SISTER HELEN‘s heavy campaign continues as the band shares another new single, the epic “Sense Of Self.” Listen below.
Lead vocalist Nathan J. Campbell details:
“‘Sense of Self’ is one of the first songs that was written for this album. It’s about someone who cares about another person but is unable to deal with their emotional baggage. The kernel of the song, ‘even in the eye of the storm, I couldn’t hold you in the calm,’ is actually taken from a song by my friend Aya. I see myself trying to hold onto someone in a storm out at sea–a storm that could be trauma, or mental illness, or something external.
It’s sung from a pretty powerless place, a place where you’re afraid of someone because they’re suffering, but the underlying motive the singer has is ‘I want you to be okay.’ That kind of sets out the theme of the whole album.”
“Hard hitting instrumentals serve as the backdrop, as we are used to hearing from this phenomenal band.” – Impose Magazine
“Lost in the heavy sonic bombardment of Sister Helen‘s latest single “Draw Near”, we find renewal in classic progressive rock.” – All Things Go
More about the band:
The story of Brooklyn born and raised prog-punk band Sister Helen reaches as far back as pre-school for Eva Lawitts (bass/vox) and Clint Mobley (drums). Officially forming in 2003 while the two lifelong friends were in middle school, Sister Helen would add Nathan J. Campbell (lead vox) in 8th grade and Chris Krasnow (guitar/vox) in 10th.
Having lived full lives as DIY musicians, despite still being so young, and with Campbell due to move to Istanbul, Sister Helen is now preparing to release a final, self-titled concept album due out January 13th.
With humble beginnings that stretch from all ages gigs at Liberty Heights Tap Room to present day, Sister Helen has been at the forefront of challenging, underground rock having been a played countless venues come and gone in the ever evolving NYC landscape. Touring the country on self booked tours in recent years, the band hit a collective breaking point having pushed each other to the brink. It was this desperate energy going into the studio knowing they were recording their swan song that informs the dark, dynamic sounds and concepts across the 12 tracks.
“It’s a concept album about friendship and helplessness,” shares Lawitts. “There’s no specific narrative, but every song examines the underlying themes from a different angle. There are two perspectives, that of the ‘Friend’ (who pleads throughout the album ‘please help me’) and that of the ‘Finest Mind’ (who cries back ‘I’m so sorry I can’t help you’). These two characters sing to and about each other, trying to make sense of their relationship but are simultaneously being ruled by overwhelming doubt, narcissism and impotence.”
