Blueberry vinyl
Since 2011, For All We Know has been the side project of Ruud Jolie, known from Within Temptation. The debut album was released in the same year, followed by the second album called 'Take Me Home' in 2017. In 2023, both albums were released on vinyl via the young Dutch prog rock/metal label Construction Records. The new third album, entitled 'By Design Or By Disaster', will be released on CD and colored vinyl via Construction Records.
During the writing process, Jolie again worked closely with singer Wudstik, and the band consists of the same musicians who were featured on the first two albums: Léo Margarit (Pain of Salvation), Kristoffer Gildenlöw (ex Pain of Salvation), and Marco Kuypers (ex Cloud Machine). The 11 songs on the album were produced by Jolie himself and range from heavy, thrashy metal to calm melodies.
Compared to the previous two albums, 'By Design Or By Disaster' takes the listener to even more extreme corners, ranging from beautiful atmospheric strings to powerful rhythms and heavy guitars. Despite this diversity, Jolie continues to search for unexpected melodies and harmonies, where he is not afraid to go off the beaten path. There are also some 'Easter eggs' hidden for the attentive listener; melodies from the previous albums that return in an innovative way on this new album, making the first two albums together with this album a kind of trinity, which also applies to the artwork.
Although 'By Design Or By Disaster' is not a concept album, there is certainly a common thread to be discovered in the lyrics. They tell the story of a young man making his way through life, building and losing relationships, such as with his parents, lovers and later his children. The album takes a constant look in the mirror, as it were. This is reflected in the artwork, which shows three characters representing the same person at different stages of life. The blindfolded adults symbolize our bias and clouding of vision, while the baby is still free from judgment and completely open to life. Yet...
