Sometimes Spotify Release Radar delivers the goods, and hearing As Everything Unfolds‘ “Hiding From Myself” on Friday was one of those times. With a little digging, it turns out that the UK post-hardcore band have not only released a new single/video, but they have signed to Long Branch Records, with a rumour of a future release currently in the works. For the uninitiated, As Everything Unfolds features Charlie Rolfe (vocals), Adam Kerr (guitar), Owen Hill (guitar), George Hunt (bass), Jon Cassidy (synth), and Jamie Gowers (drums).
The most obvious thing about “Hiding From Myself” is a yearning desire to be understood.. while also under an avalanche of difficulty. Aching guitar, a driving pace, and punchy rhythms set the scene before the vocals tell the story of an unseen struggle, an internal one. Even while seeming to succeed – being “in bloom”, or with a “brave face on” – the noise of this internal storm is unsettling, and the repeated questions of “Can you hear it? Can you feel it?” reach out to anyone who’ll listen.
Flipping from forwardly moving and yearning to stomping disruptive fire, the protagonist seems to fight against it, and therefore against herself. When asked about the song, Charlie speaks of the determination to come out the other side of a battle with one’s own self worth, with safety and peace as the desired outcome. She affirms “We are worth every breath we take, every person deserves to feel safe in their own head.” With rapid video edits and spotlight beams cutting through darkness, “Hiding from Myself” visually matches the idea of uncertainty too.
“But I am worth every breath I take”
Pared back to riffs and altered vocals, “Hiding From Myself” then hits a mammoth turning point where the protagonist asserts their worthiness instead of being buried in suffering. The moment is a huge one instrumentally speaking, but doesn’t seem to share a resolution for the song’s theme, given that roars and full instrumentation reinforce the frustration of things not turning out as intended.
Lamenting again and returning to where we started, the song does a good job of portraying the cycle between struggle and the effort of overcoming that. Especially when it surrenders into a more pensive and swirling meandering moment. With all of these moods and moments, “Hiding From Myself” is not only captivating, but it also offers a realistic snapshot of what it’s like to be at war within yourself – the makings of a great track if you ask me!
Watch “Hiding From Myself” below via YouTube or stream now.
