When your eyes ache from crying tears of despair, you feel like the void is going to eat you up and keep you there for the rest of your days. Pain comes and goes, but it leaves a lasting effect, ingraining your soul and grinding you down until you feel deflated. You might also feel like your heart is beating its last as your body malfunctions.
Australian band Trophy Eyes depicts the struggles of depression and suicide on their album Suicide And Sunshine, and they don’t hesitate in telling us that they’re hurting so much it stings. The album was released earlier in the year, but it’s a record that deserves more attention due to its searing message. That message comes in rapidly from the start and it hangs on, making for a melancholic listen.
Lead singer John Floreani bellows out and lets us know he’s on the ropes, spiralling out of control as the room spins and the dust catches the back of his throat. These songs don’t just sound original, but they resonate. Floreani sounds like a man on the warpath at times, breaking sweat, and cursing the world.
Within the story, there’s a boy that Floreani sings about on numerous occasions. This boy has committed suicide and Floreani can’t mute his own voice. Rather, he elevates his voice, screaming for a message or a sign from God. In the past, Trophy Eyes created songs which always carried a message, songs that chronicled days when the world weighed heavily. On Suicide And Sunshine, the world weighs even more.
The song that demonstrates great musicality and lyrical ingenuity is ‘Life In Slow Motion,’ which is a song that has already become a staple. It shows Floreani in his element, crashing into the song like an energetic animal. The track also portrays the lead singer’s pain and his fallen dreams.
‘Blue-Eyed Boy’ And ‘Sean’ are songs that are progressive, giving us insight into what the album is telling us. Suicide is a main theme, a subject which runs seamlessly through the story, and Floreani doesn’t bask in the light here. He roams through the darkness, trying to find the raging beam.
Suicide And Sunshine is a sombre album and one that describes an ongoing crisis. It will break hearts! The album may have fallen under the radar back when it was released in July, but it should be commended for its anecdotes and story.
This is a remarkable album and one that carries so much weight. As it pushes its message when the first song opens, the sadness spills out.