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Alex Hoffman of FALLUJAH Talks Touring, Emotion in Metal, and The Flesh Prevails

By capitalchaostv on August 5, 2014 • ( 0 )

We caught up with Alex Hoffman, vocalist of Fallujah, to talk about the band’s journey, the evolution of their sound, and how life as a death metal musician really works—on and off the road.

Capital Chaos TV: Are you a San Francisco native?

Alex Hoffman: Nope. I’m originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, but I grew up in the Bay Area. Now I’m in Portland—housing is cheaper and the rent isn’t $900 a month like in SF. But I do miss the Bay.

CCTV: You lived in the Sunset District, right?

Alex: Yeah. Foggy as hell, but when the sun does set, it’s nice. Sunset living was mostly students and immigrant families because it’s cheaper than downtown.

CCTV: So Fallujah started in 2007?

Alex: That’s right. Me and Scott are the original members. Rob, our bassist, joined in 2009. He was in Rise of Caligula and Scourge of Medusa before that. Our new guitarist Brian came from a North Bay band called Animus.

CCTV: At what point did this become a full-time pursuit for you?

Alex: When the offers started making sense. Our first real national tour was in 2012—wasn’t great, but it was a start. Then we played a few Summer Slaughter dates as locals, toured Europe with Suffocation, and hit the road with Black Dahlia Murder. Now it’s something sustainable.

CCTV: Let’s talk about The Flesh Prevails. Any songs about… uh… vagina?

Alex: [Laughs] Track two is about sexual empowerment, actually. The whole record touches on personal struggle, emotional growth, self-doubt, and working through dark periods. It’s not a concept album, but those themes thread it together.

CCTV: Metal doesn’t usually explore sexuality or vulnerability.

Alex: Exactly. I wanted to push against escapism and write something real. A lot of metal avoids emotional depth, but that’s what makes this album different—we leaned into it.

CCTV: Your sound is very dynamic—are you trying to bring emotion into death metal?

Alex: Definitely. We’re melodic and still aggressive, but not just brutal for the sake of it. When we write, we don’t ask, “Is this sick?”—we ask, “How does it feel?” Music should evoke something. Think of it as the Pink Floyd of death metal.

CCTV: Has Unique Leader been a good home for Fallujah?

Alex: Absolutely—it was the right stepping stone. But now we’re moving on. We’ve got great management behind us, and this next album cycle is a big step up.

CCTV: Trouble crossing the border?

Alex: Not really. We almost got caught with weed once, but otherwise we’ve had good luck getting into Canada.

CCTV: Let’s be real—it’s hard to survive in metal financially.

Alex: It is. It’s not about a 401(k)—it’s about staying afloat and finding value beyond money. I do it for the music, travel, and connection with fans. It lets me go places I’d never afford to visit on my own.

CCTV: How do you support yourself outside of the band?

Alex: Regular jobs. I live alone, I’ve got rent. When I come home from tour, I update my resume and look for work. I usually keep the band thing quiet when applying.

CCTV: Are you a gear geek?

Alex: I’m a plugin geek. I handle all the electronic elements for the band. I love Native Instruments—Massive, FM8, Absynth, Razor, Photone. I nerd out on soft synths and sound design more than hardware or microphones.

Alex: The Flesh Prevails drops July 22. We’ll be on tour all summer—come out to Summer Slaughter and catch us at 4 PM sharp. Stop by the merch table, say hi, buy a shirt—or a spear. [laughs]