Visitor is back with the genre-bending single "Feeding the Dark" off their newly released EP 'Greetings From Titan.'
The gritty, melodic rock track aims to pull listeners and engulf them in their senses as the Detroit, Michigan, foursome combines rock, metal, grunge, and even a hint of Motown to create their distinct sound.
Leaving us in the impactful essence of this intricate soundscape, we pick up on the propelling sonic voyage of the toll that depression plays in the lives of some. Touring us through a thoughtful medley of lyrics that deeply resonate with us, "Feeding the Dark" reiterates a narrative of self-doubt and self-sabotage plaguing the delicate hues of the mind and further paralyzing our ability to move forward in life.
Soaking our ears in a polished universe yet amplified in the electric tenors performed, we can't help but latch onto the colossal drum patterns and chugging guitar riffs that drive the rhythmic bassline in progression. Add in the lead vocalist's heartrending timbres, and we get a rather direct experience through the production, which is courtesy of Chuck Alkazian at Pearl Sound Studios.
Admiring each peak and valley that's given to us in this masterpiece, "Feeding the Dark" gives us an authentic representation of mental health and the state of mind we embrace during times more difficult.
Composed of Randy Gray (lyrics and vocals), Steve Dombroski (guitar), Dustin Buckley (bass), and William Pierce (drums), Visitor has us overstaying our welcome with an empowering composition as such.
Congratulations on the release of your powerful single, "Feeding the Dark." Touching on mental health when it needs to be significantly focused on is so appreciated these days! Was there a particular moment or story that brought this theme to life?
It was more of a collection of moments and stories for all of us. With this record, we wanted to take a much more honest approach to songwriting. In the past, we sort of wanted listeners to be able to figure out the story and find their own meanings in our songs. That's not to say that with this record we said to ourselves "this song is going to be about this, and that song we be about that", but it was more about getting to the core of what we were feeling, and getting that idea across. We were each battling our own demons in various ways. When the music came together, this idea of battling the darkness we were all feeling, but giving ourselves permission to sort of "let go" of feelings or experiences that were no longer serving us became pretty powerful.
Could you please share a glimpse into what the creative process looked like when bringing this record to life? Does this tend to be the template followed?
Yeah, absolutely. The songs on this record started out on the guitar. I (Steve) will usually write the initial guitar progressions based on things that I'm feeling. From there, I'll begin to map out the story that I believe the music is trying to tell by coming up with the other parts of the song. I'll usually put together a loose song structure that I'll take to Randy, Dustin, and Billy to start to work on. The guys are great at helping me to take these parts and elevate them to a really great level. So after we've collectively built the music of the song, we'll provide recordings for Randy to start putting melodies and lyrics down. That's the typical initial template. From there, the song will have a great overall initial structure that we'll take into the studio to record and put the final touches on. On this record, we worked with Chuck Alkazian at Pearl Sounds Studios to help produce it, and he was able to provide that final shimmer to make these songs sound MASSIVE.
What advice do you have for those struggling with the messaging you address in this single?
First and foremost, know your resources. If you're feeling in distress, please call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255. Outside of that, there's a lyric Randy wrote for this song that is incredibly powerful...and I think gave us all a bit more hope. In the chorus, he sings "so when the night cries, just let the morning rise". Things can absolutely get really dark for all of us at some point in our lives, but when you're at your darkest, if you can find that power to allow another day to rise, you may just find healing on the other side that.
Another piece of advice came from Dustin that has battled depression his whole life, and that is to try to keep doing the things that you're used to doing when you're feeling your best. That could be gardening, exercising, playing music, seeing friends/family, etc. Depression is so much about inaction and not wanting or having the energy for anything or anyone. But, if you can force yourself to continue to do the things that you're used to, that has helped some of us.
What does your audience have in store from the rest of the EP?
The next single "Intheend" (pronounced In the End) will be a heavy-weight hitter. Whereas "Feeding the Dark" was about healing, this one is about finding strength and power in one's self. Living your life and shining through it all. From there we get as political as we'll probably ever get in Pendulum, and Unspoken is just a fun rocker. We've gotten really great feedback on them when we've tested them for live audiences and we're so thrilled for everyone to hear them.
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