Collapse the Sky explore grief and darker sounds on new EP ‘Welcome | Death’
Collapse the Sky. Photo: Donovan Jones
Norwich metalcore band Collapse the Sky are heading into darker territory with their new EP, Welcome | Death, arriving on Friday 23 October. And behind one of its tracks is a particularly personal story.
The band, who appeared at the Takeover at Download in 2025, have been experimenting with new sounds and exploring more emotional themes for the release, which includes the previously released singles ‘Half Life’ and ‘Welcome | Death’.
But it's the closing track, ‘Requiem’, featuring Aethoria vocalist Mecia-Jade Holden, that has a particularly interesting story behind it.
A collaboration that started at Metal to the Masses
Speaking to Festpod, Collapse the Sky's Flynn Green explained how the collaboration came about.
A couple of years ago, the band played a guest headline set at the East Anglian final of Bloodstock's Metal to the Masses competition. Mecia was performing with her previous band, and her performance caught their attention.
Collapse the Sky had already written much of ‘Requiem’ and had been considering bringing in a guest vocalist. Having seen Mecia perform, they felt she'd be a great fit.
The two sides began exchanging demo ideas before eventually getting together at Crossed Bell Studios to record her vocals.
But there's a much more personal story behind the song itself.
Flynn explained that Lee had experienced a significant personal loss and wanted to express those feelings through music. ‘Requiem’ became an outlet for that grief, exploring the yearning for somebody who's no longer there and how losing someone can change a part of who you are.
A darker direction for Collapse the Sky
‘Welcome | Death’ is released on 23 October 2026.
That emotional weight also reflects the direction the band have taken with the EP as a whole.
Flynn describes Welcome | Death as "much more sinister and emotive than anything we have written before", with the band experimenting with different tunings and exploring more immersive sound design.And despite the darkness running through the release, there's a sense of hope in how it finishes.
Speaking about ‘Requiem’, Flynn explained that "the song concludes with a light that cuts through the darkness that precedes it."
It's an interesting direction for a band already known for combining ferocious metalcore riffs with atmospheric and orchestral elements.
Watch ‘Welcome | Death’ on YouTube below.
New video and Norwich launch show
Fans won't have long to hear the results.
The music video for ‘Requiem’ is scheduled for Wednesday 21 October, followed by the release of Welcome | Death on all streaming platforms on Friday 23 October.
Collapse the Sky will then celebrate with an EP launch show at Voodoo Daddy's in Norwich on Wednesday 28 October, joined by Karybdis and Skinchanger.
With the band continuing to build on the momentum of their Download appearance, Welcome | Death marks another chapter in their development, and one that clearly means a great deal to the people behind it.
Pre-save Welcome | Death EP:
https://ditto.fm/welcome-death-collapse-the-sky
Tickets for the Norwich EP launch:
https://www.voodoodaddysshowroom.co.uk/event/collapse-the-sky-karybdis-skinchanger/
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