U.S. post-hardcore rising stars
LIMBS have released their crushing new single
“
Spirit Breaker“
today. Listen
here. The video also premiered at New Noise. Watch it
here.
Undoubtedly one of their most personally raw and lyrically compelling pieces of work to date, “Spirit Breaker” finds vocalist Austin McAuley grappling with compounding experiences of loss in his life. The track climaxes with the gut-wrenching lyric “…it’s just the cycle of loss stuck on repeat again.”
“These words are a look inward to the personal loss I can’t seem to escape,” McAuley shares. “From grandparents, my father, friends, and even pets, it’s a looming feeling that I can’t shake off. I’m always worried about what’s going to come next and it fuels my anxiety to an uncontrollable degree. After losing so much in such a short time, I have times, mentally, where I become numb to the thought of losing someone or something else.”
Specifically, “Spirit Breaker” courses through McAuley’s final conversation with a close childhood friend before his passing due to an overdose. Darting between both the perspectives of him and his friend, the track’s lyrics spiral between paranoia, hurt, guilt, and regret from all sides.
“The song follows our last conversation before his death, shifting between my friend’s dialogue and my own feelings of being unable to rescue him from his addiction,” McAuleuy shares. “The narrative reaches a breaking point when I reflect on his passing, overwhelmed with guilt by feeling like I could have done more to save him. Ultimately, it provides a moment of clarity for me, showing that nothing in this life is permanent and we can only do so much to help the ones we love. In the end, we become powerless to a situation where the other person doesn’t even want to save themselves.”
