Idol Chatter & Voice Views

We Are the Fallen, featuring Carly Smithson as lead singer, has parted ways with the Universal Republic record label, group member Ben Moody announced in a message on the band’s Facebook page Friday afternoon.

“Over the course of the last year many changes were made at the label and it became apparent that we were not a priority,” Moody wrote as part of the announcement. “After our second single was delayed, then changed, then delayed and changed two more times; the majority of the year was gone and both parties mutually agreed to go our separate ways.”

The band remains together, however, and is working on releasing new music, Moody says.

First up is likely to be a live CD/DVD from Moody’s birthday bash, headlined by We Are the Fallen but featuring special guests well. Moody said free audio downloads of a couple of songs will be made available over the next week.

The group is also planning a 5-track EP featuring covers of songs from the 1980s, as well as an EP featuring 5 new songs.

“So, by the holidays you’ll have a live dvd, live cd, cover EP, original EP…. and a few surprises still to come,” Moody writes. “We Are The Fallen has just begun… and we’re not going anywhere.”

If you want to read the entire statement, go here.

In addition to Smithson, a contestant on Season 7 of Idol, and Moody, the band includes Marty O’Brien, John LeCompt and Rocky Gray. Moody, LeCompt and Gray are all former members of Evanescence.

The band released its impressive debut album, “Tear the World Down,” in May 2010. Personally, I think Carly sounds better on the album than she ever did singing cover tunes on Idol. But the album wasn’t a major commercial success.