When we dwell too deeply on the past, we risk letting it shape our present in unhealthy ways. Nostalgia, though comforting at times, can cloud our perception and bind us to moments long gone. When we invest too much energy in memories, especially painful ones, we distort our ability to live in the now. The past becomes an anchor, pulling us away from the flow of life, stalling our growth and making it difficult to see clearly. True wisdom lies in appreciating the past while remaining firmly grounded in the present.
Rick Polo is already known in his native Western Pennsylvania for his stints in Baroque Monody and Heck Vektor. Now he embarks on his latest venture, a solo act called ShadowMouth. This marks a sharp new direction for the artist, blending goth, post-punk, and industrial with a gritty heavy alternative edge. The concept of ShadowMouth began around the ideas of redemption; rising from hell and back, but allowing the flames to immolate the sins of the past. From these sessions comes the Purification By Fire EP, scheduled for release in late 2024.
Poison Nostalgia, is a punchy original track, while the B-side offers a brooding cover of Joy Division’s Twenty Four Hours. With Brooks Farris on drums and production, and Dombrowski on vocals, the trio explodes with an intense, atmospheric sound.
The lyrics reflect a deep sense of melancholy, with vivid imagery of forgotten memories, broken hearts, and lost dreams. The speaker is consumed by the past, haunted by shadows and whispers of what once was. Themes of time, pain, and betrayal are interwoven, with nostalgia acting as both a comfort and a poison. The recurring refrain underscores the emotional weight of reliving bittersweet moments, while the scars of memory linger like jagged thorns, symbolizing the lasting impact of unresolved pain and longing.
The cover of Twenty-Four Hours is faithful to the original, but the guitar has a more bombastic, industrial sound. It is heavier, weighted down with the grief of the collective.
Listen to Poison Nostalgia/Twenty-Four Hours below and order here. You can also save on Spotify here.
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