Fear is edging close to the mid-point of a drastically disturbed but intelligent mind-set. Insomnia delivers its curse, and the beer is not a medicine, but a poison… diluting the blood in a racing bloodstream.
Hereford, UK band FOXBITE, convey their frustrations through new single Hardly Slept At All. The act connect rousing guitar sounds with lyrics pointing at the state of humanity and the culture of getting totally ‘hooked’ to alcoholic tendencies. Problems have escalated, dreams smash into intricate pieces and flood the minds of these musicians who need closure.
The track is a forward thinking fragment of this band’s soul. They don’t disengage at any point, they don’t powder over the cracks and wait until the war is over. They’re fighting this war, an ongoing battle of self-reflection. Throughout this track, we gain an insight into the workings, the gears, the impulsion, the charge for hope.
The song beats along nicely. Providing riffs and powerful drum beats, as well as tight, bass lines. The vocals from lead singer Stephen Goode are empowering, and at times he lashes the atmosphere. By controlling his vocal work, he offers range and scope. These mechanics work tremendously well, but it’s the lyrical strands that ultimately inspire. They do no harm, even though they’re pessimistic. They describe the downtrodden feelings of staying awake for days, the voices beginning to merge together to create sirens.
This fundamental part of their make-up, should be acclaimed. Not many acts these days add ‘sincere’ words to their melting pot of inspiration. Foxbite don’t narrow it, they expand it — and they implement strikes of melancholy for all the right reasons. Melancholy is a beautiful expansion on emotion, and on Hardly Slept At All, emotion is a pivotal segment.
Hardly Slept At All is a noble partner to the previous single Nauticus. It blends into the fabric of that wonder brilliantly well. And the band, are doing the right things, they’re engaging their audience, and they’re working tirelessly to command the room.
Words: Mark McConville 2019 ©
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