Don’t call it a comeback because they never left, but the resurgence of rock lords Columbus has truly been something to behold over the past six months. With the release of their single “You Can’t Hide From What Hurts” in late 2019, once again the three-piece are the name on everybody’s lips as they gear up to release their brand new single “Out of Time”. An ode to self-induced anxiety, I’ll go right ahead and guarantee that it’ll be stuck in your head from the moment you hear it – just like it got stuck in mine.
Heralded by the sombre vocals of frontman Alex Moses, there’s a dire tone that highlights the song’s opening moments. The sound of a solo guitar, soon joined by the placid drum beats courtesy of Daniel Seymour paint a defeated picture with the song’s anxious subject matter channelled clearly through the solemn introduction. It feels similar to the beginning of the trio’s previous single, with sincere feeling preceding an emotional and instrumental explosion – and oh boy is it worth waiting for.
Like curtains opening to allow warm morning light on a cold winter morning, the surge of life that “Out of Time” erupts into is a wholly welcoming embrace. The chorus swells with vitality as the sounds of a second guitar paints carefree melody, joined by spirited drums and the gentle hum of bass underneath. The ominous mood that troubled the song’s opening moments feels like a distant memory and instead I find myself faced with a song that runs free, devoid of overwhelming dread.
As the song’s second verse is brought in, I can’t help but dwell on the thoughts induced by the riff-fuelled musings of the band’s newest member in bassist Lauren Aspite. Not only does her shredding on “Out of Time” absolutely rip, the energy that her addition has brought to the band on and off the stage seems to align perfectly with the band’s surging popularity in music circles across the country.
“The memory repeats till morning
and I don’t sleep a wink… at least I think.”
A song about anxiety and the concept of existence, Moses said of the song that it was about his own struggle with the uneasiness he often finds himself burdened with. Explaining further, it seems “Out of Time” is the perfect song for the situation we all find ourselves in right now as he writes “It’s so easy to feel an overwhelming sense of dread or helplessness towards situations in our lives, let alone towards a global pandemic disease.” There’s an insight that we can be the conqueror of our own struggles as he continues, “”Out of Time” is about my own personal realisation that worry and dread are shortening our lives, and we are all in fact – if we choose to be – running out of time.”
It’s this hint of confidence that the entire song springboards from, as it transforms from the dismayed dwellings of Moses into an anthemic piece of self-preservation. Joyous and positive, “Out of Time”’s instrumentals champion the same emotions that they attempt to inspire, with the song defined by its ability to achieve everything it sets out to do and so much more. It advocates youthfulness, with a dash of innocent confusion blended in perfectly seen most clearly in lyrics like “There’s never any silence in my head, if God is real then why do we suffer?”. Despite an acceptance that we all fall victim to our own painful existence, Columbus are adamant in their refusal to roll over and let stress and worry rule their life.
Anthemic at its core and catchy as hell, “Out of Time” is sure to be a highlight of thousands of music fans’ self-isolation. Seeing Columbus regain their crown as one of the most exciting prospects in Australia has been incredible to witness, but if this new single is any indication the band are bound for the top very soon. Lucky for us, there’s truly no shortage of time to plug this enormous song into your ears for months to come.
Listen to “Out of Time” now: http://smarturl.it/streamOutOfTime
