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ScreamingMechanicalBrain's musical glacier heads for deeper, darker waters with new single 'Welcome To My TED Talk'.
From the brink and back with chills and spills, this atmospheric epic glides beneath gathering clouds with an unwavering intensity, as the ice begins to break. Rather than tragedy, a new beginning is formed. This is the storm before the calm.
Vocalist Nik Scott says:
"Without wanting to be too triggering, this song came off the back of a, thankfully, aborted attempt on my own life. The verses tell the story of an escalating downward spiral and the realisation that everything I believed to be wrong with the world was my own responsibility. I was pulled back from the brink at the time, and it prompted me to reassess a number of things and some of that reassessment led to the formation of this band."
Those that have seen SMB's jaw-dropping live performances will recognise 'Welcome To My TED Talk' as the dramatic climax. It's a song that has had a significant bond with the audience and capturing the atmosphere of the track in the studio was paramount to the band.
Further comment from Nik Scott:
"The reaction to the song when performed live has been eye opening. I often make the theme clear while introducing, and that can lead to people approaching to talk about their experiences, which is very welcome. Part of the purpose of putting the song out there is to remind others that it's okay to talk about these things openly. Especially men, who are still bad at that conversation."
Novacaine Rating: 10/10!
From start to finish, 'Welcome To My TED Talk' is an utterly phenomenal listen.
Opening with a funky, pulsing beat with notes that hit just the right side of melancholic, ScreamingMechanicalBrain drags you on an ebbing wave of emotions that leaves you feeling both haunted and haunting, accompanied by remarkable vocals from Nik Scott. His range and control is not to be understated as he masterfully guides you along an astounding intro. The vibes in the first half of this single put me under the flickering neon sign outside an abandoned petrol station, mid-March, rain just misty enough not to be bothersome, and to create such an exceptional dreamscape is demonstration of true mastership.
That is, until we have the gathering storm of drums and long, powerful notes, and you're suddenly no longer in that dreary, mid-March night, but in your car, on empty city streets, somewhere between disassociated and disobeying the speed limit as Nik's high notes dominate the senses while the track keeps you grounded in reality, four wheels on the road (or two, if you're like me, and reckon this single is perfect for riding a good bike in the dead of night).
And, as though I haven't been treated enough while listening to this, to close off a masterpiece with a heavier soundscape backed up by police sirens was the perfect move. Bravo, SMB!
I'd also like to put a big highlight on the reason behind this single coming alive for me: the message from Nik regarding mental health. To read his thoughts and learn the origins of Welcome To My TED Talk, and then listen to it - several times over - in it's entirity hit to a new level. His spotlight on the struggle around the topic, especially for men, makes every second of this song feel purposeful.
SMB have truly knocked it out of the park with this one, and have made a home for this single snugly between the lines of pensiveness and power.
Stream 'Welcome To My TED Talk' on Spotify, Soundcloud and Apple Music!
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