The Northern Surprises with Their New Single "Drown": When Your Worst Enemy Resides in Your Own Mind

Updated: Jan 9

The Northern returns to the music scene to unveil their latest masterpiece titled "Drown." This incredible song, spanning three and a half minutes, promises to captivate you from start to finish, delving deep into our most complex thoughts as human beings. With intensely reflective lyrics and energetic instrumentation, it extends an invitation to confront our inner demons, challenging the darkness with every note and chord.

Stay tuned in this article as we delve into the depths of this remarkable release that The Northern has brought forth for our delight.

About The Northern

Perfectly combining djent and metalcore, Canadian band The Northern stay true to themselves within a unique sound that fans have grown to love. Their debut full length release with Tragic Hero Records in 2017, "Solstice" was received in an extremely positive light, hitting #5 on the iTunes metal charts upon release day. The album was featured in many notable press outlets, such as Alternative Press, Lambgoat, Revolver Magazine, New Noise Magazine, and idobi Radio, as well as multiple additions to Spotify's metal editorial playlists. The band released their late 2018 single, "Samsara”, to overwhelmingly positive reviews, and an addition to Spotify editorial playlist “Progressive Metal” where it remains to this day.

After parting ways with Tragic Hero Records, the band self-released their EP Cloudburst in December 2021, overcoming multiple hurdles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. With recording plans stalled for the same reasons, the band finally recorded new music with producer Jonathan Dolese (Cane Hill, For The Fallen Dreams, Downswing) in 2022 and released their single, "Hourglass," in January 2023 independently. Signing with Blood Blast Distribution shortly thereafter, their first single “Usurper” was released in September 2023. It received high acclaim from press outlets and garnered multiple playlist placements on streaming platforms.

About The Release

"Drown," officially released on November 17, 2023, stands as the band's tenth release and the third promotional single premiered this year. Adding itself to an impressive discography that began in 2017 with the album "Solstice," "Drown" promises to be the band's most ambitious musical piece to date. With a completely revamped sound drawing inspiration from various genres like metalcore and predominantly djent, this new single not only showcases The Northern's power as a band that has asserted itself in the current alternative music scene but also proves their commitment to staying active and bringing a surprise to their followers and metal and hardcore music enthusiasts.

“It was a self reflection on how I was feeling. I wanted something to give me a glimmer of hope in a negative moment in time when all I wanted was things to end. I knew that if I remained optimistic, I may find a light in the darkest of times.

Mike Cutway - Singer/Frontman

In "Drown," the band addresses themes related to internal struggle, hope, and the search for truth and meaning in moments of difficulty. Through energetic instrumentation and intensely reflective lyrics, The Northern invites us to experience the complexities of the human mind and emotions from a unique perspective.

“It’s about drowning in your own negative thoughts and the growing pains of becoming an adult, realizing what life is all about. How when we’re kids anything seems possible, we think all people have good intentions, we’re filled with imagination and optimism, only to find out the world can be an ugly and scary place sometimes. The take away though, is that life can still be beautiful and that everybody goes through hard times. Live in the present and don’t let your past consume you.”

Adam Linka – Drummer/Singer

In-Depth Analysis

"Drown" starts with incredible power, featuring a catchy ‘djenty’ riff that incorporates ‘glitch’ effects, effectively evoking the complexity of the human mind in the face of intrusive thoughts. This captivating and effective start is maintained not only at the beginning but throughout the song's entirety. Traveling through verses that descend in intensity both instrumentally and vocally, the song creates nuances that evoke an intense aura of reflection during emotional conflict.

In "Drown," The Northern immerses us in a profound experience that explores, as its main concept, the search for hope amid negativity, where often negativity generates a sort of self-sabotage in our way of being and acting. It shows us how the most complex battles are fought within ourselves, and sometimes your worst enemy can be your own mind.

The narrative structure is interesting as it uses various literary devices to explore this theme from different perspectives. For example, with the opening lines: "When I was young life seemed serene. What I'd give to feel the way I did back then, naively praying to a God, never questioning a thing about. My mind was never filled with doubt," it reflects nostalgia for the tranquility of youth and the innocence lost over time (a sentiment with which, undoubtedly, we all can relate). Simultaneously, it exposes a divine figure of hope that plays a crucial role in taking that courageous leap in the midst of insecurity, highlighting the importance of faith and perseverance in the journey of personal struggle and overcoming.

The skill of The Northern is evident from the first few seconds of this song, where Jordan Gallant and Eric Leblanc, leading the instrumental base with their guitars, combine the sound with incredible power through low tuning strings and complex palm-muting techniques. They join the impeccable performance of Adam Linka, who demonstrates impressive skills not only in percussion but also as a vocalist, leading the melodic vocal line and creating enough space to add the final component to this successful combination: Mike Cutway as the frontman. With his guttural voice, he leads the lyrics of "Drown," becoming a true banner of struggle for those facing dark times.

In this way, "Drown" functions as a cry of hope, an opportunity to dig into what makes us uncomfortable and bring out everything that we sometimes choose to ignore out of fear of facing it. It teaches us a valuable lesson that shows we should not fear the darkness because the frustration residing in it is nothing more than an inexhaustible fuel that we can use to turn it into inner strength and overcome our adversities. It proves that the true path to light resides solely within us and that hope and resilience are the map and compass guiding us toward it.

We invite our community of readers and listeners not only to enjoy this incredible single that The Northern has brought for our delight but also to listen to their entire discography, which is undoubtedly an experience worth having. Before you go, don't forget to follow The Northern on their social media, where you can stay informed about their latest releases and news.