal • Death Metal • Songwriting • Metal Recording • Piano in Metal • Vinyl • Black Circle Indianapolis • Carrion • Veilcast • Vernis • New Noise • Decibel
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