Out of Reach, the latest single by Niagara alt-rockers Heavy Hearts is a powerful, guitar driven calling out of anyone who enters a person’s life, without their best interests in mind.
Out of Reach opens in a way fitting its title, as the listener begins their journey in a spacious, shoegaze-esque soundscape, where all sound meshes into one. The main melody is but a whisper in the distance, with only Joey Demers’ drums being distinguishable from within the room of noise. These drums become progressively louder, as if the listener were drawing closer to the main attraction and what a main attraction it is.
Having drums be the only discernable instrument in the opening proves to be a wise choice, as they form the backbone of Out of Reach. Powerful, but keeping a simple beat, the drums work in conjunction with electric, slightly distorted guitars to create a melody that demands the listener’s full attention.
While the drums are the musical backbone of Out of Reach, its lyrics are the thematic core. Recounting betrayal by someone who didn’t have the protagonist’s best interests in mind, the lyrics are appropriately scathing, From the opening line, the song’s subject is referred to as “the wolf who took the dreams from my head.” The protagonist, meanwhile, refers to himself as “the lamb who let you in.” Though the exact details are never made explicit, the scale and impact of the betrayal can be easily inferred through lyrics such as, “lit your match and watched the fire start dancing.”
Such vitriol requires a passionate vocal performance to reach the listener as intended. Fortunately, vocalist Justin Glatt delivers on all fronts, bringing every word to life in spectacular fashion. Glatt doesn’t dwell entirely on anger, however, as his performance also carries an air of triumph.
This implies that Heavy Hearts have written Out of Reach as a bookend to a tumultuous chapter, ready to face an uncertain, but hopefully brighter future. These undertones combine with Glatt’s passionate performance and heart pounding instrumentation to make Out of Reach a powerful anthem about moving forward despite the highs and lows of life.
Out of Reach was produced by Cory Bergeron and represents a departure from Heavy Hearts’ established song writing routine. As such, the band has deemed it a favourite to perform during live shows.
Out of Reach is also among the singles released in the lead up to Heavy Hearts’ sophomore album, Room With a View. If the track is any indication, then this second outing looks to be a firm step forward, in what seems like a great career.
Stream and purchase Room With a View on June 5.
Stream “Out Of Reach” using Spotify *** SoundCloud