Drawing us in with a stunning strings frequency, before expanding into a dimensional, alternative rock soundscape with epic and intricate guitar work, Vatnehall open their debut single, Back to Life with a high emotional quotient and poetic, situational prose.
The narrative driven journey of the lyrics is captivating, and the luscious 80s adjacent power-pop harmonies are nothing short of transcendental, amplify the emotive core of the song. The message of Back to Life is optimistic and cathartic, shining a light on the hardships of mental health. An important topic for us all in today’s world.
We are grateful to drummer, vocalist, and producer Svend Skogheim and guitarist, multi-Instrumentalist, and producer Tage Johnsen for tapping into this notion, and manifesting a healing energy with their debut opus. We learn that Skogheim is best known for his work with hard rock outfits Stargazer and IceBridge, while Johnsen is acclaimed for his bass playing in Grand Minor – this level of expertise certainly comes through in the high quality sound that Vatnehall has.
The chord choices and the lyricism are nothing short of masterful. The song taps into our heart’s centre with his message and we love the exemplification of their muse and her own healing journey. The guitar solo is literally out of this world, and we connect with the classic structure of the song with a sublime and meditative middle eight before a thrashing reprise and epic finale.
The duo confesses how Back to Life is inspired by “a friend’s determined battle against mental health struggles”. They elaborate on how it is a “powerful meditation on resilience and perseverance.” The lyrics themselves depict a woman who has been “written off by society”.
“Despite her cries for help, she is brushed off and ignored at every turn. But despite her troubles, she manages to continually overcome the odds…” Vatnehall add with reference to the narrative arc. The lyrics, “Now she’s back, full of life and attack…” feel empowering and cathartic – perfect for anyone who is ready to come “back to life” from trauma or mental hardship.
Naturally, we have added Back to Life to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we immerse ourselves in the cinematic music video for the song, and anticipate future releases from Vatnehall!