“NEVER ANY ORDINARY releases excellent new album ‘Life Everlasting'”
Loss can carve out a void within, leaving behind sharp remnants of what once offered solace. For the members of NEVER ANY ORDINARY, a band hailing from Charleston and emerging from personal tragedy, their latest album, “Life Everlasting,” serves as a poignant navigational tool through the maze of grief. Released through We’re Trying Records, this album grapples with the devastating double blow of losing a beloved pet in a house fire and a friend to suicide, events that unfolded within a short span of six months.
Originally conceived as a modest EP while the band consisted of just a duo, the project evolved into a full-length production following the addition of new members who injected fresh creative energy. The resulting musical journey swings back and forth between tender acoustic elegies and the ferocious roar of post-hardcore and screamo, all united by a common theme—navigating the enduring shadow of mourning while striving to move forward.
The narrative commences in the aftermath of destruction and silence. Sarah, the vocalist, channels her grief over her cat’s demise and her friend’s tragic suicide into the album’s tracks. The six-month gap between the two losses stretched into an endless haze, where the pain of losing possessions stung, yet losing lives cut far deeper. According to the band, music acted as a lifeline during these dark periods, and “Life Everlasting” is an extension of that support—a beacon of hope aiming to rescue others teetering on the edge or at least to provide solace during their descent.
The album’s essence lies in its delicate balancing act: transitioning from being cradled by a solitary guitar and Sarah’s vulnerable vocals one moment to being engulfed by the unbridled intensity of post-hardcore the next. This deliberate chaos mirrors the unpredictable nature of grief—quiet sorrow one day, explosive anger the next.
While the heart of the album pulsates most fervently through its track-by-track dissection, the overarching message is about clawing one’s way through loss, guilt, and the gradual journey towards something resembling redemption. Sarah encapsulates this sentiment by stating that nearly every song in the album touches upon these profound themes of human experience.
This musical endeavor was birthed from Charleston’s DIY community, and the band is quick to acknowledge the pivotal role this supportive network played in shaping their work. Despite the setbacks brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic which led to closures of key venues like cory’s grilled cheese and band fractures, Charleston’s local music scene is slowly but surely making a comeback. Emerging venues such as stu’s house, tin roof, and cos & effect are now bustling with activity, hosting acts like hound, newgrounds death rugby, haunters, anergy, gow, and abrevity that churn out raw, authentic sounds worth experiencing.
For Sarah, the album is deeply personal, reflecting her life’s trials and tribulations over the past few years. Music, in its various forms of consumption and creation, has acted as her lifeline, offering solace during life’s darkest moments. While the album does not aim to sermonize, it extends a metaphorical hand to listeners, inviting them to find solace and connection within its tumultuous tracks.
From the raw intensity of the opening track to the vulnerable reflections in the title song, “Life Everlasting” weaves a narrative that oscillates between despair and hope, culminating in a cacophony of emotions in its final moments. With meticulous production by Matt Tuton and mastering by Whiz Bill Henderson, this album, two and a half years in the making, serves as a testament to the band’s resilience and dedication to their craft. The ethereal soundscape crafted by NEVER ANY ORDINARY, embodied in their latest release, speaks to the universal theme of human suffering and resilience—a poignant reminder that music can serve as a beacon of light in the darkest of times.