There is no other band in the music scene like Scranton, Pennsylvania’s Motionless In White. The metalcore quintet continuously challenge themselves to break the mold and create high quality content that remains true to who they are. MIW has remained very productive throughout the course of the pandemic, and they are showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
With all of the extra downtime, the band took advantage of the situation and pursued ambitious musical territory they haven’t had the opportunity to explore much before. This brought forth many collaborative efforts with the likes of Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo, the Estonian avant-garde musical talent Kerli, and dark pop artist Crystal Joilena. The 2020 Motionless catalogue includes “Another Life (Caleb Shomo Remix),” the cinematic Another Life / Eternally Yours: Motion Picture Collection EP, an epic rock throwback cover of The Killers’ classic “Somebody Told Me,” and a dive into their roots with the defiant “Creatures X: To The Grave,” written in the style of their 2010 debut album Creatures.
In 2020, the Scranton metal band also commemorated a significant milestone in their career — they put their heart and soul into honouring the 10th anniversary of Creatures in the best way they possibly could — there were initially other plans to celebrate in a live music setting, of course, but there’s an ongoing global pandemic happening all around us, so… yeah. Revisions were made. Near Halloween night, in true gothic fashion, MIW performed their debut record in its entirety for the first time ever with an exclusive ‘deadstream’ concert. It was a compelling, spooky evening; completely out of this world.
Now, Motionless in White have unveiled the final release of their “2020 Quarantine Experiments” project, delivering a synthwave edition of their track “Voices.”
It kicks off with hypnotic guitar riffs and neon synthesizers that endlessly spiral in a symphonic unison until frontman Chris “Motionless” Cerulli exhibits his grand vocal entrance, building upon the creative manifestation that’s already begun. Rhythm guitarist Ricky Olson casts his own captivating spell of smooth vocal magic in the second verse and bridge; the duo’s distinguishable styles complement each other and present this whole new take on their hard-hitting anthem, transforming a hard rock narrative into an emotive 80s style excursion. This reimagining also incorporates distorted, electronic components to the sound, exemplified in the following line:
“I keep it all inside because I know that man is everything but kind.”
“Voices” is off of the band’s 2017 album Graveyard Shift, and became an instant hit among the fanbase with its message about coming face to face in battle against your own demons and the voices in your head that threaten to overpower you. The song tackles the difficult subject of mental health with blunt honesty and never backs down from asking the heavy questions.
“If I showed you my soul, would you cover your eyes? / If I told you the truth, would you dare me to lie?”
This new rendition induces you into an otherworldly trance and wraps around you like a comforting embrace; it feels as if it’s taken on the semblance of a music box melody — eerily haunting, yet reassuring at the same time. The sentiment carries a delicate reminder that it’s okay to be different and misunderstood. Regardless of what others have led you to believe, the truth strongly resonates in these lyrics, reminding you that it’s okay to not be okay (“I don’t want to live so calloused and frozen / Ugly and hopeless / You can’t take me from me!”) A catalyst for change, this song (and band) brings forth representation for the misfits, outcasts, and underdogs. Motionless just wants to reach out and connect with others and let them know that they’re not alone; that’s what this band has always passionately stood for.
“Voices in my head again / Beating me in a war I can’t win / I can hear them now / Trapped in a game inside my own skin / And I don’t know myself anymore / They’re pulling me under”
Final verdict:
Beautifully cathartic, this single release showcases versatility and only proves that Motionless In White can do no wrong, while simultaneously expressing the dire need for the Scranton boys to get in the studio and craft a synthwave record! Seriously. They need to strongly consider bringing this sort of full-length project to life someday. Hopefully they will further experiment with this music direction in the future; in the meantime, fans of the band have much to look forward to as the guys have been working hard on new album material since lockdown. New Motionless In White music will be heading our way very soon!
Check out the music video for the original “Voices” single for comparison; both versions are truly epic in their own unique way, and the band’s dark visuals perfectly encapsulate the message of the song.
