"Not to be a bummer, but we are all gonna die," says Nick Stanecki, guitar player and vox man for Madison rock trio Chaos Revolution Theory.
It's a true statement, but one many people would rather avoid dwelling upon. After all, thinking about death leads to big questions, and that can be stressful -- even overwhelming -- for some.
Well, Stanecki and his bandmates have a solution: Let the subject go for now and, when you're ready to broach it, redefine death as letting go, too.
"It's actually liberating to let go of all that ties you to earth, society, obligation and schedules," he says. "All that stuff, all that money, all that worry and weight to carry around doesn't really matter in the big picture. We are sometimes too easily trapped by our own mental walls."
Don't worry: This isn't a suicide note or an invitation to drop off the grid. It's a reflection about "The Way It Goes," a song on the group's forthcoming album, Counter Culture Redux.
The track begins with a slow, minor-key groove featuring a ringing guitar, subtle cymbals and vocals that might be mistaken for those of Axl Rose -- in one of his more introspective moments.
As it turns out, this moment is the calm before the storm. Less than a minute into the tune, the guitar latches onto the off-beats, giving the tune a hint of reggae for several seconds. Pretty soon, Stanecki's vocals crescendo to a growl, the cymbals start crashing and the band rocks out to the grisly theme they established in the first few bars: waiting patiently for the hour of death.
"I guess we all like the dark and curious moodiness of the tune," says bassist James Giesen. "And it's a fun song to play," adds drummer Ryan "The Beat" Bestul.
But the song is more than just an ode to darkness, according to the band. It's a tribute to analog recording methods, which Chaos Revolution Theory used to create a raw, unpolished sound throughout the album. And it's about infusing life with purpose and a commitment to changing at least some of the things that are wrong with the world.
"For us, [the song] represents a strong anti-apathy thread that runs through our music and [our] lives outside of the band as well," Stanecki says.
Check out the tune and see if it quells your apathetic impulses as well.
Listen to an MP3 of "The Way It Goes" in the related files at right. More music by Chaos Revolution Theory is available on its ReverbNation profile and MySpace page. The band will perform a live version of this and other songs from Counter Culture Redux for its release show at the High Noon Saloon on Monday, August 16.
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