The Silencer just released a brand new single and music video called "Within" and to celebrate we asked Charlie Corletta (Julius Seizure, Will Killmore) to tell us about the track. Here is the story:
I wanted to convey a strong message to our listeners that no matter what you're going through in life, no matter how bad your personal situation might be, there is always an inner light inside you that burns just bright enough to pull you from the depths of your darkest days. Sometimes it's hard to find that light. Sometimes we have to dig deep to find it by thinking about our more innocent times, or using the memory of a past experience that made us feel something positive. That's one way we can turn our personal darkness into light. We have to fight for our lives and the courage to do so rests within. I wanted the music video to portray this concept so I wrote up and intricate storyline that involved and young girl being bullied, harassed and struggling with thoughts of suicide, only to then find her own inner light within a memory she kept of a more innocent and beautiful time.
Our new single "Within" dives into the inner struggles individuals face when trying to balance their personal strengths and weaknesses. The increasingly growing issue of bullying and suicide amongst today's youth are topics that resonate strongly with me.
At the time we were writing "Within" the mainstream media was focusing a lot on stories that had come out regarding bullying as well as school shootings. I had identified strongly with these topics since I as a kid was bullied and also judged for being a metal kid who didn't fit into the mainstream idea of what was considered normal in school. I personally felt that how kids treat each other today has a strong connection to their mental stability as well as harsh actions they might take in light of being mistreated. Some take their own lives while others first take the lives of their classmates. This whole concept is so alarming to me. I feel that not just kids but people as a whole use social media to exploit the shortcomings of others is so dangerous and toxic. I started to see a direct link to this idea and people committing terrible acts to themselves and others. I am also a music educator dealing with the youth of our communities so these ideas and stories really struck a nerve. I've seen in my own experiences with students just how much music and it's message can help a child. I immediately had a sense of purpose larger than myself for "Within."
I tend to watch mostly music videos and music documentaries when I'm home trying to unwind. This usually helps me to relax. One night while I was going over the lyrics of "Within" and having a few glasses of wine I watched the music video for Pearl Jam's "Jeremy." A video that I was very familiar with all of a sudden had new life given the incidents that had just been all over the news regarding teen bullying, school shootings and suicide. Immediately my lyrics that originally were a self examination had a whole new meaning and purpose. I now saw a way to bridge the gap between how I was feeling, and how the message could perhaps help others. I used the idea of Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" video as my inspiration to tell the story of a young teen who was bullied, sexually harassed, and shamed on social media only to then struggle with contemplation of taking her own life. However, unlike the "Jeremy" video, I wanted "Within" to take a positive turn at the end. I wanted her to find her inner light and have that inner light save her from her darkest thoughts and fears.
Once of the coolest things about the whole experience writing, recording and then creating the music video was that I was able to have my little cousin Gerri as the main actress in the video. One of the things I noticed with all the news coverage was just how much they focused on boys and young men when examining mental illness, Suicide, and irrational behaviors. Meanwhile, girls and young women also suffer these same things. I wanted to use a girl actor as the main focus to show that side. My Cousin is a special Fx makeup artist and into alternative fashion. She is young, sometimes shy and had a great vibe for what I was trying to create. I was so proud of her. Seeing her act and help bring "Within" to life made me smile. Being able to include my family in my work is something to priceless.
"Within" started as a self examination piece where I sing about finding my own inner light to help fight off the darkest parts of my mind. Little did I know that by writing this and creating the video I personally would see my inner light unfold before my very eyes. Originally I thought that inner light was my passion for music but what I quickly found out is that my inner light is my passion to help people see that life is beautiful and worth living despite all the obstacles and shortcomings we face. I have to say, it's been some pretty cathartic stuff!
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself right here!
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