If you haven’t read my review of the new Carbonstone song, “Damaged Like You,” you should do that now. Here’s the link. I heard the track prior to seeing the video, and I must say that the eerie, foreboding imagery they used in the video was the perfect accompaniment to the overall atmosphere of the song.
Watch the video below and see if you agree:
Having honed the balance of industrial elements with their alternative metal sound, Carbonstone comes out swinging in their latest track, “Damaged Like You,” which will be officially released on April 22nd. I was given an early listen, and I have to say that while this song contains much that you would expect from Carbonstone, there is something more at work here.
“The concept is based around mental health (self-doubt, loneliness, depression, etc.) and how inescapable it is,” frontman Corey James says of the song. “I feel like we’re all always on the verge of falling apart, in a sense. A lot of people are broken and lost out there. A ton of them are so empty inside, they can barely even feel anything. That’s really where I drew the inspiration from. The song’s not so much about myself as it is really about people as a whole.”
The band captures this concept with an artful mix of music and lyrics. Featuring their well-crafted blend of the heavy and melodic, Carbonstone uses synths, a hard-hitting rhythm section, and driving riffs, all topped by James’ extraordinary vocals, to build an atmosphere. Playing with a metaphorical give-and-take, the tension seems to build during the verses — complete with an abrupt bridge-like moment near the end of the second — only to break into chaos at the chorus, an echo of the story addressed in the lyrics.
"Discomfort on your skin
It makes me wonder
How I can never win
You pull me under
I can see it in your eyes
There’s something cold about you
I think we're running out of time
And I know it haunts you
You'll never be without it
It's always there when you're alone
Can't even breathe without it
Cut me open, I'm damaged just like you..."
While the subject matter seems dark at first glance, I feel that the message here is a positive one. “Damaged Like You” is a beacon, a signal to everyone who is struggling that they are not alone. As James growls “I’m broken, too,” there is a sense of acceptance, though the damage may still feel overwhelming at times, a fact that seems to be expressed in James’ raging screams that close out the song.
Overall, “Damaged Like You” is a well-written, wonderfully put-together, relatable track that many people are going to connect to, and isn’t that the most beautiful thing about music? Carbonstone has, once again, nailed it.
You can find Carbonstone on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and any other streaming service you might use.
Attack Attack!, Belmont, and Traitors are setting out on The Dark Waves Tour on May 17th. They will have special guests Colorblind or Savage Hands with them, depending on the date. Tickets are available at attackattackshop.us.
* With Savage Hands
^ With Colorblind
Tickets: badomensofficial.com
* No Erra or Invent Animate
Tickets: adelitaswaymusic.com
Shallow Side: “You’re The Reason”
Silent Theory: “What Are The Odds”
Saving Abel: “Baptize Me”
The Maryland-based post-industrial band Anoxia released their latest single, “Earthbound,” in early March. The track is from the band’s forthcoming record, Relinquish the Quiet, which will be out later this year.
I shared a new music alert when the song dropped, but now I want to take a deeper look into this song that is a culmination of the complexities of being human and waging an emotional battle not only with others, but with ourselves, for does anyone berate our weaknesses more than we do?
"Tell me do you want to be here?
I feel like giving up again
Self-inflicting wounds are binding
Martyr, am I broken?
So what if I fail again?
Seeking truth before the fall and
You'll just leave me here to drown
Cursed, Earthbound..."
“Earthbound” expresses the ups and downs of human emotion, the sentiment of the lyrics echoed in the strong, heartfelt vocals of frontwoman Chrystal James. With an appropriately simple, haunting melody offering the background to the verses, and a harder element building in the crescendo of the chorus, the music adds that inexplicable extra something that carries the words straight to the heart.
The song reaches its catharsis at the bridge, with harsh vocals provided by Carbonstone frontman Corey James. As the pair delivers a back and forth, Chrystal’s almost ethereal “Just fade away” echoed by Corey’s unholy growls, there is a sense of being frozen in the moment. The final chorus is given to us with their voices intertwined – a balance that has been honed to perfection after several guest appearances on each other’s work – and it is as if a held breath is being released, though the question still remains: “Tell me, do you want to be here?”
While Anoxia poses the question, this is something that the listener must answer for him- or herself. It is a struggle we have all endured, and for me, “Earthbound” is an invitation to truly look at oneself.
The official video for “Earthbound” is a visually stunning reflection of the track itself, beautifully and darkly enchanting. You can check it out here:
You can find Anoxia on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and all of your favorite streaming services. Be sure to follow them for updates on the release of Relinquish the Quiet. Judging by “Earthbound,” the album will be brilliant!
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