Death Cab For Cutie Announce Album Details, Chris Walla Departs

Beloved indie-rock heroes Death Cab For Cutie have stepped out with a double-edged sword of news today, revealing a few key details regarding their forthcoming eighth studio full-length as well as officially announcing the departure of long-time guitarist Chris Walla.

“We’ve had an incredible 17 years of making music with Chris,” band members Ben Gibbard, Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr said in a statement. “We are very proud of what we've accomplished together, including our 8th studio album, which we have just put the finishing touches on.

“We will miss Chris and wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career. We are excited about sharing new music, and seeing all of you very soon.”

Walla has been a part of Death Cab since it first broadened beyond being a solo project for central songwriter Gibbard, helping steer the band’s distinct sound over the course of releases including We Have The Facts And We’re Voting Yes, seminal LP The Photo Album, breakthrough record Transatlanticism, and post-angst ode to optimism Plans (plus a couple of other albums after that, which don’t need to ever be talked about).

The band’s statement comes in the wake of an earlier statement from Walla himself regarding his reasons for departing the band, which seem to boil down to a desire for change.

“I think I long for the unknown. It might be that simple,” Walla wrote.

“I will miss being a quarter of this band, and will support whatever course Death Cab for Cutie chooses from here. I am profoundly grateful to Ben, Nick, and Jason, for the experiences that define my adult life. Truly grateful, beyond words. Thank you.

“I am also grateful to, and deeply humbled by, all of our fans. Without you, music would be mere ‘content’, and nothing could possibly be sadder than that. Thank you all, so dearly.”

“Deciding to leave the band was not, and is not, easy,” he continued. “It’s really, really sad. I love my bandmates, and I’m proud of what we’ve done, and mercifully, those things don’t change with my departure. Moving forward, my plans are simply to continue making music, producing records, and erring on the side of benevolence and beauty whenever possible. Darkness may find me, but I shall never choose it.”

Don’t break out the Kleenex just yet, though – Walla will remain a physical member of the band to see out their September festival commitments, with his final show falling on September 13 at the Rifflandia Festival in Victoria, British Columbia.

Death Cab’s as-yet-untitled eighth LP was recorded with assistance from producer Rich Costey and is set for release in early 2015.