Rebuilder - "Stayin' Alive"

CW: Self harm

Typically when pop punk bands release a power ballad, that's when I start checking out. However, Rebuilder aren't your typical pop punk band, and their latest single is the perfect power ballad. "Stayin' Alive" is a song filled with pain. It's a gorgeous song filled with heartbreak, sadness, and hope. To explain the song, I'll take Sal Ellington's (vocals/guitar) words from a Facebook post.

"The new Rebuilder song out today is a tough one. The lyrics might be the most honest I've ever been and deals with not wanting to be alive anymore. In my 20's during college I struggled the most with my mental health. I was so embarrassed to tell anyone and I'm still embarrassed about it. So many times I wanted to call someone or call a hotline but I didn't know how to explain that I'm not trying to hurt myself but I don't feel like I want to be on this earth anymore. I didn't know how to tell that to someone and have them listen and understand without calling the cops. After some bad episodes in the ER, I started therapy and it helped me to talk to someone who had answers and real direction. It helped me get to a place where I could be happy around friends allow myself to try and be okay. While it's a joke, I often think of my life pre-Salfies and post Salfies. I never thought a dumb joke would be a vessel for me to feel like I didn't care anvmore about what people think and had confidence in myself that never exist. I felt I had to end this song with a glimmer of hope because I want everyone to make it. I don't want the people I love give up because I never want to go back to a place in my mind where that was an option."

You can listen to "Stayin' Alive" below. Local Support is due out August 11, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Rebuilder, check out the band's website.