After releasing “Headspinning Bias” last month, Anticline have released new single “In the Open”. The Ballarat band have also announced that they have an EP on the way, with Urgency releasing on 28th August.
It’s pretty hard to talk about “In the Open” and not fixate for at least a moment upon the music video. It’s the same band and same videographer as “Headspinning Bias”, and yet the two videos could not be more different. Martin Wood has gone full meme and quirk factor on the visuals for “In the Open”, making it easy to mentally align the band with the flavour of acts like DREGG or Ocean Grove. The colourful and playful concept showing flares of character couldn’t be more different to the dark themes of the song itself, and yet somehow it works.
“I’m living out a fucking hollow existence“
Sonically, “In the Open” chugs and drags itself along, fitting for this capture of defeat and lowness. The arrival of raw vocals reveal an openness with how they are feeling, while simultaneously not feeling any better for doing so. An unspoken “What’s next for me?” question hangs thickly in the air.
Kicking up the intensity and pace a notch, “In the Open” reeks of incredulity at how something that should be comfortable is not. As is literally sung, “I’m living out a fucking hollow existence.” As can be imagined, self-hatred has set up camp in the protagonist’s mind, and whispers words of doubt and insecurity, poisoning their mind. As “In the Open” crawls home to its end, the song punches out with every last shred of energy until there’s nothing left and it’s slowed to a halt.
Honestly, I think it’s great to see this injection of personality from the Anticline camp and it has me wonder whether it’s a one-off for fun or them showing more of themselves. And as another point, present day times are pretty dark. So making light of things feels kind of good, yeah?
What do you think? Have a watch of “In the Open” below, and listen via your favourite streaming place here: https://campsite.bio/anticline
[Photo of Anticline courtesy of Martin Wood]
