Post Tenebras Lux (latin for “after darkness, light”)

Balloons Kill Babies release their debut album Post Tenebras Lux. This album will also be the last recording from BKB for the foreseeable future.

Post Tenebras Lux is the culmination of 5 years worth of writing, refining and production and is the perfected version of the band’s combination of groove metal, progressive rock and post-rock. Musicians Christian Carter (guitar), Karl O’Shea (bass) and Scott Davey (drums) have pushed themselves both physically and mentally to create a record that perfectly encapsulates the BKB sound and the furthest extent of their creative ability. It’s also the first major work by friend and producer, Jaime Pettersen, with drums recorded at the marvellous Alchemix studios and the band taking on the task of recording the remainder of the record themselves.

The album’s title translates from Latin to “after darkness, light” and is a fitting phrase for not only the album’s sound but the personal ordeals experienced by all members during the creation process. COVID-19, physical and mental health issues, substance abuse, financial difficulties and the simple passing of time nearly prevented the album from being finished. The release is the so-called light after the darkness of surviving these ordeals. The triumph of Post Tenebras Lux finally seeing the light of day is, however, bittersweet as remaining members Christian and Karl have decided to call it a day and end on a high point. Though they have always chosen pure sound as their way to communicate, BKB now believe they are at a point where they have said all they can say; as such, the band has decided to release the record in the way it was intended to be heard - in its entirety.

Originally written as a triumph over previous difficulties throughout our personal lives and careers, the Covid-19 Pandemic brought with it many new struggles which affected each of the members in unique and profound ways, both financially and psychologically. Scott departed to pursue other lifelong ambitions, heavily impacted by the pandemic. Karl has battled with substance abuse and his own mental health issues in the form of Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Finally the entire project was placed on hold as guitarist Christian suffered a severe depressive mental health episode and was diagnosed Catatonic and with Functional Neurological Disorder. Unfortunately, these conditions left Christian hospitalised for the better part of 2 years.

The band has always left the meaning of their music to the listener’s interpretation but found it important to address the issues they faced personally. Post Tenebras Lux is an album about catharsis for the band but they hope that the music can be a means to help others and their openness about what they went through encourages listeners to feel comfortable to talk about their own demons.

“Simply put, everyone behind the creation of this album has gone through significant changes over the last 5 years or so. Whether they be creative differences, a need to explore other projects or just simply wanting to move on, we’re all different people than we were at the beginning of all this. I think I speak for all of us when I say we’re fiercely proud of what we’ve managed to accomplish over the last decade plus and we couldn’t be happier with how the album turned out. It’s as perfect an ending as we could have asked for.” - Karl O’Shea

“This album means so much to me, after the treatment for Catatonia I was left suffering from Amnesia and regular Seizures, sometimes up to 7 a day with the worst lasting an hour. The remarkable thing was listening to the album again after the onset of amnesia, as if for the first time; and being able to pick up my guitar again and play the songs in their entirety. It was a massive part of my rehabilitation. The piano piece written by Karl and performed by his partner James Lees (Ghostwoods, Silver Sircus) “Flexibilitas Cerea”, we decided to name after one of the symptoms of Catatonia, “Waxy Flexibility”, where my limbs could be placed in various positions and I would stay in that position until someone moved me back.
Even though the album was written before the events of these illnesses, the title of the record rings truer than ever. It became the soundtrack to my recovery and rehabilitation from the worst period of my life. The project has simply run its course and I couldn’t think of a better record to go out on.” - Christian “Twiggy” Carter