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