New Single: “I Regret” & Album: A Fraction of Infinity
[All answers by Phil Brown: guitars, vocals, songwriting]
1. The Single & Songwriting
1. “I Regret” is the lead single from A Fraction of Infinity. Why was this track chosen
to introduce the album?
“I Regret” captured a lot of the emotional energy behind A Fraction of Infinity. I think
it has a really strong, catchy chorus, and lyrically it reflected exactly where my
headspace ended up at the time of release, even though the song itself was written
years earlier. It’s about living in the present, letting go of the past, and not defining
yourself by old mistakes. The idea of this moment of our lives is precious felt like the
perfect way to introduce the album.
2. The song blends harsh and clean vocals over aggressive yet melodic riffs. How do
you approach balancing emotion and technicality?
That balance has always fascinated me, both vocally and musically. I love mixing
clean and harsh vocals, heavy sections with melodic moments. At the end of the day
I’m just trying to use every musical tool I have: extreme metal, power metal, catchy
choruses, and cool guitar solos. All of that gets filtered through what eventually
becomes the STELLAGEN sound.
3. Lyrically, what themes are you exploring in “I Regret”?
It’s really about stopping the cycle of self-punishment. We only get one life, and it’s
easy to spend it replaying regrets. But that only hurts us. The chorus line “This
moment is precious” became the heart of the song. It's a reminder that we have to
move forward with strength and integrity instead of living in the past.
4. The chorus has an anthemic quality. How do you write melodies that stick?
This one genuinely came to me in a dream. I woke up and hummed it straight into
my phone along with the lyrical ideas. I can’t really explain where those melodies
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come from, but I’ve always tried to write choruses that are melodic and memorable
while still living inside an extreme metal framework. That blend of clean, or 'semi
clean', and harsh vocals felt like the perfect vehicle for that idea.
2. The Album:
A Fraction of Infinity
5. Did the album’s themes arise organically or conceptually?
Mostly organically from my own experiences. Some songs drift into more science-
fiction and fantasy territory, but the emotional core comes from real life. What’s
interesting is that some lyrics were written years ago, like the opener “Deceit” yet
they ended up reflecting much more recent experiences. I love when lyrics take on
new meaning over time.
6. How does A Fraction of Infinity expand on your debut?
The goal was to take everything on From Dying Stars and push it further: better
performances, stronger arrangements, and more confidence in the sound. It’s the
natural evolution you hope for as a songwriter and producer.
There’s also a deeper conceptual link between the two albums. They’re designed
almost like a musical palindrome. The final track on From Dying Stars is called
“Reifier”, a classical piece I recorded and then reversed. The first track on A Fraction
of Infinity is also called “Reifier”, but this time it’s the same piece played the right way
around, so the true melody is revealed. That concept then continues across the two
albums, so that there is a musical or thematic link between track 2 on A Fraction of
Infinity and track 10 on From Dying Stars, a connection between track 3 on A
Fraction of Infinity and track 9 on From Dying Stars, and so on across both albums.
So the two albums mirror each other structurally and are kind of two halves of one
long musical idea. I thought this was an interesting concept to explore.
7. Were there any songs that challenged you technically?
Definitely “Stellar Genesis Part II.” It’s a clean, classical instrumental for two guitars.
When you play distorted metal, effects can hide tiny imperfections. Clean guitar
gives you nowhere to hide so every note is exposed and tiny imperfection is
exposed. That made it one of the most technically demanding pieces I’ve ever
recorded.
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3. Technical & Musical Craft
8. How do you balance complexity with accessibility?
I love complex music, that’s what I love to listen to depending on my mood. But I
always try to build songs around a hook. No matter how intricate things get, there
has to be a melody that pulls you back in.
9. How did working with Kevin Shirley and Brett Caldas-Lima shape the sound?
Working with Kevin Shirley was incredible. He’s worked on albums by Iron Maiden,
Dream Theater, Rush and many other famous artists, so hearing my songs through
his ears was surreal. He mixed A Fraction of Infinity on a real analogue mixing board
too, which I appreciated. It felt very 'old school' in the best way.
Brett Caldas-Lima, who works a lot with Arjen Lucassen, brought a great perspective
to the mastering.
I love that the final sound isn’t overly polished, in a good way. It still feels organic and
alive, which was exactly what I wanted.
10. How do melodic death metal and power metal coexist in your music?
That’s just me. I grew up listening to melodic death metal, power metal, black metal,
thrash, traditional heavy metal, and prog. All of those influences live inside me, and
what comes out is the natural collision of everything I love.
4. Recording & Collaboration
11. How did working with Robin Stone influence the album?
Robin is phenomenal. I’ve worked with him across multiple albums for both
STELLAGEN and my other project progressive metal project Waves Without Sound.
