Local post-hardcore band, OneDaySky released their new single “Georgia” last week and it has gained rave reviews and feedback from the local and international music communities for its unique music video, polished productions and musical quality. “Georgia” showcases the band’s ability to write music that is not only melodic but has a true sense of emotion where instrumentation intertwines with the lyrical content in a cathartic release. The song focuses on overcoming past hurts and moving towards a brighter future where hope always lies on the horizon.

See the video here:

The song not only showcases the emotional growth for its band members in the message but also illustrates how far OneDaySky has come as a band with this track of international quality. It truly is the little touches that add to the songs enduring quality – having listened to it at least 10 times straight I can say that it gets better with each listen as you pick up something extra each time.

The song stars off with a haunting yet melodic guitar riff that truly encapsulates the overall vibe of this track. It truly draws in the listener into something special and it works perfectly with the red and black imagery in the video. The intro has some nu-metal like influences and works beautifully from a sonic viewpoint.

The verse then follows where lead vocalist, Clinton Watts, truly excels with his uniquely soothing voice and high-pitched cleans that drip with emotion. The guitar riff in the verse combined with Eric Barnfather’s screams also works perfectly to carry the momentum as he screams: “I’ve had 20 years to let go, but nobody listened when I was just dying to feel. Just dying to feel love.”

The deep lyrics focusing on heartbreak and scars as well as how old wounds can leave a person scarred and hopeless. It really speaks to the human psyche.

The use of childhood photographs of the band members in the music video also adds something extra to the fold and works perfectly with the emotional and personal lyrics. The past meets the present halfway and puts forward the importance of moving on towards a brighter future when it seemed impossible.

As Watts commented in a press release: “Georgia is a song about innocence lost in an unwilling and ignorant way. This is the literal meaning of the song to me, but it has a broader platonic meaning; to which almost anyone can relate. Speaking up and moving on is the bigger message that we, as a band, want people to take from this song. Being afraid to speak up about injustices is just half the battle many face throughout their lives.”

The chorus is where the “Georgia” truly shines with an elongated vocal delivery that creates a soaring and elevated effect. Watts really shows his vocal talent here and together with a stop-start guitar rhythm and harmonic lead guitar work truly takes the song towards the heavy bridge: Tell me now. Have I run out of time to leave behind the hurt? The hurt is so hard to hide and the words are hard to find.”

Barnfather’s screams before the insane breakdown occurs is one of the most tantalising parts of the track as it build up to one of the best breakdowns in SA post-hardcore/metal. JP Sing, Barnfather, and Darren Yen combine with a stop-start breakdown filled with chugging, odd time signatures and dissonant riffs to create something progressively perfect. Matt Sletcher’s drumming must also be appreciated as he really resonates power in his unique fills here.

The track then moves into the chorus yet again to end the song off in the best way possible with a climax that puts everything into perspective: True strength lies in overcoming your battles and continually moving forward.