The post-hardcore group Limbs captured a searing blast of emotional tension on their compelling, new EP, Coma Year, a June release from UNFD. It’s like someone suddenly turned on a flamethrower.
There’s a lot of variation in the journey—It’s not all just heavy with little else—but the music features the physical intensity and overall thickness welcomingly familiar to those used to this style’s emotional outpourings. You get the sense with tracks like these that there’s some tidal wave of sound coming your direction, or that the music has somehow completely surrounded whoever’s listening—which can be strangely comforting. In that, Coma Year seems built to provide a safe environment to release even the most metaphorically backbreaking tension—It’s like letting it all out is what’s just destined to happen.
The breadth of the music also means it’s relatively captivating. Cinematic wouldn’t be an off-base description, but that’s not to say overused swells or an overwhelming focus on ambiance lead the way. Coma Year instead feels expansive but personal; the vocals present on the EP highlight that implication, communicating passion that’s unmistakable.
Accessible dynamics mean each element—singing included—helps build Coma Year into a sense of what it’s like to break free. That moment of shattering bonds seems to musically repeat throughout the consistently surging EP—Although in that, the struggle continues. The instrumentals deliver the same kind of raw, despondency-fueled search for meaning and security as the vocals and lyrics.
Below, check out what Limbs vocalist Austin McAuley has to say about the new EP.
The new EP is super compelling. On a broad level, how would you describe the emotional journey the record takes? Do you feel as though there’s metaphorical light or relief in there somewhere?
The EP kicks off with “Mortality Moment,” a song highlighting a self-realization of how finite and limited my existence truly is. Having to come to terms with understanding that all I have is this present moment of existence and that the future isn’t guaranteed. This track sets the tone and momentum for the rest of the record. While later parts of this release touch on optimism and a proverbial “light at the end of tunnel,” this song immerses the listener in some of the darker themes present in Coma Year.
Did you intentionally make the sounds of this EP reflect the lyrical journey it takes? Does intentionally cultivating emotional directness weigh on how you shape the sounds?
We definitely wanted the soundscapes of this EP to reflect on and influence the lyrical content, but the correlation between the two seemed to come naturally. It was as if the instrumentals allowed me to fall into the right mindset to recall certain memories and put pen to paper. And once I’ve written the lyrics, the composition and delivery of them just felt organic.
For Limbs, is there something particular that generally comes first in the process of crafting a song—Or is there something that, structurally, you see as a foundational element of the band’s songwriting approach?
I usually approach each song with a general theme, emotion, or message that I want to convey. Beginning with the chorus, I try and construct the lyrical content around it first and use it as a foundation for the rest of the song. I always want to make sure that the chorus caters to the most important parts of the subject matter, allowing the other parts of the song to flow in and out of its central message.
Do you get a lot of folks who listen to the band bringing up the emotion of it? At shows and even on social media, what are interactions with listeners like—What sorts of things are they discussing?
Absolutely. One thing I’m most thankful for as an artist are the connections I’m able to make by sharing my life experiences and emotions in our music. In doing so, I’ve had so many interactions with fans telling me how they related to the music in their personal lives or enjoyed our live set because they could observe the raw emotion pouring out of us on stage. At times, it’s even difficult for me, personally, to get through certain songs while playing because of the intense emotions and memories they invoke.
On a personal level, did you find the creation of this music to be cathartic?
Most definitely. The creation of this new record was a form of therapy for me. I had been holding on to so many negative feelings and constantly felt trapped inside my own mind. Every song on this EP offered a moment of clarity and a psychological release to the personal struggles I kept buried inside myself.
Post-hardcore, or whatever one might call it, has its own interesting history. Whether there’s any one-to-one relationship with your music, are there particular bands or corners of the music community under that general umbrella that are inspiring for you guys?
Growing up in Florida and being surrounded by a thriving music scene has always been inspiring and motivating for me as an artist. Seeing bands like Underoath and Evergreen Terrace early on going from playing small local shows to breaking through and becoming household names in the industry served as a catalyst for my own musical dreams and aspirations. It was amazing to see their progression over the years and how they took over the post-hardcore/ hardcore scene.
Does going night-after-night through the emotion get in any way tiring (not in a negative sense)? Are there particular ways you approach or deal with going through that emotion and/or general intensity at shows?
Just like with the writing process for this record, getting to play some of these new songs live has been a cathartic experience. Getting to share that part of myself every night with showgoers and connect with people through the music has been extremely rewarding. It’s like a switch in my brain that flips on and off. During my pre-show warmups, I get into that mindset of performing these songs, and afterwards I get to reflect on how playing live is a form of relief from any negativity that I may have been holding on to.
Are there other styles or varieties of music that you could see yourself making or would want to make? What’s your own listening like? Are there particular bands or styles to which you’ve been listening a lot lately?
I would love to write an indie/bluegrass record. There are songs I’ve written over the years that definitely don’t fit into my role with LIMBS, and I would really enjoy bringing those to light one day. I listen to a broad spectrum of music: bluegrass, indie, old country artists, and I’m also a huge death metal fan. So I’m all over the place with my musical taste.
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Watch the video for “Coma Year” here:
For more from Limbs, find them on Facebook, Instagram, and their official website.
Photo courtesy of UNFD
