Honest? by ESCAPIST is a raw, unfiltered plunge into the void – a dark manifesto of disillusionment, rage, and existential chaos. From the opening moments, the track grips us in a cerebral chokehold, opening with panning, astral textures that feel like the dissonant echoes of a collapsing reality. The eerie, spacious intro is both hypnotic and unsettling, setting the stage for what unfolds into a genre-expansive experience.
Dramatic and emotively charged, the atmospheric vocals seep into the soundscape like whispers from the abyss, their haunting quality lending the song an almost spectral presence. Yet, just as the listener begins to settle into this ethereal unease, the track expands with a sudden and visceral intensity – plunging into dark wave depths laced with screamo elements, avant-garde twists, and a fusion of rock, Eastern-influenced melodies, and drum and bass rhythms. The song refuses to be confined to a single genre, instead embracing an immersive, chaotic energy that shifts between haunting beauty and brutal aggression.
The vocal performance is magnetic, immersing us in a sonic exorcism that teeters between whispered paranoia and full-throttle screams. The emotional volatility is palpable – every note and lyric feels like an outpouring of raw, unfiltered truth, as if the song itself is wrestling with its own existence. This interplay between vulnerability and rage makes Honest? feel more than just a song; it becomes a psychological descent, an unrelenting confrontation with the abyss. The production choices enhance this sensation, layering eerie synths, relentless percussion, and distorted, chugging guitars to create a cinematic atmosphere that would feel right at home in a psychological horror film. The track’s horror-like quality isn’t just in its sound but in its thematic weight, digging deep into existential despair, self-destruction, and the search for meaning in a world that feels increasingly unreal.
Lyrically, Honest? is an unflinching, almost nihilistic reflection on identity, suffering, and the oppressive weight of reality. The opening lines, “I never wanted you to see this side of me / I see it’s not the world where I’m supposed to be…”, immediately set the tone for an internal struggle, a confession of alienation and detachment. The speaker feels misplaced, disconnected from both themselves and the world around them, their fragile sense of self expressed through “all these fragile bones / callous jaded nerves.” This imagery of brittle, exhausted existence captures the essence of someone who has endured too much, whose very structure has been worn down by life’s relentless blows.
The second half of the song takes a more aggressive, almost confrontational approach, tearing into themes of consumerism, media saturation, and the absurdity of existence. The brutal line, “I will tell you why the fuck you were born / Nobody could come up with anything better than visual matter porn…” – directly critiques the emptiness of modern life, where stimulation and distraction have replaced genuine purpose.
The final verse plunges even deeper into paranoia and darkness, weaving in violent, almost hallucinatory imagery. “Something’s gonna be watching me (now) / Haunting me, wishing me dead…” encapsulates the feeling of being hunted, whether by external forces, inner demons, or simply the crushing weight of existence itself. The song’s shifting perspectives blur the lines between reality and delusion, making it unclear whether these threats are real or merely manifestations of a tormented mind. The lines “Pressure to violence / With the venomous fangs / Beast in me sleeps when the serpent prevails…” evoke a primal struggle, as if the speaker is at war with an internal force, something dark and uncontrollable that takes over when all hope is lost.
As the song closes, the refrain “Nothing is real…” echoes like a final revelation, a mantra of existential acceptance. The repetition of “Seal the deal…” suggests a conclusion, an irreversible choice, though whether this is surrender or liberation remains ambiguous. The closing lines – “Thanks, world, at least for being honest with me / Honest with you?” – leave the with a chilling, unresolved question. Who is really being honest? The speaker? The world? Or is honesty itself just another illusion?
Honest? is a brutal, cinematic exploration of existential dread and self-destruction, a sonic purge that refuses to offer comfort or easy answers. The production, an intricate fusion of dark wave, screamo, avant-garde elements, and electronic textures, mirrors the thematic chaos, creating an immersive and unsettling experience. It is the kind of track that doesn’t just play in the background – it engulfs you, pulling you into its abyssal depths and refusing to let go. ESCAPIST has crafted a masterpiece of despair, a song that not only questions reality but forces the listener to confront their own darkest thoughts. It is a perfect encapsulation of the horror of existence – both cinematic and disturbingly real. We have added the opus to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream ESCAPIST‘s wider discography including Surrender and Halos.