What’s most impressive about the new EP from One Gone Thus, Impermanence, is how fresh it sounds. The two-piece post-hardcore outfit immediately reminds me of bands like Thrice and Scary Kids Scaring Kids (RIP, Tyson Stevens), but have crafted a sound that’s distinctly theirs on the new EP. The most appropriate comparison might be to Dead Poetic’s 2004 album, New Medicines.
It’s out today (and you can stream it below), and accompanying it is a track by track straight from the band, along with a brief description of what each song is about. Check it out!
1) Self & Soul: Musically this is one of our most diverse tracks, incorporating instrumentation from across a wide spectrum. Lyrically, we wanted to take the notion of impermanence and boil it down to its most rudimentary elements and pierce the very heart of the matter. There is no hidden meaning, no metaphor, nor any other literary device; this song is merely a realization that, “you have everything to mourn when you have nothing left to lose”.
2) A Girl Who Turned To Stone: This track might sound like the cliche story of a young and lonely girl however, every phrase was arranged with a much greater meaning in mind. This song further explores impermanence as a concept by confronting a painful truth that “the hardest part of living are the bonds we make”. This song delves deeper into the temporary nature of our lives. We often let the thoughts, opinions, and judgments of those around us dictate our sense of self-worth and in so doing we become like stones, weighed down and oppressed by those delusions.
3) I Disappear: This song is a testament of sorts, retelling the awakening of a spiritual wanderer. The conclusion is clear, impermanence haunts every aspect of our lives. From the monumental to the minuscule, the world that we know is an illusion, yet we suffer to acknowledge the truth that, “all things are impermanent and subject to change”. This song begs the question, “are we even awake”?
4) Porcelain: This is the most metaphoric track off the EP. We set out to create something emotional and atmospheric in tone. For this track, we wanted to express a much greater sense of melancholy and loss associated with impermanence. Though less explicit in nature, this song is still quintessentially an investigation into the cause of suffering. Though many of us refuse to show it, we are fragile creatures by design; built like porcelain clay.
5) Watch Me Change: We meant for this to be the most intense track on the EP. This song is a non-fictional (though highly theatrical) account of one man’s act of self-immolation. Though violent and horrific in its narrative, this song and its imagery are meant to inspire, not repulse, as the act is not one of greed, hatred, or delusion but rather one of unconditional compassion. It is the story of a man who has not only come to accept impermanence but who wholly embraces it as a path to liberation.
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