With Forces of Light, Northlander writes an emo/alt rock record that only a hardcore band could write. The songs set the bar for what it means for an artist to tell the truth in their music. Over the course of 14 songs the band travels through the story arc of a life lived with intention and lightness, and how that plays out in the midst of disaster and human failure.

Forces of Light was written from the end of 2015 until the end of 2018 and features additional production by Ryan Furlott (It Prevails, Defeat the Low). Before forming Northlander, all three members wrote and toured with Fallstar (Facedown Records) for the past 9 years and still continue to play overseas dates.

“There’s a lot of pain and growth that took place over the last 5 years leading up to these songs,” Ratzlaff says. “We could have easily wrote songs that help a listener brood and dive a little deeper into depression, but I’m so happy to be out of that place. And while I know what it’s like and I write a bit about unhealthy mental states, I’m also trying to help people out of the dark places, much like the music that helped me get out.”