Time ticks in a certain way, almost as if signaling you to be on guard. “Something’s about to happen,” you think to yourself. The faint sound of unsettling feedback is suspended in the air making you feel even more uneasy — which is something you didn’t think was possible at this point. “Someone’s going to say something,” you say to yourself with eyes wide open. And someone does, in a low, conspiratorial voice. A message is transmitted, warning you of the unhinged, the scary, the saddening, and the troublesome. Disoriented, you discover that the voice is no one else but your own.

In three minutes and 20 seconds, the Itchyworms’ “The Silence” is able to perfectly encapsulate how it feels like to live in a time of a pandemic. The track is a haunting piece that boldly tackles an even haunting reality these days — a seemingly inescapable sense of paranoia.

Alongside the infectious bop “Armageddon Blues,” “The Silence” is a cut from the four-piece alt-rock outfit’s upcoming “Waiting For The End To Start” album. To be released under Sony Music Philippines, these latest offerings come seven years after the release of “After All This Time” —  “a concept album about an astronaut stranded on the moon who witnesses a nuclear war on earth.”

The rock track features bass riffs intertwined with slow and ominous-sounding synth-pop beats; think Depeche Mode stuck in a Stephen King novel. The words of the song speak of a terrifying truth: In this day and age, where everything seems to be technologically interconnected, we can still feel absolutely disassociated.

The verses also hint of both certainty and uncertainty — little, vivid pieces of truth that expose the difficulty of going against the flow of your thoughts. The danger outside your confines may actually seep inside you — and the only way to emerge victorious is to reach out and speak up.

Stream The Itchyworms’ “The Silence”

Check out the lyric video here:

As part of championing mental health awareness through this piece, Jugs Jugueta (vocals, guitars), Jazz Nicolas (vocals, drums), Chino Singson (lead guitars), and Kelvin Yu (bass) of The Itchyworms tied up with Hopeline PH, a public helpline for suicide prevention and crisis support.

If you need someone to talk to today, please visit Hopeline PH on Facebook or call the following numbers:

For Smart subscribers • 0918 873-4673

For Globe subscribers • 0917 558-4673

For PLDT subscribers • (02) 8804-4673