Though “Endless Grey” is their third single, Altona seem to have landed in front and centre of the heavy music scene’s attention with their newest track’s release. Coupled with a haunting music video, the Perth based band paint a sonic picture of what it feels like to support someone, while struggling too. In Altona’s words: “You can’t be someone else’s everything”.
With footage from Svalbard, Norway spliced with Altona’s performance in Perth, the André Avila created music video shows sparse lightness and oppressive darkness, perhaps reflecting the dance between being the brilliant saviour for someone, while falling into your own shadows.
“Only one of us can drown, or else this ship will sink”
“Endless Grey” is sonically dark and desperate at its verses, feeling chaotic and raw. As it progresses, it amps up into a more punishing pace courtesy of wild beats and searing and searching guitar. Tandem vocals and a sense of density offer up a sense of urgency, as destruction is presented lyrically.
From this raw state, an injured voice paints a growing picture, threading a line between broken despondence to frustration, with a repeated lyric hitting firmly home; marking a turning point to this situation. This scene is then added to by all parts of Altona layering on top of the other, demanding to know “When is it my turn to sink? When is it my turn to drown?”.
Awash in layers as the song comes to its end, the experience of “Endless Grey” is likely to leave listeners worn out and breathless in its wake. The track is an all-encompassing experience that draws empathetic listeners forcefully into a vortex of something effortful. At its end, we’re left with just waves of guitar.
And the even better news of all of this? Altona have their debut album on the way. …And This Is Why We Are Alone is coming on 28th June, and is the product of over three years of effort! Until then, here’s “Endless Grey”.
