Sydney's Bad Moon Born put aside the heavy for melodic, lush new single, 'Light Leaves the Day'
Photo by Tom Wilkinson
Sydney hard-rock outfit Bad Moon Born unveil their timeless new single ‘Light Leaves The Day’, a track that sees the band lean more into an acoustic and melodic rock direction for their first offering in 2022.
Focusing on Vocalist/Lyricist Jordan Von Grae’s personal struggles with addiction, the song’s honest lyrics also highlight his journey in to sobriety.
Contrasting with the previous release (the fast-paced belter, ‘Waves (of the Wild)’, ‘Light Leaves The Day’ is rich in atmospherics, lush acoustic guitars, intricate drumming, sneaks of strings, and a pulsing synth, that all helps push Jordan’s story of sobriety. It’s always a gamble when heavier bands dip in to acoustic offerings; it can often lead to a lacklustre, forced, or cheesy product. However, Jordan pulls a Corey Taylor (in Stone Sour mode), bringing a strong, emotional delivery, coupled with clever production (listen for all the tiny musical tricks, from reverse reverbed vocal, tape winding, and the aforementioned strings). This all makes for a moving and compelling listen.
Of the track, Jordan said that it addresses a time when he had been newly sober following years of chronic alcoholism and drug abuse.
“The initial clarity that came with sobriety brought several unaddressed mental health issues to the forefront, leaving me to confront them unaided through means of self-medication. It forced me into a terrifying loop of introspection which, through therapy and the support of my loved ones, ultimately resulted in a newfound desire to commit to my personal development, and change my behaviour. The song was written at a time when I was new to this change and whilst I was hopeful for the future, I was terrified that my efforts wouldn’t be enough to save the relationships I’d damaged throughout this time. 18 months on, I can safely say that committing to sobriety has been the best decision I’ve ever made.”
‘Light Leaves the Day’ was recorded at Morava Audio and produced and mixed by guitarist Voya and mastered by Chris Blancato (Northlane, Glass Ocean).
'When we sat down to write the songs for 'The Heart From the Hollow' singles collection, Jordan suggested including a ballad to help balance out the heaviness of the other tracks. I had a couple of acoustic ideas in 3/4 I'd been playing with and decided to arrange them with multiple synths in a way that didn't give it the feel of a 'typical' ballad. I was sort of envisioning it as a ballad composed by aliens, with enough nostalgic and latter-day elements to please a wide array of beings. When we got together to go through the lyrics and vocal melodies, everything fell into place quite naturally.' - Voya (Guitarist/Producer)
The track is complemented by an arresting video filmed in Sydney and directed by Voya (Guitarist/Producer).
Watch the video here.
“The main objective with the video was to capture Jordan's personal experience/journey with the walking shots, utilising negative space to reflect the sense of emptiness and isolation addressed in the lyrics. We felt it was important to depict the act of moving forward in spite of an anxious and uncertain future. As for the band shots, we wanted to provide a feeling of personal intimacy with late 90's/early 00's undertones (what would Hinder/The Goo Goo Dolls/Creed do?). As it turned out, hanging up a couple of lights in the garage of our studio achieved that quite well.” - Voya (Guitarist/Producer)
Since 2016 Bad Moon have been building up an impressive presence for themselves across the release of two EPs, extensive touring across Australia, including headline shows and tour support for Buckcherry and Hardcore Superstar. In August 2020, the band released a cheeky cover of Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy which attracted 95K plus streams, while in 2021 they released 5 consecutive singles, known collectively as ‘The Heart From The Hollow’ series. ‘Light Leaves The Day’ is the fifth and final instalment in the series.
The band are currently working on their new album due out this year.
‘Light Leaves the Day’ is out now on all streaming platforms.