Order of Owls Explore Mental Health Journey With “What Becomes”

Order of Owls are back with a rocking new track “What Becomes.” The follow-up to “Speak Up,” the band’s latest single builds upon their commitment to putting mental health front and centre.

“Where ‘Freedom(ination)’ presents the hopelessness and fragile state of mind one can find themselves in and ‘Speak Up’ is the first action one must take to overcome this adversity, ‘What Becomes’ is the next step on the mental health journey,” lead vocalist Tim Leopold explained. “It asks the question: We have overcome many issues and are on the path to our better selves. But what is next? What becomes of the healed? What choices do we make now, and how do we not fall again? But more importantly, now we have seen both sides. How can we stop that cycle from happening on a large scale?”

It spreads a powerful message, but beyond that it’s got an incredible sound. It’s been far too long since I heard a song with a great guitar solo, but special guest artist Jake Webber reminds us how incredible they can be. The band filmed the music video for “What Becomes” at Aradale Lunatic Asylum, rumoured to be the most haunted place in Australia.

“The first thing I was told when I turned up to the shoot was that the site didn’t have power, I couldn’t help but laugh,” recalled Order of Owls’ guitarist Nathan Mesiti. “Luckily, we were somewhat prepared for this situation and managed to squeeze enough out of a little petrol generator and Ramon’s van with an inverter. I really do mean squeeze. The generator kept cutting out and struggled to run the haze machine at half power with the lights. That made for a lot of fun when we lost the daylight and struggled through the dining hall shoots, plunging us into complete darkness every 20 minutes. When you’re in rural Australia and the light pollution is non-existent, that particular darkness was unsettling.”

You can catch Order of Owls live at Melted Festival at the Barwon Club Hotel in Wadawurrung/South Geelong on February 24.

Image used with permission from Order of Owls

Order of Owls Get Real With “Speak Up”

Naarm/Melbourne alt-rock act Order of Owls have fired me up with their latest single “Speak Up.” In just their second release, Order of Owls show they can release anthemic rock tracks with the best of them. The band drew on their own experiences battling depression to create a vivid picture of how mental health struggles can impact your worldview.

“Depression isn’t just a feeling of bad, it’s an exhausting cycle of dis-regulation,” said the band’s guitarist, Nathan M. “Feeling fine or even euphoric at one point and utterly hollow at another. Vacillating between these extremes in a debilitating parade of moments towards an erosion to the sense of self. Preferring the allure of a permanent ends to a seemingly endless drudgery. An inability to find any breadcrumbs leading back to connection with others.”

“My goal is to put into words what others struggle to articulate. Help them realise that they are not alone in the way they feel and encourage them that it’s okay to seek help so they can become their best selves,” added vocalist Tim L. “The amount of time and work that might be required will seem like a small trade for the reward of happiness and finding mechanisms towards those ends is the strongest thing a person can do. Doing so myself provided a mechanism that has vastly improved handling my day to day.”

The band has also put together a fabulous music video, conceived by bassist Johnny M, which puts the lyrics of “Speak Up” front and center. I love this release, not just because of how it sounds but also what it says. Great work from Order of Owls.

Image used with permission from Order of Owls