I send him demos with programmed drums, but I always tell him to bring his own
creativity and ideas, and he always comes back with ideas I never would have
thought of that really add to the songs. He’s an absolute beast and a true
professional.
12. With Phil Brown handling vocals and guitar, how do you manage the workload?
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It’s demanding, no doubt, as any musician knows there is a lot of work that goes into
making albums, and as a singer and guitarist, as well as overseeing the production
generally, my workload is a lot. Like most musicians the usual process is guitars
first, then vocals. Sometimes demo takes make it onto the final record if they capture
the right emotion, that saves time and keeps things feeling natural. It’s a lot of work,
but you just knuckle down and do it.
13. How closely were the visuals and music developed together?
Very closely. I worked with the album artist Ben Fowler by sharing demos and lyrics,
and we went back and forth on concepts, including linking to the first album art.
Visually, A Fraction of Infinity is like a continuation of From Dying Stars, but zoomed
in, almost microscopic. That reflects the idea that we’re tiny fragments of something
infinite, which makes every human moment even more important.
There were also two versions of the cover created by Ben, and I found it hard to
choose, so I ended up using one version for the digital release and a different
version for the physical release, available via Bandcamp.
5. Performance & Fan Engagement
14. How will you translate the album into a live setting?
Right now, STELLAGEN is primarily a studio project. I’m focused on recording and
releasing music rather than performing live, though I would like to play live in the
future if circumstances are right.
15. Which songs would you most want to debut live?
Definitely “I Regret.” It feels like it would be an incredible song in a live environment.
16. What do you hope fans take away from the album?
I hope they feel like they’ve been on a journey, emotionally and musically. Ultimately,
I just want people to have a powerful, enjoyable, kick-ass experience.
6. Influences & Identity
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17. Your sound is often compared to Rage, Dark Tranquillity, and Children of Bodom.
How do you stay unique?
Those bands absolutely influenced me, especially Peavy Wagner’s melodic
songwriting and vocals and the way Dark Tranquillity and Children of Bodom
combine extreme metal elements with melody. But all my influences melt together
inside me. The result isn’t imitation, I hope. It’s just what naturally comes out.
18. What drew you to combine thrash, melodic death, and power metal?
For the same reason, those styles all shaped me. Combining them isn’t a particularly
planned strategy or anything like that, it’s just who I am musically.
19. How has the Sydney metal scene shaped you?
I’ve been a bit removed from the local scene in recent years, but growing up around
heavy music culture definitely gave me the confidence to pursue this kind of sound
without compromise.
7. Looking Ahead
20. What’s next for STELLAGEN after this album?
I’m already deep into the third, fourth and fifth albums. My current feeling is that
there’s no reason to wait years between releases, so I want to keep the momentum
going.
21. Will you continue exploring existential and cosmic themes?
Absolutely. In fact, the third album leans heavily into themes around cults, with one
song being about a particular cosmically themed cult, so that’s a bit of a sneak
preview.
22. If someone hears “I Regret” first, what should they listen for?
The melody of the chorus and especially the lines:
“This moment – is precious
This moment – rise be strong
This moment – is precious
This moment – sing your song"
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We don’t get much time here. If the song reminds people to create, to live, and to
value the moment, then it’s done its job.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STELLAGEN Unleashes New Single “I Regret” Ahead of Upcoming Album “A Fraction of Infinity”
Sydney’s rising metal force STELLAGEN is back with a vengeance. Following their reputation for combining the melodic sensibilities of power metal with the ferocity of melodic death and thrash, the band releases the lead single “I Regret” , available now on all major streaming platforms, including a compelling official video on YouTube.
“I Regret” sets the stage for STELLAGEN’s second full-length album, A Fraction of Infinity , dropping 15 December 2025 . The single showcases the band’s signature style: emotional intensity, aggressive riffs, dynamic vocal shifts, and massive choruses that linger long after the song ends.
A Fraction of Infinity expands on the band’s sonic evolution, offering eleven tracks that dive into themes of existential dread, cosmic insignificance, betrayal, survival, and transformation. The album fuses intricate melodic death metal riffing with soaring power metal choruses, combining clean and harsh vocals with shredding leads and complex arrangements.
Led by vocalist and guitarist Phil Brown, STELLAGEN delivers heavy, melodic metal built on powerful choruses, emotional storytelling, and technical musicianship. The lineup for this release also features Robin Stone on session drums, with mixing by Kevin Shirley ( Iron Maiden, Dream Theater ) and mastering by Brett Caldas-Lima at Tower Studio. The album artwork, crafted by Ben Fowler/4th Perspective, perfectly captures the dark, expansive mood of the music.
For fans of Rage, Dark Tranquillity, and Children of Bodom , STELLAGEN continues to push the boundaries of modern metal while staying true to the melodic and thrash roots that have defined their sound.
Streaming / Pre-order Links: https://distrokid.com/
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