If, for whatever reason, you need to summon a bunch of post-rock fans instantly to your room, all you need to say is "I think vocals in post-rock can be good!" A horde of them will descend upon you. From a complete "purity" in the vocal-less primordial soup of the genre (AKA the late 90's/early 00's), through an era where experimentation with vocals gradually became more accepted but only in certain cases, and all the way to today where more and more post-rock bands are using vocals, the issue has been divisive. Now, you can add Outrun the Sunlight to the mix as the band launch their new single, and era, with "Protector". You might have gathered by now that it features vocals. A lot of them. Head on down below to listen for yourself first.
Personally, I love Austin's vocals, both harsh and clean. I think they're not just technically good but also utilized on the track with precision. That is, the composition is not just a post-rock/metal composition with vocals placed on top of it but a song built with the verse/chorus structure that vocals often require. By the way, while we're here, this is probably the heaviest Outrun the Sunlight track to date, which is also pretty interesting. There are some TesseracT influences on there for sure but I was not expecting this level of attack and groove from the track. It works quite well with the quieter, "classic" Outrun the Sunlight sound.
To add more color and context, I reached out to Austin himself to see what his thoughts were on this change of paths for the band:
"'Protector' feels like a rebirth for Outrun the Sunlight, a chance to have a stronger voice and a stronger message in our music. Since 2011, we've been primarily instrumental, and part of that is because I feel like I did not have words to share that felt authentic to me. It felt like any lyrics would have just been a regurgitation of ideas I had heard others writing about. That was until about 2 years ago when I went through a deep internal shift, and began falling out of an identity I had held for myself. In that shift I suddenly knew what I could say with our music and began putting words to songs. I was in the process of reclaiming my own authority in my own life and letting go of the one I'd held for so long. 'Protector' for me, not only marks the evolution in our sound, but the evolution in myself as stepping into something more authentic that I had lived in before. My hope is that this song inspires others to pursue the fullest most realized version of themselves, and recognize that they are their own protector."
So! Love it or hate it, this change comes from a deep rethinking of the band's relationship with their music and not just a surface change. If the band's language is any indication, there's a lot more from where this came from. I, for one, am stoked.