Coma Beach – Another Song (2023)
While we were only introduced to German band Coma Beach a couple of months ago with their single ‘Nothing Right’, a brief listen at their previous material instantly set Coma Beach apart as a fan-favourite at The Other Side Reviews. Known for their ominous exploration of existential crisis and desperate dive into dystopian societies, B. Kafka (vocals), Captain A. Fear (guitar), M. Blunt (rhythm guitar), U. Terror (bass) and M. Lecter (drums) reach to the grittier, darker, grimier side of our souls. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Another Song’.
Following the punk-inspired single ‘Nothing Right’, the antihero in their dystopian tale “takes stock of his deeply lamentable existence so far erupting into a harrowing scream of anguish and disbelief”; in ‘Another Song’, Coma Beach flips the switch tilting to coping mechanisms instead of utter despair. The group explain that ‘Another Song’ takes “a good harsh look at the absurdities and cruelties of everyday life [and] the unnamed antihero resorts to sarcasm and cynicism in order to cope with what he regards as the utter meaninglessness of human existence.”
Inspired by the themes of the meaninglessness of life and existential angst portrayed in the work of Samuel Beckett, Douglas Adams, and even William Shakespeare; ‘Another Song’ has the tinge of satire found in Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy. Lyrically, it’s almost an embittered expression of Arthur Dent with the melody enhancing the anarchistic, chaotic, bittersweet hopelessness of his journey. In this case, however, the unnamed antihero steps out of Coma Beach’s debut album The Scapegoat’s Agony with the group’s profound imagination setting the scene.
Yes, lyrically the tune keeps you captivated but it is the melody that washes over you with an intoxicating intensity. As with ‘Nothing Right’, Coma Beach brushes our ears with a punk style. Unlike ‘Nothing Right’, ‘Another Song’ has a smoother soothing lightness layered atop the brashness of punk. In fact, ‘Another Song’ finds the line between gruff angsty aggression and a laidback flow of calm. For me, it is the interplay between rugged and gentle vocals that elegantly represent the despair of a dystopian society with jovial positivity and optimism albeit satirical.
For more from Coma Beach, check out their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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