Emerging from the vibrant rock scene of Kelowna, British Columbia, FREEZE THE FALL is poised to unleash their compelling new EP The Red Garden on June 18, 2025, via 604 Records. Known for their gritty, introspective sound, this trio is ready to take their music to new heights with a project that weaves intricate tales through every track.

Produced, mixed, and mastered by Jordan Chase at Oodelally Recordings, The Red Garden dives deep into emotional and conceptual territory—melding heavy rock with haunting storytelling. The visual dimension, designed by Kevin Moore of Soft Surrogate, mirrors the record’s lush but unsettling atmosphere, creating a cohesive world of sound and image.

We caught up with guitarist and vocalist Quinn Mitzel to talk about the making of The Red Garden, the band’s creative process, and the stories behind the sound.

The Red Garden feels more like a full-on experience than just an EP. What was the original spark for this project? Did it start with a concept, a riff, or just the mood you wanted to capture?

Quinn Mitzel: Yeah, I’d say that the main thing was the mood that we wanted to capture, like what you said. Honestly, a big change in our writing this time was we made a lot of Pinterest boards. We were creating a big visual aesthetic that we wanted to write into. So yeah, that’s what inspired The Red Garden.

You’ve got this cool mix of medieval imagery and modern chaos running through songs like “Rot.” What is it about that collision of the ancient and digital age that fascinates you?

Well, for myself and for my bandmates, we’ve been very inspired by storytelling, and a lot of that is very fairy tale-esque, which is where that medieval element comes into play. But obviously, we’re living in a modern world—the digital era and all that—so we wanted to kind of merge the two and draw parallels between them.

Your lyrics go deep into things like misinformation, emotional burnout, and the weird disconnect of online life. How do you tackle heavy themes like that without it feeling preachy or overthought?

Honestly, I think for us, a big part of it is just writing honestly. It’s not about trying to make someone think something or impress anybody. It’s more like journaling—a reflection of what we go through as individuals and as a society. We think people can find themselves within that whole storyline we’ve created.

Historically, this record’s got real texture. It moves from brutal to beautiful without losing its edge. When you’re arranging songs, how do you decide what deserves the full wall-of-sound treatment versus what should be left raw and minimal?

Honestly, we just start writing and see what each song needs. Instead of having this preconceived notion of “this song needs to be this one thing,” we just bring in a riff and go, “Oh, maybe this would sound cool with that.” It’s about doing the song justice rather than putting it in a box.

“VHS” and “Hypothermia” both feel like mini horror movies in song form. How much does storytelling drive your songwriting process? Do you usually start with a narrative, or does the music inspire the story?

Storytelling is a huge part of our songwriting. Sometimes the story comes first, other times we create the full instrumental and then build the story around it. It really depends on the song, but that element is always there—especially in The Red Garden and moving forward. We just love books, movies, and storytelling in general. It’s so fun.

Your vocals range from whispery and haunting to full-on feral. How did you push yourself vocally on this record, and were there any moments that almost broke you in the studio—in a good way?

A big influence was our producer, Jordan Chase. He really likes to challenge me in the studio. It’s easy to get in your head and think you can’t do something, but he pushes me and says, “No, you can.” A standout moment was recording the ending of “Hypothermia.” It’s such a dramatic part. We’d been listening to Björk beforehand, had a few tears, got into that emotional headspace, and I ended up singing that final part in one take.

“Obli” throws in that French verse, which totally changes the song’s vibe. What inspired that move, and did it just feel like the right emotional language for that moment?

We’ve always wanted to integrate languages other than English. I’m very passionate about languages, and growing up in Canada, French was always around. I went to French immersion school, so it’s a part of my identity. I wanted to include it somewhere on The Red Garden—it was out of my comfort zone, but I had to do it anyway.

You worked with Jordan Chase at Oodelay Recordings. His stuff always sounds huge but organic. What kind of gear or studio magic helped define The Red Garden sound? Any specific pedals, tones, or rituals that became part of the process?

To be honest, the process with Jordan wasn’t really gear-oriented. It was more about experimenting—trying new amps, snare drums, pedals—and seeing what felt right. I can’t name one specific piece of gear that changed the game, but staying open to trying new sounds was key.

Are you more of a Strat person, a Les Paul, or into pointy guitars?

I like guitars with that Strat-style shape. Right now, I’m playing a Jackson and an ESP LTD—they both have that kind of design, and I’d say that’s my favorite.

Kevin Moore’s Soft Surrogate cover art for The Red Garden is gorgeous but kind of unsettling. How did that collaboration come about, and what story does the visual side tell that maybe the music doesn’t?

We had a big Zoom meeting with Kevin early on in the process and told him all the lore and storytelling elements behind the EP. Each song has a flower and a character assigned to it, each representing something different in life. We worked closely with him to capture that visually and weave those elements into the artwork.

If The Red Garden were a horror movie, who in the band gets taken out first, who’s the last one standing, and what’s the monster made of?

I think we’d all agree that Arya, our bassist, would probably go first. I’d probably get sacrificed at the end, and Jonah would be the hero who walks free.

And the monster?

That’s a good question—it’s a mystery monster.

Hailing from Kelowna, British Columbia, FREEZE THE FALL is a dynamic trio blending elements of metalcore, nu metal, and hard rock with deeply narrative songwriting. Formed in 2023, the band features:

• Quinn Mitzel – Guitar, Vocals
• Aria Becker – Bass, Backup Vocals
• Jonah Goncalves – Drums

Their debut EP Thrones (2024) earned acclaim for its cinematic scope and led to nominations for Best Music Video at the Okanagan Screen Awards 2025 for “VHS” and “Hypothermia.”

Drawing inspiration from BRING ME THE HORIZON, EVANESCENCE, and SPIRITBOX, FREEZE THE FALL delivers an emotionally charged, cinematic rock experience. With The Red Garden, they continue to redefine what modern heavy music can be—raw, theatrical, and deeply human.

Categories: Freeze The Fall, Interviews

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