Songs of a Tortured Soul is a demonstration of courage in progress. The latest EP from gothic artists [Amos/Anon] is to date their most heartfelt release. It takes their subversive darkness and spikes it with pure heartbreak. This work in particular is them at their most vulnerable. Tortured Soul is a collection of poems from the soul, set to acoustic whispers. 

‘Reap the Sown’ is a classic [Amos/Anon] song with brooding vocals and lumbering chords. But the work moves into more diffused areas of musicality. ‘My Soul Evacuated’ and ‘Here There Be Lions’ have a gentler musical approach from previous work. The beauty in these tracks is that in spite of the desolate lyrics, there is the strange ray of hope that everything will be okay. 

That is the message of the entire EP; everything will be okay. Just like in ’The Forecast’ the rain will stop one day. It is just a matter of when. The theme through each track is about escape; about the desperate need to break free of the chains, the anchors that can weigh you down. It is about a real fight against depression. ‘So It Goes’ is a song that encapsulates every note on the music score of depression. In each strum of the guitar, in every breath of lyrics you feel the pain of struggling with the darkness of the mind. The tortured soul in this case is one that is trapped in the destruction left by depression. And it just needs to escape. 

This work is not musically polished. It is rough and unfinished. But that is what happened in the creative process for Tortured Soul. Depression struck its crippling fingers on it, and this is what resulted- a truly honest perspective into the mind of the depressed. It is raw and it is vulnerable. And to put yourself out there so stripped and bare and honest, it doesn’t show weakness, it shows strength and it shows courage. 

This is an album that few will understand. But [Amos/Anon] have never been about mass appeal. Their work has always been about emission rather than expression; it is a need to get these bottled emotions out for themselves rather than to demonstrate it to everyone else. Some might call this self-indulgence. But in fact it is not. Tortured Soul might end up being overlooked by a lot of people. But there will be a few who it will completely resonate with. To everyone who has ever been depressed, this is probably one of the most meaningful works you will hear. [Amos/Anon] might not realise it, but in their personal need for escape from the darkness of the mind they have actually provided an avenue for escape for others too. So self-indulgence this is not. Despairingly inspiring however, I would argue that.

-Janise.

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 2
  Horror Story
• 3
  Fraser Ross
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  Michelle Rounds
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  The Boondocks
• 8
  Late to Chelsea
• 9
  Springloader
• 10
  Baconfoot

• 
  Nadia Reid @ Loons, Lyttelton - 16/11/2024
• 
  Pull Down The Sun @ Franks Bar, Whanganui - 15/11/2024
• 
  Elidi @ Franks Bar, Whanganui - 15/11/2024
• 
  Infinity Ritual @ Franks Bar, Whanganui - 15/11/2024

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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