Stray From The Path return with vicious new single ‘Kubrick Stare’

3 years on from the highly successful album ‘Euthanasia’, Stray From The Path are back with new music. Stray are known for their politically charged songs which rarely hold back in pointing out the hard truths, with so much going on around the world it feels like the perfect time for the band to return.

"How much can we f**king bare?" asks vocalist Drew Dijorio- it feels as though he’s musing on life but its delivery also feels direct. It sets the tone for what to expect from the new song ‘Kubrick Stare’. The song itself is a commentary on our digitally driven society and how much access we have to the world around us. Every day across social media we’re exposed to a whole variety of dangerous material and are slowly desensitised to it. The name itself is in reference to how Stanley Kubrick depicts a character slowly losing their mind, a prime example being Jack, from The Shining, as seen on the single's cover. 

'Kubrick Stare' is built on eerie guitar tones, jarring beats and a vicious vocal performance from Drew. The use of these guitar tones really gives a strong sense of unease and I find the rhythm gives makes it feel almost frantic, giving a real sense of madness which the band are aiming for. "Oh you traumatised? Just walk it off?" belts Drew as the energetic chorus kicks in. It’s catchy, it’s exciting, you can already picture the crowds shouting it along as they throw themselves around the pit. 

"But how does it compare to the songs on the last album, ‘Euthanasia’?", I hear you ask. It feels like a step forward and a perfect introduction to the band's new era. As a huge fan of the last album, I was skeptical- how does a band follow up such a killer album? But this song was an instant hit for me. Its pacing and catchy chorus made it an instant replay for me and its lyrical content still has many layers left to explore and give the listener plenty to think about. But it also doesn’t have to be listened to in depth to feel the anger within the song. 

From a technical stand point, this song also sounds great. The band returned to the studio with producer Will Putney who helped bring their vision to life. Once again, drummer Craig Reynolds has surpassed himself, filling the song with complex beats and fills which work perfectly against Guitarist Tom Williams chord arrangements. This is only a snippet of what’s to come in the near future from the band. Whilst the rest of the world falls apart, at least we’ll have a fitting soundtrack to go with it. 

Kubrick Stare is available on all major streaming platforms and you can catch the accompanying video below:

The band are set to open for Spiritbox on their upcoming EU and UK tour. Unfortunately, it’s sold out already, but if you find yourself in the lucky position to have a ticket then you are in for a wild time.