MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's CHRIS MOTIONLESS On 'Decades' Album: 'There's Nothing I Would Go Back And Change'

In a new interview with the JJO Discover New Music Podcast, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE frontman Chris "Motionless" Cerulli spoke about the band's latest album, "Decades", which arrived on July 17 via Roadrunner Records. Regarding how he feels about the LP now that it has been out for more than a month, Chris said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Dude, it's been so insane on a daily basis. The emotions to create it were very challenging, very rewarding. I mean, I'm sure a lot of bands go through the rollercoaster of you love this song and then time goes by and you're, like, 'Ah, I don't know if I love this song,' and then you wanna revise it and you're just constantly searching for this thing that feels complete. But most artists, I think, would probably say that they're perfectionists and they just constantly hear, 'What could be better?' and, 'What are we still chasing?' And it's quite the process. So I think making it was definitely really, really tough this time, because I wasn't willing to accept anything that wasn't, like, 'This has to be 100% what the vision is, and I'm gonna chase it until... It doesn't matter if it takes five years. I'm going for it.' And it took two and a half to three years, and here we are. And I think that it's because we spent that time on it that I look at it and I love it more than the other records. And it's not just 'cause it's new. It's 'cause there's nothing I would go back and change for the first time ever, and that's a pretty cool way to feel afterwards."

Elaborating on MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's ability to take more time to make "Decades" compared to some of the band's previous efforts, Chris said: "Getting to a level where you have a little bit more freedom to utilize time is something that I don't think is really discussed as… A lot of people think, 'Oh, rock band, rock stars, fame, money,' whatever, and that's still kind of the trope that follows around this style of music or really any big star in any music genre. But I don't think people realize that the most valuable asset that you can retain is time. And that's something that has been both amazing to have more time for the record, but then a little less time for your personal life. So, it's a kind of a constant back and forth of how to manage that. But yes, having the time for the record really made it what I believe to be the special sauce. And that kind of came about during the pandemic. When we had time, whether we wanted it or not, that was the lesson I learned out of the pandemic was, wow, time is a very insanely, if not the most important asset to us. And I wanna treat it that way, so that's the mentality."

Regarding what it was like to once again work with producer Drew Fulk on "Decades", Chris said: "Well, I think when you're working with people that are your best friends, that's always gonna be a little bit more rewarding and you're gonna have a better connection through the process of looking... I wouldn't work with him again if he didn't understand the vision and if he didn't understand what it is that we're all collectively chasing. So, it's amazing that you get to work with somebody that not only sees that, but then is one of your best friends who you're spending half of your sessions laughing at the dumbest stuff and just talking about the past and stuff like that. And all those things factor into, I think, especially on this record, that's centered so much around the history of the band, I think it was really important to have people involved in the writing process, like all my friends that I wrote with, and producers and stuff. It's part of the makeup of what is decades of MOTIONLESS IN WHITE. It's this group of people that I've been working with for so long, and that the band has been working with, that have helped shape the sound of the band, and now it's the anniversary of what we've all done together. So it felt like this really cool, triumphant — dare I say — Marvel endgame. All the characters are in that one last battle. That's kind of what it felt like. And now we're all kind of celebrating with each other that we all love the record, and it's really special because of that."

After the interviewer noted that the album title, "Decades", was possibly inspired by the fact that Chris and the rest of MOTIONLESS IN WHITE are now seeing "decades' worth of fans" coming to their live shows, Chris concurred. "We're on tour right now, and every single night, really the only big speech that I do from stage is I kind of take each city that we're in down memory lane: 'Oh, remember when we played at this venue and this venue for 500 people?' And you're seeing a lot of those fans at these shows, front row. They've been with the band for so long, and they know every word to every song, and it's because of those people that we're able to even put a record out 20 years in," he said. "And it's cool to kind of share that with them additionally to what we just talked about with all the people who worked on it and the bandmembers. The fans are very obviously the people that put you where you are. And when you have a band like us or a band with a cult following, the most rewarding thing you could see is people sticking with you. Even if they didn't like a record you put out, they're still gonna support you because they believe in your band, and they'll give you that forgiveness and push you through, and it's awesome. We're very, very lucky in that sense."

The first three singles from "Decades" were "R.I.P." (featuring Skylar Grey),"Playing God" (featuring SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor) and "Afraid Of The Dark".

The music video for "R.I.P." was directed by Jensen Noen, who also lensed the "Werewolf" and "Sign Of Life" videos.

"Decades" includes several high-profile and eclectic guest appearances. In addition to Taylor and Grey, DARK DIVINE's Anthony Martinez also features on the album.

The band recorded "Decades" in upstate New York and Los Angeles with co-producers Fulk and Justin "JD" deBlieck.

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE recently completed the headlining "The Sweat And Blood Tour", with support from LORNA SHORE, FIT FOR A KING and STATIC DRESS. The band's first American headlining tour in nearly three years kicked off on July 14 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with stops in Charlotte, Houston, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, and more before wrapping up on August 15 in Sterling Heights, Michigan. It also included a stop at Red Rocks, the band's first time headlining the venue.