Brisbane melodic hardcore / metalcore act WILDHEART have premiered a new music video for their new song “Rising Tide”! Super symbolic and evocative, its message has a lot to say about indigenous rights and rates of death and incarceration in Australia – and is not afraid to put it right up front.
“Rising Tide” is recorded, mixed and mastered by Gareth Hargreves and is about the invasion perpetrated against the Indigenous people of Australia. The single features guest vocals from Yugambeh/Bundjalung man Shaun Allen of Nerve Damage and talks about those that have had their homes, their children and their rights taken away, the continuous mistreatment by government and law enforcement, the growing number of incarcerations and Aboriginal deaths, and the ongoing racist rhetoric that has plagued the first nations people.
As an Indigenous man from Yugambeh himself, the track is close to Wildheart vocalist Axel Best’s heart, and Best explains that
“Rising Tide follows on from our last single Depression. Oppression. Anxiety. (D.O.A.) released in 2017 where the lyrics deal with issues of bigotry and racism on a more global spectrum, whereas Rising Tide is very much a personal statement about issues surrounding the indigenous people of Australia.”
The band debuted in 2015 with their self produced EP ‘A Thousand Days’ and slowly carved themselves a place as a heavy, emotional outfit that demands the attention of punters through their relentless live performance. Going on to play a large number of shows up and down the east coast of Australia, the band then released “Above/Below” and “Exhale” showcasing the bands strong devotion to writing heavy heartfelt pieces based around very personal lyrics.
Wildheart’s Depression. Oppression. Anxiety. track dealt with issues of racism and bigotry and saw a shift towards more worldly themes rather than introspective. August 31, 2018 brought the release of ‘We Are’, an EP that peaked at #2 on the iTunes Metal charts and #39 on the overall iTunes charts. The leading single of the same name premiered on Killyourstereo and was cited as a “fresher, larger re-introduction to the sound and intent”, cracking #6 on the Triple J Unearthed Metal chart and #3 on the Indigenous chart to rave reviews from curators.
Shortly after release, Wildheart were picked to play BIGSOUND 2018, had airplay on Triple J’s Short. Fast. Loud., rotation on Spotify’s editorial Homegrown + Heavy playlist and have played alongside heavyweight acts including Casey (UK), Listener (US), Belle Haven, Bare Bones, Young Lions and Deadlights. The band are also proud advocates of an open conversation surrounding mental health and discrimination, and have performed in support of multiple not-for-profit organisations including Beyond Blue, Support Act/The Black Dog Foundation, and Sea Shepherd.
Wildheart play their hometown show at Brisbane’s Crowbar on Saturday November 2 alongside Homefront and Sleepwell in support of Ambleside on the Still Life Tour. Wildheart will then follow it up with another set on Thursday November 14 in support of Northern Territory band Summit, before heading to Sunbury’s Sound System Studios on Friday November 22 and Melbourne’s Wrangler Studios (All Ages) on Saturday November 23 and The Tote Bandroom in Melbourne on Sunday November 24.
Lyrics:
Get it, get it!
We wake up ten steps behind you. we wake up with your chains still around our necks
Line us up and pull the strings of your puppets. Make us dance and kill us off when you’re on the the next show. Blegh.
Sacrificing who we really are. Dip us in bleach so it’s easy to blend in. You wouldn’t want us to be a stain on your nation (your distain for our culture)
Slap us in paint and show us off to your friends, you make your money but then make no amends. We’ve always been just a joke and a burden to you (but that’s nothing compared to what we think of you)
You want to know why I don’t sing along to your song, because every day I wake up to hear another black life has been taken away.
Breaking the laws they put in place to oppress us, just another way to segregate us (so trigger happy) because one less on the streets is a win for you.
Breaking the laws put in place to oppress us, just another way to segregate us (you lock them up) a life sentence to them ain’t but a thing to you.
White washed history from beginning to end. Still treating us like we’re second class citizens. You gave us a sorry, but do the same things. Still taking our land, our children. Fighting spirit yet to be broken.
Get it now? Do you see what you’ve done to us? Do you get it now? My people are dying as you are lying in your beds and your people are lying as we’ve got targets on our heads.
Breaking the laws they put in place to oppress us, just another way to segregate us (so trigger happy) because one less on the streets is a win for you.
Breaking the laws they put in place to oppress us, just another way to segregate us (you lock them up) a life sentence to them ain’t but a thing to you.
You want to know why I don’t sing along to your song? Because you built your nation on our backs and never recognised us.
You want to know why I don’t sing along to your song? Because as long as we’re still here we’re gonna give you hell.
