Mobile, Alabama-based metalcore/alternative metal band Midnight Fracture recently released a masterful full-length album, Dreams Deceive. The album explores the darkness and demons we all have inside ourselves as well as the hope that there is ultimately a way out of that dark place.
Midnight fracture was originally started by Leon Craft as a solo project. He brought in bassist Joseph Carter and guitarist/vocalist Brandon Martinez, then drummer Dallas Todd, and finally, guitarist/vocalist Kevin Joslin. The band started creating songs and playing shows together, and they just clicked and quickly developed a loyal fan base.
Kevin left the band in September 2024 for personal reasons. He was a very important part of the band and a huge contributor on the album. Most recently, at the beginning of February, right after the album dropped, Leon announced that he would also be stepping away from Midnight Fracture to take care of some personal matters. He will be greatly missed, but he is leaving the band in the hands of Joseph, Brandon, and Dallas, to find a new frontman and move forward with what he started.
I’ve written about Midnight Fracture in the past, and I realized that something I never asked Leon about was how he came up with the band’s name. Leon has always been open and honest about where his inspirations and ideas have come from, and this was no exception. He told me it started with a panic attack around midnight on a Friday. He was feeling lost and like he had no purpose and his brain wasn’t processing it. When he snapped out of it, he decided to write some songs of his own as a form of therapy. He also contacted his friend, producer Charlie Hadley. When he was getting ready to release his first single, “I’m Fine”, in fall of 2022, he realized he needed a name for the project. He remembered that panic attack he’d had, hence the name Midnight Fracture.
Leon put out his first two singles, “I’m Fine” and “Find Myself Again”, as a solo artist. “Break Me” was also Leon’s song, but Brandon did contribute some hard vocals. The whole band contributed on the fourth track, “The Silence (Should I Be Saved)”. Ultimately, these were the four songs on the band’s debut EP, called The Silence.
Charlie Hadley produced, engineered, and mixed the Dreams Deceive album. It was mastered by Drew Ray. Drew also did some editing and mixing as well. Dalton Daniel, bassist for Caving In, did some co-producing in the early recording stages. Leon was the only member of Midnight Fracture who was at every recording session. Sometimes it was a full band thing, sometimes just him, and sometimes him and one other member.
Leon shared with me that writing the songs was a team effort. He was the primary lyric-writer, but he was always open to suggestions. For example, drummer Dallas Todd contributed lyrically on “Death’s Memoir”. Regarding the instrumentation, Leon turned that over to his bandmates – “the boys”, as he called them. Leon would help with structure or suggest where harmonies or lead lines could go, but other than that he let them run with it. How wonderful it must have been to have so much faith and trust in your band! Leon said the music came first, before the lyrics. He would get a feel for the ebb and flow of the track, and usually would sit with it for about a week and find his melody, then write lyrics based on how the song made him feel.
The music on the Dreams Deceive album is varied with different tempos, and features intricate guitar riffs, rhythmic bass, and thunderous drums. Each song is different, and they are all interesting and complex. Listening to the full album, the excellent songwriting skills of the band members are apparent. Leon really did surround himself with extremely talented musicians when he built Midnight Fracture. Leon has a raw passion when he sings that portrays the emotions in every song.
When I asked Leon about his inspiration behind the Dreams Deceive album, he was very honest. He said he believes music and other forms of art are subjective. Though the artist may have a certain intent or idea they want to share, to someone else it might mean something totally different. Leon wants the songs that Midnight Fracture created for the album to be relatable, and he is happy if listeners can find that connection or meaning themselves.
Though many of the songs on the album come from a dark place, there is also a light and hope in many of them. We all battle demons – depression, fear, anxiety, stress – but we have to keep battling and trying to fight our way out of the darkness.
I did want to break down some of the songs on the album and give my own thoughts on them. Let me know what your thoughts are! Comment at the bottom of the review or on The Sound 228 social media post this review is attached to.
“Set Me Free”
This song is about breaking free from expectations of society and finding something better that allows you to live life the way you want to.
“To Bleed Out Loud” This is a song about finding an outlet – specifically, music – to escape from the dark places.
“Digital Decay” This song is about the addiction to social media and electronics that we see all around us, and seeking validation and getting our information from these sources. This is dangerous and is leading our society down a bleak path.
“Join Me In The Dark” I had recently mentioned to Leon Craft that this reminded me of a song that might fit a vampire movie or television series. He said he could see that. To me, this is a song about wanting human connection with someone even when you’re in a dark place and might drag them down with you.
“Dreams Deceive” This song is about a person who has always sacrificed and put someone else’s needs and wants and dreams first, and is now trapped in that life and wants to find what makes them happy.
“When I’m Gone” This song is so beautiful and very emotional for me, especially after losing my father in 2024. It’s about wondering how you will be remembered when you have passed and what legacy you’ll leave behind.
Again, these are just my interpretations. Maybe they’re totally off, but as Leon said, these are the meanings I take from the songs, which is the connection he and his bandmates wanted listeners to have.
I highly encourage listening to the entire Dreams Deceive album from start to finish. The first time I did I was awestruck by the complexity and diversity of the tracks. I still listen to the whole thing a couple times a week.
You can follow Midnight Fracture to see what the future holds on their socials – Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the band's website. Also, make sure to follow them on Spotify and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
PHOTO CREDIT: Imperial Photography LLC
Dreams Deceive track listing The Dream Of Life (intro) Set Me Free To Bleed Out Loud Hypocrisy You Will Be Known Digital Decay
Join Me In The Dark Lessons Learned In Blood Dreams Deceive No More Shadows Death's Memoir When I'm Gone
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