While She Sleeps Post New Track Nervous Featuring Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil
Friday, 19 March 2021
Written by Jon Stickler
While She Sleeps have shared a new track, Nervous.
The collaboration with Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil marks the latest preview of the Sheffield metallers' forthcoming fifth LP, 'Sleeps Society', due out on April 16 via Sleeps Brothers/Spinefarm Records.
Following You Are All You Need, the song's impassioned lyrics reflect on mental health, drawing on guitarist Sean Long's own struggles with anxiety. Opening with haunting keys, it weaves crashing guitar riffs with quieter, more intimate melodic moments, interspersed with Neil's additional vocals. Long said:
"The song Nervous is one the band has been talking about ever since its first demo. It’s completely infected us since the start and we all knew instantly that something really special had happened. I would go so far as to say it's the single most important song I’ve ever written in my life. It’s born from experiencing the pain and suffering generated by acute anxiety but also finding a way out from that, which whilst in such a dark and terrifying place felt like the biggest pipe dream imaginable. I felt like if I didn't write this song then someone else would have. It feels like it needed to be manifested into this world ASAP. I truly believe it's going to resonate with people on an extremely personal, deep and meaningful level because I feel like it came from a place beyond what we may call ourselves and I feel the song is much bigger than our band.
"I'd like Nervous to be viewed as more of a spiritual request rather than just a song to enjoy. I'm talking about a particular emotion in this song but the idea is transferable to any negative or troublesome feeling. It’s about accepting your emotions, fears, pains, anxiety, depression - not only accepting them but owning them and becoming one with them completely. It’s about being proud of all our emotions. The song is literally telling you to BE nervous, be scared and be in pain. By this I mean a lot of our pain comes from the idea that there's me on the one hand and the pain on the other. So when the pain arrives this "me" is somehow trying to get away from said pain. When we really think this through with clarity we inevitably see its a futile endeavour. The moment we realise this, we can stop fighting and running away and we can begin the healing process by feeling the emotions as if we wanted them to be there in the first place. Once you stop fighting and pushing the feelings away, you realise that most of, if not all of, the pain was caused by this attempt to split ourselves in two. Most of the pain was caused by the fear of the pain itself and the attempt to get away from it. It can actually be a good thing to feel these emotions fully and experience that journey of acceptance. If we just sit a little longer with the pain, fully go into the dark, feeling it with every cell of our being, there is a chance of something miraculous to occur for the individual. What do you have to lose? This is what Nervous is about."
Neil added: "I've been a big fan of what WSS do, and how they do it, for a long time. When Mat and the boys approached me to be a part of their new record it was a no-brainer and Nervous is a towering statement of intent for their new era. The way WSS have chosen to promote and release this album, and the new model they are creating, excites me for the future and I am delighted to be a part of it."
While She Sleeps are due to embark on a UK tour in May, though this may need to be reviewed in light of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. They're also set to appear as part of the line up for the rearranged Slam Dunk Festival, now taking place in September.
While She Sleeps Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Sun May 02 2021 - GLASGOW Stereo
Mon May 03 2021 - GLASGOW Stereo
Thu May 06 2021 - LEICESTER O2 Academy2 Leicester
Fri May 07 2021 - BIRMINGHAM Asylum, Hockley
Sat May 08 2021 - BRIDGEND Hobos Music Venue
Sun May 09 2021 - BRIDGEND Hobos Music Venue
Wed May 12 2021 - LEEDS Key Club
Thu May 13 2021 - LEEDS Key Club
Fri May 14 2021 - LEEDS Key Club
Mon May 17 2021 - LONDON Underworld Camden
Tue May 18 2021 - LONDON Underworld Camden
Wed May 19 2021 - LONDON Underworld Camden
Sun May 23 2021 - BRIGHTON Chalk
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