(BHM) San Diego rock band benches release their new EP Kill The Lights. From the project's inception, the band knew they wanted to use this moment to sonically stretch out; an exercise in surprising not only their audience, but surprising themselves.
Across six songs, the four-piece dredge up some of the darker sides of mental health that are typically left buried. Confronting themes of deep fears, overthinking, isolation and detachment, Kill The Lights is constantly searching for a source of illumination. Whether or not it truly finds it, there is a thread of hope that runs throughout.
Opening with the short, swelling instrumental "Departure," the band shares that they wanted to set the tone of the EP by introducing production elements that represent themes and feelings that arise throughout the project. It is mysterious, haunting, and leaves the listener full of anticipation.
As things kick into a higher gear on track 2 "Naive," the sense of dark moodiness is preserved. "'Naive' was one of the first pieces of music we wrote all together, and you can feel it in the recording," says vocalist Anson Kelley. "It feels live, like we are in the room. It came together very naturally within one day, and helped set the tone for what this EP would eventually become."
Moving through the middle of the EP, benches tosses and turns over a sense of distrust and dread, the unending loop of striving for perfection. On "Orchid" in particular, Kelley describes the song as, "First it was undercooked, then it was overcooked, then after a long time, it landed in a sweet spot between the two. The lyrics get caught in a time loop. You keep trying to find an answer that's different from the one that's always been there, right in front of you. In the search for perfection, you will almost always end up lost."
benches see the final song "Here Come The Bitter Tears," as what plays in the moment the credits begin to roll at the end of a heartbreaking movie. Cinematic and melancholy, the band expertly toys with juxtaposition making it passionate, yet cold; close, but somehow so distant. We close on a note that craves romance while staying committed to emotional detachment.