Bringing the Alien chapter to a hard-hitting close, Northlane have released single “Enemy Of The Night”, and have announced a double LP version of the ARIA award winning album. Droolworthy for vinyl collectors, Alien Deluxe includes two LPs in neon pink, and includes the original version of the album, a full instrumental version of Alien, and “Enemy Of The Night”. It’s available for pre-order via unfdstore.com ahead of its release on 31st July via UNFD.
Slithering and all-encompassing, “Enemy Of The Night” rips the listener into an uncomfortable experience that’s brilliantly crafted by Northlane. Vocalist Marcus Bridge bellows “I’m just along for the ride” and the vulnerable lack of control that’s been captured is confronting. Softening more at its verses, the unfolding story takes us into a confusing childhood, where money is reserved for scoring drugs and parents are unrecognisable after being beaten up.
“Enemy Of The Night” thrusts the listener back into the heart-wrenchingly tragic subject matter that was shared on Alien in tracks such as “Bloodline” and “Freefall”. Marcus holds nothing back on the emotive track that recounts his real-life experiences, and the result is a palpable ache in response to what I assume is a cathartic outpour.
“No, I didn’t recognise him anymore”
Searing and raw at times, “Enemy Of The Night” comes with weighty instrumentation that’s enhanced by electronic polish; a combination that the Sydney band have all but mastered. Despite how hard the themes and emotions are to sit with, the song does an exceptional job in expressing the shock and confusion that must have been felt at the time, and the present day fury when reflecting upon these experiences, and how “he held the key to his release, but he was never destined to change.”
Recorded along with the tracks of Alien, Marcus considers “Enemy Of The Night” a favourite of his, and describes it as “the missing piece to the Alien puzzle”. It’s as open and strong as we’ve heard the band. Lyrically, Marcus says that “Enemy Of The Night” shares “memories and experiences from my childhood of my father falling deeper into addiction and the desperate things people will do to satisfy those needs. Despite his best efforts, he was never able to beat his demons.”
“Enemy Of The Night”‘s eerie choruses only add empathic weight to the song, making it yet another impressive entry in the band’s discography. Listen below via YouTube, and pre-order the vinyl here: unfdstore.com
