Explorations should never be denied, as there exists a nomad in each and every single one of us. This includes going on a trip towards N4T3’s Views From A Distorted Mind and seeing how distorted his mind can be.
Throughout the world’s explorations, one often considered genuinely remarkable was the works of space astronauts led by Neil Armstrong. Still, as time would tell, one must have asked themselves, “Is there anything greater of an exploration than in one’s brain?” It is almost impossible for the world to think that there is, and N4T3 is but one of the whole nation who tends to experiment in whatever room he’s doing his sonic findings for quite a while, and once the tests are done, he is ready to allow us to sit and behold.
As Siddharta Gautama once said in one of his noble truths, “Life is suffering.” Life is very much a series of it, indeed. Still, the human brain is such a wonder of an organ that it does not just limit itself to allowing their heart to tell them to suffocate into their own seas; it is also meant to not think of it as suffocating; instead, a form of glory, as going into the depths is the greatest of all heights. Different people have different stories to spare, and the world is the most excellent auditorium and is generous enough to allow everyone to share their testimony.
N413 may have been new to this scene, but he is trying to start glimpsing into the forefront for a theme often made by several artists before he should not discredit his work. There is not precisely a strong juxtaposition but more of a less gloomy sonic set of soundscapes for something that is supposed to seek the grieving and wiping the tears that come out of it. Perhaps it is more of a decided choice on his end because, despite the usual melancholic portrayal of mental struggles he has experienced, these songs still know how to open door celebrations and should allow hope to be in the present, even as just the unseen shadow at that moment.
While the EP is not made beyond its murky waters, the strength of this project lies in its refusal to be solely defined by darkness. As humans have been living oxymorons and paradoxes, it relives the yin to its own yang: the sadness to its own joy, the weakness to its own resilience… The list goes on and on and will never stop its recognition of the complexity of being a human. There is something in this record, though, that sounds as if the earlier Linkin Park’s signature atmospheric yet apocalyptic feel has been bombarded with overpowering beats, making it seem more violet in the eyes.
The other half of the record has created a less celebratory approach, though, as it became more accepting of fate, somehow defeated, that, sometimes, it is just simply what it is and ends in such a manner. “Fall Apart” is one of the best tracks of the EP, as it directly calls back the wonders of emo rock made in the 2000s, like paying such homage to a generation that exudes the emotions of those people whom the world thinks does not have the face for it. Closer “Shattered Hearts” has gripped the EP quite well, thanks to Big Zack’s almost gravelly-sounding vocal, especially at the bridge portion of the song, which is just plainly asking about the idea of what is being left behind in this world for someone who has carried their pieces in smithereens.
Of all the thematic statements in the shape of music, it is within the marred mind that artists gravitate to create something they will consider their masterpieces. After all, creations become magnum opus themselves, whether the public consciousness would see it as such or not. It is an overbearing fact that tons of artists have gone in this route once in a while in their musical career, which gives the impression that it is simply easy to make. However, as someone competent enough to have either purchased or downloaded any weighted introspective records, only a couple of these have made me drawn magnetically that there should be an instance of stripping clothes and being bare and naked to go swim into their thoughts and drown in it for more. Unfortunately, none of those instances took place.
Despite the unfortunate fact that there are situations of going into a deeper watery grave that happened upon listening to this record, NT43 allowed us to view his distorted mind, and it is a privilege to witness what is within him. Hopefully, this EP will come out on August 30th this year, along with the world.
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About the Author
Jett interestingly seeks every supposed-to-be-life-changing almost: getting a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, submitting a finished compilation of epistles and poems to some book publications, and releasing passion projects to audio streaming platforms. However, his inkling of his pen and his reverberating of his music, being the ones that keep him sustained in somehows, never stop him from walking to a road yet to be taken.
